Top 15 Companion Plants for Strawberries to Boost Your Harvest in 2025

Gardening is more than just planting seeds and watching them grow—it’s about creating a thriving ecosystem where plants harmoniously support each other. This is where companion planting comes into play, an age-old technique that combines science, practicality, and nature’s balance. With a little strategy, you can pair plants together in ways that improve growth, deter pests, and enhance overall yields.

Strawberries, one of the most cherished fruits for home gardeners, are particularly suited for companion planting. These sweet, juicy berries are vulnerable to several pests, diseases, and soil depletion. But when paired with the right plants, strawberries can thrive like never before. Companion planting helps improve pollination, deter harmful pests, enrich the soil, and even enhance the berries’ flavor. With 2025 bringing new gardening trends and challenges, it’s the perfect time to explore which plants can help your strawberries flourish.

What Are Companion Plants and Why Use Them with Strawberries?

What is Companion Planting?

Companion planting is a gardening method where different plants are grown together to benefit each other. It’s a practice rooted in ancient agriculture, where farmers noticed that planting certain crops together could improve yields, reduce pests, and create a healthier growing environment.

The idea is simple: some plants naturally support others by providing shade, nutrients, pest resistance, or pollinator attraction. Think of it as teamwork in nature—each plant plays a role in creating a balanced ecosystem.

Why Do Strawberries Benefit from Companion Plants?

Strawberries are delicate plants that need a lot of care to produce their best. They face several challenges, including:

• Pests: Strawberries are prone to pests like aphids, slugs, and whiteflies.
• Diseases: Fungal diseases like gray mold and verticillium wilt can damage plants and reduce fruit quality.
• Soil Depletion: Strawberries can deplete soil nutrients quickly, especially if grown in the same spot year after year.

Companion planting can address these challenges in several ways:

• Pest Repellent: Certain plants, such as garlic or marigolds, naturally repel pests, reducing the need for chemical pesticides.
• Pollinator Attraction: Flowers like borage and yarrow attract bees and butterflies, which help pollinate strawberries for better fruit production.
• Soil Health: Legumes like bush beans enrich the soil by fixing nitrogen, while spinach acts as a living mulch, conserving moisture and suppressing weeds.
• Shading and Protection: Taller companion plants can provide shade and help protect strawberries from harsh sunlight or heavy rains.

By choosing the right plants, you can create a supportive environment where strawberries thrive while reducing labor and costs.

Criteria for Choosing the Best Companion Plants for Strawberries

Not all plants make good companions. When choosing plants to grow alongside strawberries, consider the following criteria:

Pest Repellent Properties

Plants like garlic, onions, and marigolds release strong scents or chemicals that deter common strawberry pests, such as aphids, slugs, and caterpillars.

Pollinator Attraction

Flowers like lavender, nasturtiums, and borage attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators that boost strawberry production.

Soil Enrichment

Legumes (e.g., bush beans) fix nitrogen in the soil, while herbs like borage and chamomile improve soil health by adding essential nutrients.

Non-Competitive Growth Habits

The best companion plants don’t compete with strawberries for resources like sunlight, water, or nutrients. Look for plants with shallow root systems or complementary growth patterns.

Additional Benefits

Some companion plants offer additional benefits, such as being edible (e.g., spinach, nasturtiums), adding aesthetic value (e.g., marigolds, lavender), or being beneficial to nearby plants as well.

Top 15 Companion Plants for Strawberries in 2025

Here’s a detailed look at the 15 best companion plants to pair with strawberries for an abundant and healthy harvest.

Borage

• Description: A vibrant herb with star-shaped blue flowers.
• Benefits: Attracts pollinators like bees, repels pests such as tomato hornworms, and improves the flavor and yield of strawberries.
• Planting Tip: Borage grows quickly, so plant it near the edges of your strawberry patch to avoid overcrowding.

Marigolds

• Description: Bright and cheerful flowers that come in shades of yellow, orange, and red.
• Benefits: Repels nematodes and aphids, attracts beneficial insects, and suppresses weeds.
• Planting Tip: Use marigolds as border plants around your strawberry bed for maximum pest control.

Nasturtiums

• Description: Low-growing plants with edible flowers in a variety of colors.
• Benefits: Repels aphids and whiteflies, attracts pollinators, and improves soil nutrients.
• Planting Tip: Nasturtiums spread quickly, so consider planting them as a ground cover to suppress weeds.

Garlic

• Description: A versatile and pungent bulb plant.
• Benefits: Its strong scent repels aphids, caterpillars, and slugs.
• Planting Tip: Plant garlic between strawberry rows to create a natural pest barrier.

Onions

• Description: A hardy, easy-to-grow vegetable with similar benefits to garlic.
• Benefits: Deters pests and requires minimal care.
• Planting Tip: Onions grow well in clusters, making them ideal for planting in gaps between strawberries.

Bush Beans

• Description: Compact legumes that produce edible pods.
• Benefits: Fix nitrogen in the soil and deter pests like beetles.
• Planting Tip: Avoid planting pole beans, as their climbing habit can overshadow strawberries.

Spinach

• Description: A leafy green vegetable that thrives in cool weather.
• Benefits: Conserves moisture, suppresses weeds and attracts beneficial insects.
• Planting Tip: Use spinach as a living mulch beneath your strawberry plants.

Asparagus

• Description: A perennial vegetable with tall, fern-like foliage.
• Benefits: Complements strawberry growth cycles, as strawberries grow low to the ground while asparagus grows tall.
• Planting Tip: Plant asparagus and strawberries in alternating rows to maximize space efficiency.

Rhubarb

• Description: A large, leafy plant with tart edible stalks.
• Benefits: Thrives in the same soil conditions as strawberries and pairs well with them in the kitchen.
• Planting Tip: Keep rhubarb at the edges of your garden bed, as it can grow quite large.

Yarrow

• Description: A flowering herb with feathery foliage.
• Benefits: Attracts hoverflies and parasitic wasps that prey on pests.
• Planting Tip: Yarrow can spread aggressively, so monitor its growth.

Companion Plants to Avoid Near Strawberries

While many plants make great companions, some should be avoided:

Conclusion

Incorporating these 15 companion plants for strawberries into your garden can make a world of difference in your 2025 harvest. By improving pollination, deterring pests, and enhancing soil health, companion planting is a natural and sustainable method for growing healthier, tastier strawberries. So why not give it a try? Experiment with these plants, observe the results, and let your garden thrive!

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