Broccoli Companion Planting
Brassica oleracea var. italica
Mustard (Brassicaceae) -- cool season
Good Companions for Broccoli
Sweet alyssum as living mulch beneath broccoli increases parasitoid wasp (Diaeretiella rapae) and hover fly abundance. Reduced aphid pressure and improved broccoli head quality documented in California organic trials.
Same protocol as cabbage -- undersow at transplant. Alyssum blooms quickly and persists through the growing season.
- Flower power: promoting pest natural enemies of key brassica pests with sweet alyssum -- HortScience (2013)
- Living mulches for pest control in organic broccoli -- California Agriculture (UC ANR) (2014)
Calendula (Calendula officinalis) attracts hover flies, parasitoid wasps, and predatory beetles. Sticky trichomes on calendula foliage physically trap whiteflies. Intercropping with broccoli reduces overall pest load.
Interplant calendula throughout brassica beds. Calendula also tolerates cool weather alongside brassicas.
- Assessment of companion planting and trap crops for integrated pest management of flea beetles in brassica production -- Journal of Sustainable Agriculture (2010)
Garlic volatiles (allyl sulfides) deter aphids and flea beetles on adjacent brassicas. Garlic extracts also show antifungal activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Botrytis cinerea.
Fall-plant garlic in beds that will receive spring brassica transplants.
- Volatile compounds from Allium spp. affecting insect behavior -- Phytochemistry (2004)
- Garlic as a companion crop for pest management in brassicas -- UMass Extension Vegetable Program (2019)
Crops to Avoid Near Broccoli
Shared susceptibility to Verticillium dahliae. Brassica residue decomposition can temporarily increase soil Verticillium microsclerotia, increasing infection risk for nearby strawberries.
Applies to all brassica-strawberry combinations. Separate in both space and rotation.
- Verticillium wilt of strawberry: biology and management -- Plant Disease (2006)
Related Tools and Pages
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