If you’re growing a vegetable, why not grow two? (Or three, or five… Might as well, eh?)
Beetroots, like many other plants, grow fine on their own but can benefit from having some friends around. That’s called companion planting – growing plants alongside each other, to give each other a boost!
When choosing beetroot companion plants, look for ones that share similar growing conditions: 6 hours of full sun, consistent moisture, and slightly acidic soil.
Or you could just check out our gardeners’ recommendations for some un-beet-able companion plants for your vegetable garden.
Growing Conditions | Best Companion Plants | Plants to Avoid
Benefits of Companion Planting Beetroots
Think of companion planting as matchmaking for plants. You strategically put two or more compatible plants together, creating a beneficial environment.
Some plants enhance growth or attract beneficial insects, while others provide shade and exchange nutrients. It’s nature’s version of teamwork!
Companion planting benefits beetroot in many ways, such as:
- Beneficial insects: Flowers and herbs attract pollinators or predators of harmful pests
- Partial shade: Beetroots need full sun, but can benefit from some shade from harsh afternoon light
- Pest control: Certain plants can deter pests that can harm your growing beetroots
- Soil improvement: Some plants enhance soil fertility by returning nutrients to the ground
- Weed control: Several plants act as living mulch, suppressing weed growth around beetroots
There is a downside to companion planting with beetroots, though.
Beetroot varieties attract pests like aphids and beetles, so if grown with other vegetables that do the same, you could end up with a pest problem.
You can address this by adding nearby plants that repel or discourage pests.
Growing Conditions for Beetroot Companion Plants
When growing beetroot alongside companion plants, they’ll need to tolerate similar environments! That includes plant care and maintenance.
Companion plants will thrive alongside beetroot in growing conditions like:
- Loose, well-drained soil
- At least 6 hours of full sun
- Temperatures between 10-30ºC
- Slightly acidic to neutral soil (6.0-7.0 pH)
- Consistent moisture (2-3cm of water per week)
That means avoiding plants that like dry conditions or alkaline soil – they’ll be beet-ter off in a different space or container.
Be careful with climbing plants as well. Depending on your support setup (like a trellis), they can grow and spread, blocking the sun from your beetroots below.
What Grows Well with Beetroot?
The best companion plants for beetroot are veggies and herbs with similar growing needs. We won’t beet around the bush – here are some of our favourite beetroot buddies.
If you’re unsure about how to build your vegetable garden, consult a local professional gardener to help you out!
Broccoli
Broccoli and beetroot grow well together! Broccoli loves calcium and absorbs plenty of it from the soil – but that’s fine, since beetroot doesn’t need much of it.
Positioning will be very important when planting broccoli alongside beetroot, since both veggies can take up a lot of space.
Otherwise, the two plants can thrive as neighbours. Excess calcium can cause stunted plants and discoloured leaves, so broccoli can balance things out for your beetroots.
Brussels sprouts
Both Brussels sprouts and beetroots can be planted in autumn, so they make great companion plants.
The two veggies thrive in cool climates and sunny days, and they don’t compete for the same nutrients. Plus, the tall and leafy Brussels sprouts can give your beetroots some afternoon shade.
Best of all, both the Brussels sprout and beetroot are cool weather harvest plants – so you can pick them together! That’s one less trip to the garden during chilly weather.
Bush beans
Planting bush beans with your beetroots is a great way to give the root vegetables a bush – or rather, push.
Bush beans (or dwarf beans) are any type of bean that grows in a shrub or bush form, instead of climbing beans.
These beans are nitrogen-fixing plants, letting you grow healthier and tastier beetroots. Both bush beans and beetroots are easy to grow and can be harvested around the same time.
This also sets your garden up for success next year! Bush beans add nitrogen to the soil as their roots decay, creating a rich, fertile patch for your next crop of edible plants.
Catnip
If you want to repel pests, catnip is a great option! It’s a great companion plant to keep away aphids, flea beetles, and mites.
It blooms from spring to autumn, attracting pollinators to your garden and enriching your harvest.
However, catnip is part of the mint family, so it can spread quickly. Its invasive nature and low water needs mean you should plant it in a separate container nearby.
Cabbage
Cabbage and beetroots make the best companion plants! It’s not a one-sided relationship, since both plants benefit each other.
Like broccoli, cabbage absorbs plenty of calcium, so it can moderate the amount in the soil. Beetroot, meanwhile, helps break up soil and make it easier for cabbage to take in nutrients.
That leads to better harvests for both your veggies. You can even plant your beetroot between cabbages to maximise your garden space.
Cauliflower
You’re going to see a lot of brassicas on this list, and cauliflower is up next. It has the same growing conditions as beetroot – cooler weather and consistent moisture.
Cauliflower also has shallow roots, so it won’t compete with the deeper roots of beets.
Plus, both beetroots and cauliflower can be planted in winter for warmer climates.
Garlic
Growing garlic doesn’t just give you a consistent supply of a kitchen staple. It’s also an excellent companion plant for beetroot!
The strong scent will discourage pests that commonly harm plant growth, including slugs and beetles.
Garlic and beetroot share similar growing conditions – slightly acidic soil and lots of sun. Just make sure there’s enough space since their edible parts are both underground.
Kohlrabi
Bring on another brassica! Kohlrabi is like a peppery cabbage, and just like other brassicas, it takes up a lot of calcium.
Pay attention to the variety you get – some can get pretty big, so make sure there’s enough space between your kohlrabi and beetroots.
One downside is the two share the same pests, so you’ll need a third companion (like garlic!) to keep things pest-free.
Lettuce
Lettuce talk about how this is a good beetroot companion plant due to their different root systems.
These leafy greens have shallow roots that spread out, while beetroots (as root vegetables) reach downwards. This means their roots won’t be competing for space and nutrients.
Plus, you can plant both lettuce and beetroot in early autumn! If you get them started early enough, your crops will be ready for a fall harvest in 50-70 days.
Marigold
Want to add colour and benefit your veggies? Plant marigolds with your beetroots!
Many gardeners grow marigolds in their veggie gardens. They’re good companion plants since they tell invasive pests to beet it.
Marigold plants produce compounds that are toxic to soil nematodes, which often attack beets and other root vegetables. Above ground, their flowers attract beneficial insects that tackle invasive pests.
Marjoram
Many gardeners include marjoram in a veggie garden plot as the herb enhances the flavour of your crops!
Marjoram releases chemicals into the soil to make beetroots tastier and encourage faster growth. This doesn’t just work for beetroot – marjoram is great for most root veggies.
Plus, since marjoram spreads low to the ground, it can keep the soil cool and help retain moisture.
Onion
Like garlic, onions are a good companion plant for deterring pests! They’ll keep away unwelcome guests like borers and slugs that’ll go after the beetroots underground.
Their pungent scent will also deter above-ground beetroot pests like aphids, which eat the leaves.
Make sure to plant onions and beetroots in alternating rows so the edible parts underground don’t compete for space and nutrients.
Peas
Peas are also nitrogen-fixing plants, so they’ll give your beetroots a natural boost by enriching the soil. Snow peas are some of the best varieties to grow alongside beetroot.
On the other hand, beetroots can break up the ground to increase water absorption and airflow around the roots of pea plants.
Just be mindful of how you set up your pea plants, especially climbing ones! A little afternoon shade is fine, but don’t let them block all the light.
Radish
Radishes and beetroots are both root vegetables, but they’ll get along just fine in garden beds.
Planting radishes can help loosen compacted soil and help your beetroots absorb more nutrients. Plus, radishes are ready for harvest earlier, so you can pick them before your garden gets too crowded.
Gardeners also use radish as a “trap crop” – the leaves attract harmful insects like aphids, which will eat the leaves without affecting the veggie underground. That’ll keep pests away from your beetroots!
Spinach
Spinach and beetroots are the cool kids in your garden – literally! Both veggies love cool weather, so they’re perfect for growing in colder months.
Spinach has shallow root systems, meaning it won’t hog soil space or nutrients. The roots also help control weeds that could stunt veggie growth.
The tidy, dense leaves also means you can plant spinach close to beetroots. This not only saves space, but also keeps the soil moist and cool.
Tomatoes
They don’t just look good together, but tomatoes and beetroots also grow well together!
Tomatoes are a summer plant, so they can help you when growing beetroots during the hotter months. The tall tomatoes provide some shade to beetroots and other ground veggies.
To make sure there’s room for everyone, prune the lower branches and leaves when growing tomatoes. Then water both plants deeply to keep the soil moist!
NOTE: Like kohlrabi, beetroots and tomatoes share similar pests. Make sure to grow another pest-repelling plant like onions or garlic to protect your garden plot.
What NOT to Plant with Beetroot
If there are best companion plants, then there are also bad companion plants for beetroot.
Think of it like living next to a heavy metal band when you love classical music – they’re fine neighbours, but you just don’t get along.
Corn
It’s not a common crop in home gardens, but you should still avoid planting beetroots with corn.
The tall corn plants with large leaves can block the sun from your beetroots, especially if you plant corn in close rows. Both plants will compete for nutrients as well, leading to smaller harvests.
Beetroot and corn are also both prone to root rot and crown rot, so growing them together increases the risk of fungal diseases.
And of course, harvesting beetroots can disrupt your corn and vice versa!
Fennel
Fennel has allelopathic properties, so it releases chemicals into the soil that can inhibit the growth of other plants.
That means planting fennel nearby can stunt beet growth and reduce yield. It can also make your veggies less tasty.
If you want to grow fennel, it’s best to plant it in a separate bed or container!
Mint
Mint is a highly invasive plant that can take over any garden if not contained. As it spreads, it competes for resources and even suffocates other plants.
Mint plants are also prone to garden pests like aphids and spider mites, which will harm your beetroots.
Just like fennel, grow your mint in a separate container – away from your veggies.
Sunflowers
Visually, sunflowers are the perfect way to add colour to any garden space! However, they’re not ideal companion plants for beetroots due to their large root system.
Sunflowers develop a deep taproot, with branching roots that will compete with your beetroots for nutrients.
Moreover, their large flower heads and leaves can overshadow ground vegetables. That reduces access to sunlight and stunts beetroot growth.
Pole beans
If you’ve bean thinking about other beans or legumes to plant with beetroots, don’t go with climbing or pole beans.
Climbing beans often need a trellis or tripod to support their growth. Coupled with their tangled growing habit, they can deprive your beetroots of sunlight.
The extensive roots of pole beans will also compete with beetroots for water and nutrients.
A Beet More Information (FAQs)
Here are some more good things to know about what to grow with beetroot in your garden.
Can beetroot and zucchini be planted together?
Yes! Beetroot and zucchini will easily coexist in gardens – they don’t provide an extra boost, but they won’t hurt each other, either.
The veggies don’t compete for the same nutrients or space. As a minor benefit, zucchini’s large leaves can provide a bit of shade to keep the soil cool during the summer months.
What herbs can be planted with beetroot?
Herbs can be beneficial companion plants as their scents can repel or distract pests.
For example, many gardeners plant sage as a border to deter rabbits!
Some other herbs to grow as beetroot companion plants include:
Can you plant flowers with beetroot?
Yes! You can inter-plant beetroots in your flower garden, or plant flowers in your veggie garden.
Flowering plants are for more than just aesthetics, though – they can be crucial companion plants. The flowers can attract pollinators and other beneficial insects, or add crucial chemicals to the ground.
Some good flowering companion plants for beetroots in Australia include:
- Chamomile
- Chrysanthemums
- Dahlias
- Marigolds
- Petunias
Be mindful of your local state and council regulations, though. Certain flowers, such as nasturtiums, are good for companion planting but are considered weeds in several states.
