Companion planting is the practice of growing different types of plants in the same garden bed for mutual benefit. Companion planting for cauliflower plants has several advantages, including improving the aesthetics of your garden design, combating common pests, attracting helpful insects, and boosting the overall flavor of your treasured vegetable plants.
Besides this, companion planting makes better use of your garden space, allowing you to harvest more types in a smaller space. Companion planting gives a lot of variety, which is great for pollinators, animals, and general soil health.
When it comes to cauliflower companion planting, beans, celery, and onions are all wonderful options. Cauliflower and beans are a winning combination. Pests are discouraged by both plants, while beneficial insects are attracted to them. While onions and cauliflower are a terrific combination, they aren't when beans are added. Beans and onions do not mix, so if you want to produce cauliflower and onions, avoid growing beans as well.
Plants that grow well with cauliflower
We've put together a list of beneficial plants that grow well with cauliflower in the garden bed;
Celery
Celery is a great friend to brassica plants, making it an excellent cauliflower companion plant. The white cabbage moth is kept out of the garden bed by the aromatic leaves of the celery plant. When it comes to planting and growing cauliflower plants, this destructive pest is a major issue because it eats the leaves and kills the plants. Growing celery near cauliflower can be extremely beneficial.
Legumes
Cauliflower is a heavy feeder in the garden bed and can use up many nutrients in the garden. As they grow and flourish, legumes fix nitrogen into the soil, refilling the nutrients that cauliflower plants readily consume. Legumes such as Beans and Lentils are considered for planting.
Thyme Plants
Thyme plants can be planted alongside cauliflower plants to offer ground cover, keep weeds at bay, and keep plant roots cool to prevent bolting. Thyme also provides a strong perfume that confuses garden pests by masking the scent of cauliflower plants. In addition, this plant brings helpful pollinators to your yard.
Onion
Onions are another plant that, if grown close, is claimed to assist increase the flavor of your cauliflowers. Onions are also light feeders, so they don't compete for nutrients in the soil. In addition, the plants will not fight for moisture, making them excellent companion plants. Insects that feed on cauliflower, such as caterpillars and aphids, will be repelled by the plants.
Plants to Avoid planting with cauliflower
Unfortunately, certain plants are not designed to be interplanted and, if used as companions, might kill or hinder your cauliflower plants' growth. Planting these crops near your cauliflower plants is not a good idea.
Strawberries
Strawberries aren't the finest friends for plants in the brassica family, however. They are not only bad neighbors but also damaging ones, as they stifle the development of crops such as cauliflower. Slugs are attracted to strawberries and may wreak havoc on cauliflower plants.
Tomatoes
Just like cauliflower, tomatoes are also heavy feeders of nutrients. The plants will fight for nutrients if they are planted close together. This may limit the crops' capacity to attain their full potential for growth and output.
