15 Best Companion Plants To Grow With Garlic

Lettuce is a leafy vegetable prized for its tender leaves and crisp texture. It typically grows in rosettes with leaves ranging from green to red or purple.

Lettuce's shallow root system complements garlic's deeper roots, allowing them to grow alongside each other without competing for nutrients. Furthermore, the plant's low stature and quick growth make it an ideal companion as it doesn't overshadow the garlic and can be easily interplanted between garlic rows.

• Scientific Name: Lactuca sativa
• Mature Size: 6-12 inches tall
• Growing Conditions: Cool temperatures, well-draining soil
• Colors: Green, red, purple

Carrots are biennial root vegetables known for their sweet, crunchy taproots and feathery foliage. Their deep-reaching roots help to break up soil, enhancing garlic's access to nutrients and water.

Additionally, carrots repel pests such as aphids, nematodes, and carrot flies, which can also affect garlic. This natural pest control and soil conditioning make carrots excellent companions for garlic, promoting healthier growth and higher yields for both crops.

• Scientific Name: Daucus carota
• Mature Size: 3–10 inches long
• Growing Conditions: Loose, well-drained soil, full sun
• Colors: Orange, purple, yellow, white

Spinach is a nutrient-rich leafy green plant with tender leaves and versatility in culinary dishes. When grown at home, spinach offers a readily available source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, contributing to a healthy diet.

Its compact growth habit makes it suitable for container gardening or small garden spaces. Furthermore, growing spinach at home ensures access to fresh, pesticide-free greens, promoting sustainability and reducing reliance on store-bought produce.

• Scientific Name: Spinacia oleracea
• Mature Size: 6-12 inches tall
• Growing Conditions: Cool temperatures, rich soil
• Color: Green

Chives are perennial herbs characterized by their slender, hollow leaves and mild onion flavor. They thrive in well-drained soil and prefer full sun to partial shade.

Chives make excellent companions for garlic due to their ability to deter pests such as aphids and Japanese beetles, which can damage garlic plants. Additionally, their close relationship with the Allium genus ensures they have similar growing requirements.

• Scientific Name: Allium schoenoprasum
• Mature Size: 12-18 inches tall
• Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade, well-draining soil
• Colors: Green, purple (from flowers)

Beets are versatile root vegetables with earthy flavor and vibrant colors. They offer numerous health benefits, including high levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

When grown alongside garlic, beets help get rid of pests like aphids and flea beetles, which can harm garlic crops. Additionally, beets' shallow root system complements garlic's deeper roots, allowing them to coexist without competing for nutrients. This companionship promotes healthier growth and higher yields for both plants.

• Scientific Name: Beta vulgaris
• Mature Size: 12-18 inches tall
• Growing Conditions: Loose, well-drained soil, full sun to partial shade
• Colors: Red, yellow, purple

The onion is a biennial bulb known for its pungent flavor and culinary versatility. It grows in well-drained soil and full sun. Onions benefit from companionship with plants like garlic, carrots, lettuce, and tomatoes. Carrots help deter onion flies, while lettuce acts as a living mulch, conserving moisture and suppressing weeds

Tomatoes repel pests that may damage onions, creating a mutually beneficial environment for both crops. Likewise, carrots and garlic are also planted together as they can complement and protect each other.

• Scientific Name: Allium cepa
• Mature Size: 6-24 inches tall
• Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
• Colors: White, yellow, red

Peas offer several benefits as companions to garlic. Their nitrogen-fixing ability enriches the soil, promoting healthy garlic growth. Peas also deter pests like aphids, which can damage garlic crops.

Additionally, their climbing habit makes them space-efficient companions, utilizing vertical space in the garden. Other plants that thrive alongside peas include carrots, lettuce, and radishes, creating a diverse and mutually beneficial garden ecosystem.

• Scientific Name: Pisum sativum
• Mature Size: 3-6 feet tall
• Growing Conditions: Cool temperatures, well-draining soil
• Colors: Green (pods), white, purple (flowers)

Lavenders and garlic perfectly complement each other in any garden setting. Lavender's fragrant blooms attract pollinators, enhancing garlic pollination and yield. Its aromatic foliage repels pests such as aphids and mosquitoes, which can damage garlic plants.

Moreover, lavender's drought tolerance and ability to survive in well-drained soil complement garlic's growing conditions. Together, they create a visually appealing and pest-resistant garden, while also providing opportunities for culinary and medicinal use.

• Scientific Name: Lavandula spp.
• Mature Size: 1-3 feet tall
• Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
• Colors: Purple, blue, white

The tomato plant is highly valued for its juicy, flavorful fruits. As a companion to garlic, tomatoes offer natural pest control, repelling insects like aphids and whiteflies that can harm garlic.

Conversely, garlic helps deter pests that commonly affect tomatoes, such as spider mites and nematodes. This mutual protection fosters a healthier garden environment and can lead to better blooms for both plants.

• Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
• Mature Size: 1-6 feet tall
• Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
• Colors: Red, yellow, orange, green

Radish (Raphanus sativus) is a fast-growing, cool-season root vegetable prized for its crisp, peppery flavor and vibrant colors. When grown alongside garlic, radishes serve as natural pest deterrents, repelling harmful insects like aphids and cucumber beetles.

Their shallow root systems complement garlic's deeper roots, allowing them to coexist without competing for nutrients. Additionally, radishes can be interplanted between garlic rows, maximizing garden space and yield.

• Scientific Name: Raphanus sativus
• Mature Size: 6-12 inches tall
• Growing Conditions: Loose, well-drained soil, full sun
• Colors: Red, pink, white, purple

Celery is a biennial vegetable renowned for its crunchy stalks and distinctive flavor, often used in salads, soups, and as a snack. It flourishes in cool, moist conditions and rich, well-drained soil.

Moreover, celery is nutrient-dense, providing essential vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Its upright growth habit makes it space-efficient in the garden. However, celery requires consistent watering and may be prone to pests and diseases if not properly managed.

• Scientific Name: Apium graveolens
• Mature Size: 12-24 inches tall
• Growing Conditions: Rich, moist soil, partial shade
• Color: Green

Cabbage is a cool-season vegetable with dense, leafy heads and versatility in cooking. When grown with garlic, cabbage benefits from the latter's pest-repelling properties, getting rid pests such as cabbage worms and aphids.

In turn, cabbage's dense foliage provides shade and moisture retention for garlic, promoting healthier growth. Additionally, their complementary nutrient requirements and compatible growing conditions make them ideal companions, fostering a mutually beneficial garden environment.

• Scientific Name: Brassica oleracea
• Mature Size: 12-24 inches tall
• Growing Conditions: Rich, well-drained soil, full sun
• Colors: Green, red, purple

Marigold is a vibrant annual flower cherished for its resilience and bright blooms. Ideal for gardens and borders, Marigolds thrive in well-drained soil with plenty of sunlight.

These flowers require minimal care and are relatively pest-resistant. With a typical height ranging from 6 inches to 3 feet, these cheerful flowers come in various shades of yellow, orange, and red, adding a burst of color to any garden.

• Scientific Name: Tagetes spp.
• Mature Size: 6-36 inches tall
• Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
• Colors: Yellow, orange, red

Borage is highly valued for its culinary and medicinal uses. The herb's vibrant blue star-shaped flowers attract pollinators, making it a beneficial companion plant in gardens. Borage enhances the flavor of tomatoes and strawberries, and it repels pests like hornworms.

Additionally, it improves soil health by accumulating nutrients. Its companions include tomatoes, squash, strawberries, and herbs like sage and thyme, fostering mutual benefits in the garden ecosystem.

• Scientific Name: Borago officinalis
• Mature Size: 12-36 inches tall
• Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade, well-drained soil
• Colors: Blue, pink

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a fragrant herb used for culinary and medicinal benefits. It grows in well-drained soil and full sunlight, requiring minimal maintenance.

Thyme pairs exceptionally well with garlic in various dishes, enhancing the flavor profile. Both plants complement each other's growth patterns and natural pest-repellent properties, making them ideal companions in the garden. Their combined presence promotes mutual health and vigor, fostering a harmonious garden ecosystem.

• Scientific Name: Thymus vulgaris
• Mature Size: 6-12 inches tall
• Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
• Colors: Green, purple (from flowers)