Garlic (Allium sativum) is an ideal plant partner in mixed cultures to keep pests and diseases away. However, you should not plant some plants next to it, as they encourage pest infestation. We list good and bad neighbors for garlic.
In a nutshell
- Strawberries or carrots go well with garlic in the bed
- Even with good neighbors, make sure there is sufficient planting distance
- Garlic plants are not self-tolerant
- never plant next to other leek species
- Avoid neighborhoods with cabbage species or beans
Good neighbors for garlic
Good plant neighbors encourage each other. The form in which this can take place varies from plant to plant. Some neighboring plants keep each other away from pests and diseases, while other plants use essential oils to promote mutual growth.
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
- mutual growth promotion
- Sowing dill between garlic plants
- Seeds do not need to be covered with soil
Tip: Simply sprinkle the seeds across the bed of garlic plants. Dill usually grows better when it receives little care. Once established in the garden, it reproduces well by self-seeding.
Strawberries (Fragaria)
- keeps snails away
- has a protective effect against fungal infections
- Underplanting possible in autumn or spring
- ensure sufficient planting distance
- fertilize more during the flowering phase
Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus)
- against fungal infection
- Shading of the ground around garlic plants
- Increase fertilization to avoid nutrient competition
Notice: Other cucurbits would theoretically also be suitable as plant neighbors. However, since they usually grow very luxuriantly, they are too much competition for garlic plants in terms of light.
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)
- Garlic plants keep voles away
- works to a limited extent against fungal infections
- Potatoes keep onion fly (Delia antiqua) away
- ensure sufficient planting distance
- fertilize regularly
Carrots (Daucus carota)
- mutual protection from carrot and onion flies
- Garlic smell keeps voles away
- maintain a planting distance of at least 25 cm
- lush carrot greens should not cover garlic plants
- Advantage for garlic plants in deeply loosened soil
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata)
- limited protection against snails
- several sentences possible
- Garlic plants as underplanting
- Allow twice the distance between garlic plants and lettuce
Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)
- mutual protection from carrot and onion flies
- Difficult to grow parsnips
- prefer preculture
Celery (Apium graveolens)
- Celery protects against onion fly
- Garlic plants protect against fungal infections
Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum)
- Garlic smell keeps whitefly away
- prevents fungal diseases in tomatoes
- Tomato smell drives away onion fly
- ensure regular watering
protect fruit trees
Garlic plants also get along well with fruit trees. Especially with young crops, the trees benefit from an underplanting with garlic plants. The plants drive away voles and protect the young trees from being bitten. Simply stick the toes into the soil around the tree disc. Young trees do not cast as much shade, which is why the garlic plants can develop well.
Garlic plants also offer fruit trees protection against various pests such as aphids. Remnants of garlic peel or leaves can be used preventively for mulching around the tree disc.
Prepare the garlic broth
Tip: A garlic broth can be used to combat aphids directly.
ornamental plants
The garlic plants are also suitable as plant neighbors for ornamental plants. In this case, they primarily form a protection for the ornamental plants against various pests. You can always harvest the garlic plants annually. Alternatively, you can always leave the garlic cloves in the perennial bed, which will cause them to sprout anew every year. Varieties that produce brood onions are attractive in the bed. To do this, the garlic plants form a stalk, which is often confused with a flower, on which a ball with tiny cloves forms. They just fall to the ground and new plants grow from them.
Royal lily (Lilium regale) and rose 'Aspirin' do well next to garlic and vice versa. Although the rose actually blooms in elegant white, it turns pink after cold nights.
Lilies (Lilium)
- keep voles away from onions
- provides limited protection against snails
roses (pink)
- prevents aphids
- protects against fungal infections
Bad neighbors for garlic
Bad neighbors compete with garlic plants for nutrients. In addition, the garlic or the plant neighbors can promote pest infestation.
Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and peas (Pisum sativum) are not good neighbors for garlic.
Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)
- competition for nutrients
- hinders development of garlic
Peas (Pisum sativum)
- promote stunted growth in garlic plants
- can overgrow garlic throughout
cabbages
Most types of cabbage, here white cabbage (Brassica oleracea convar. capitata var. alba), are completely unsuitable as neighbors for garlic.
- Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis)
- Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica)
- Cabbage (Brassica oleracea convar. capitata)
- Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera)
Cabbage negatively affects the growth of leek species. It represents strong competition for nutrients, which usually results in stunted growth of garlic plants. They form no or only very small toes.
Notice: Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes) is suitable as a plant neighbor to a limited extent. However, the planting distance between the two types of vegetables in the bed should be large enough to ensure that there is no negative influence.
relocation
Garlic is not self-tolerant. This means that you should change locations every year. Otherwise, the risk increases that the plants will be attacked by the onion fly. The pest is also the reason why leeks should never be in the immediate vicinity.
Spring onion (Allium fistulosum)
The following neighbors are therefore not suitable for the garlic:
- Spring onions (Allium fistulosum)
- Leek (Allium ampeloprasum)
- Pearl onions (Allium porrum var. sectivum)
- Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
- Onions (Allium cepa)
Notice: Also, do not plant ornamental onions in the immediate vicinity of garlic. They are also susceptible to the onion fly.
frequently asked Questions
Are there neutral plants in the mixed culture?Yes, neutral plants have neither beneficial nor negative properties on garlic. Neutral plants for garlic plants are, for example, fennel, chard or parsley. Beetroot or salsify are also neutral. With root vegetables, however, make sure that there is sufficient distance to the garlic plants.
How long should garlic plants not stand in the same place?Take a break of at least a year before planting garlic in the same place again. Avoid other leek plants at the site to avoid attracting pests that will damage garlic plants next year.
Are there differences in the mixed cultivation of summer and autumn garlic?No, in mixed cultures, garlic planted in autumn and garlic planted in spring get along equally well or equally poorly with the same plants.
Do garlic plants always protect against voles?While garlic plants do not provide 100% protection against voles, they can deter a small population from eating vulnerable vegetables. Root vegetables in particular are well protected by garlic plants. In principle, with the exception of leek species, all types of root vegetables get along with the garlic plants or are at least neutral towards them.