Companion Plant Guide
Borage
Attracts pollinators for better fruit set.
Fruit · Rose family
Strawberry companion plants
Fragaria × ananassa
What to plant with strawberries, what to keep apart, and how to grow them — sun, spacing, soil and the reason behind every pairing.
Photo: Oliver Hale on Unsplash
Overview
Growing strawberries beside the right neighbour
Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is a fruit in the Rose family. Low-growing fruit plant that produces year after year.
Borage beside strawberries pulls in pollinators — more flowers set fruit.
Give plants 12–18 in in full sun. Aim for well-draining, fertile soil rich in organic matter. In most gardens the crop sits in USDA zones 3-10 and is ready in about 365 days (first fruit year 2).
Grows well with
What to plant with strawberries
The best companion plants for strawberries in this guide are Borage, Lettuce, Thyme, and Onion. Each pairing below is a reason to share a bed — pest masking, roots that do not compete, or insects that hunt the pests drawn to strawberries.
Lettuce
Ground cover partnership efficient.
Thyme
Attracts beneficial insects.
Onion
Strong scent is said to keep pests off the fruit.
Keep apart
What not to plant with strawberries
Keep strawberries away from Cabbage, Broccoli, and Kale. These neighbours compete for the same food, release chemicals that stunt growth, or otherwise hold the crop back.
Cabbage
Brassicas are said to slow strawberries.
Broccoli
Brassicas are said to slow strawberries.
Kale
Brassicas are said to slow strawberries.
In the bed
How to grow strawberries
| Sun | Full sun |
|---|---|
| Spacing | 12–18 in |
| Soil | Well-draining, fertile soil rich in organic matter |
| Hardiness | Zones 3-10 |
| Days to maturity | 365 (first fruit year 2) |
These notes sit beside the companion lists — they are how strawberry actually occupies the bed, not a substitute for local climate.
- Choose June-bearing or ever-bearing varieties
- Manage runners for vigorous plants
- Mulch to prevent fruit rot
- Replant beds every 3-4 years
Questions
Strawberry companion planting FAQ
What can I plant next to strawberries?
Plant Borage, Lettuce, Thyme, and Onion beside strawberries. Borage: Attracts pollinators for better fruit set. Lettuce: Ground cover partnership efficient. Thyme: Attracts beneficial insects. Onion: Strong scent is said to keep pests off the fruit.
What should I not plant with strawberries?
Keep strawberries apart from Cabbage, Broccoli, and Kale. Cabbage: Brassicas are said to slow strawberries. Broccoli: Brassicas are said to slow strawberries. Kale: Brassicas are said to slow strawberries.
How much sun do strawberry plants need?
Strawberry plants want full sun. Space them 12–18 in apart in well-draining, fertile soil rich in organic matter.
How long do strawberry plants take to mature?
Most strawberry plants are ready in about 365 days (first fruit year 2). Strawberry grows in USDA hardiness zones 3-10.
Compare every pairing at a glance
Open the guide, pick strawberry, and see what thrives alongside it — and what quietly holds it back.
Open the pairing guide