8 Best Companion Plants for Strawberries (and 3 to Avoid)

I still remember the summer I planted my first patch of strawberries and watched slugs ruin half the crop before I could pick them. It turned out, the secret wasn’t more netting. It was simply choosing the right neighbors.

Here’s my hand-picked list of the best companion plants to protect your strawberries and boost your harvest.

All tested. All helpful. All worth the garden space.

1. Borage

Sun	Full sun to part shade
Water	Low to medium
Height	18-36 in (45-90 cm)
Bloom	Early summer to fall
Zones	3-10

The undisputed king of the strawberry patch. Borage is a starry blue flower that bees cannot resist, and more bees mean better pollination and bigger, juicier berries.

I plant this one right in the center of my strawberry beds.

The leaves have a faint cucumber scent that seems to confuse common garden pests. As the large leaves drop and break down, they return valuable silicon and potassium to the soil. This strengthens the cell walls of neighboring plants, making it harder for chewing bugs to do damage.

Tip: Borage self-seeds aggressively. Cut the flowers back before they go to seed unless you want a forest of them next spring.

2. Chives

Sun	Full sun
Water	Medium
Height	12-18 in (30-45 cm)
Bloom	Late spring to early summer
Zones	3-9

I’ve used chives as a border for my strawberry beds for years. They are easy to grow and return every spring without any fuss.

The strong onion aroma acts as a natural shield. It masks the sweet scent of ripening strawberries, making it difficult for aphids, spider mites, and weevils to locate the fruit.

Even better, the sulfur compounds released by chive roots act as a natural systemic fungicide. This helps suppress grey mold, which can destroy berries during a wet spring.

Tip: I cut the purple flowers to use in salads, which also keeps the plants from spreading too wide.

3. Spinach

Sun	Full sun to part shade
Water	Consistent medium
Height	6-12 in (15-30 cm)
Bloom	Spring and Fall
Zones	2-11 (annual)

Spinach is a fantastic living mulch. Its broad leaves shade the soil, keeping strawberry roots cool and moist during hot summer days.

Since spinach has shallow roots, it doesn’t compete with strawberries for water or nutrients. You can pack them tightly together in a bed or container. I love this pairing because it gives me a harvest of fresh salad greens from the same space where the berries are growing.

Just like we saw with the ground covers in my guide on best companion plants for lettuce, keeping the soil covered is the easiest way to prevent weeds.

Tip: Harvest the outer leaves of the spinach regularly to make sure the strawberry runners have room to spread.

4. French Marigold

Sun	Full sun
Water	Low to medium
Height	6-12 in (15-30 cm)
Bloom	Summer to frost
Zones	2-11 (annual)

This is my pick for a cheerful and hard-working border. French marigolds bring color to the patch while keeping pests away.

Marigolds release a chemical compound called alpha-terthienyl from their roots. This compound is toxic to root-knot nematodes, which are tiny soil pests that weaken strawberry root systems.

The bright orange and yellow flowers also draw in beneficial hoverflies, which eat aphids for breakfast.

Tip: Deadhead the spent blooms to keep the plants flowering until the first winter freeze.

5. Thyme

Sun	Full sun
Water	Low
Height	6-12 in (15-30 cm)
Bloom	Late spring to summer
Zones	5-9

Thyme creates a dense, aromatic carpet. It works beautifully as a living barrier between ripening berries and the damp ground.

The volatile oils in thyme leaves contain thymol. This oil is a natural deterrent for slugs and snails, which hate crawling over the textured, fragrant foliage.

It keeps the berries clean and dry, reducing the risk of rot.

Tip: Plant creeping thyme varieties along the edges of raised beds so they can cascade over the sides.

6. Lupine

Sun	Full sun to part shade
Water	Medium
Height	24-36 in (60-90 cm)
Bloom	Late spring to early summer
Zones	3-7

If you want a striking visual contrast, lupines are the perfect choice. Their tall, colorful flower spikes look beautiful rising above low-growing strawberry foliage.

Lupines are legumes, meaning they fix nitrogen in the soil. They form a partnership with soil bacteria to pull nitrogen from the air and store it in their roots, feeding the surrounding strawberries.

Their deep taproots also break up heavy soil and draw up minerals from deep underground.

This nitrogen-fixing benefit is similar to what I discussed regarding legumes in my article on best companion plants for green beans.

Tip: Plant lupines toward the back of the bed so their tall stalks don’t shade the sun-loving strawberries.

7. Nasturtium

Sun	Full sun
Water	Medium
Height	12 in (30 cm)
Bloom	Summer to frost
Zones	2-11 (annual)

Nasturtiums are excellent trap crops. They are so attractive to pests that they draw them away from your main crops.

Aphids and whiteflies will choose nasturtium leaves over strawberry leaves every time. If the nasturtiums get covered in pests, you can simply pull the damaged leaves off and throw them in the trash.

The peppery leaves and flowers are also completely edible.

Tip: I plant dwarf varieties to keep them from climbing over and smothering the strawberry plants.

8. Sweet Alyssum

Sun	Full sun to part shade
Water	Medium
Height	3-9 in (7-22 cm)
Bloom	Spring to frost
Zones	5-9 (annual)

Sweet alyssum produces tiny white flowers that smell like honey. It makes a beautiful groundcover that blooms continuously from spring to frost.

These tiny blossoms attract hoverflies, lacewings, and parasitic wasps. Hoverfly larvae are voracious predators of aphids, eating hundreds of them before they mature.

It’s a natural pest control system that requires zero spraying.

Tip: Cut the plants back by half in mid-summer to encourage a fresh flush of blooms for the autumn.

The plants that survive my forgetting to water are the ones I keep planting more of.

3 Plants to Avoid Near Strawberries

Not all plants get along. Avoid placing these three near your strawberry patch:

1. Tomatoes (and other Nightshades)

Tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes are susceptible to a soil-borne fungus called Verticillium wilt. Strawberries are highly vulnerable to this disease, which causes leaves to yellow, wither, and die. For details on how this fungus affects plants, see the University of Minnesota Extension guide on Verticillium wilt. Never plant strawberries in soil where nightshades have grown in the last three years.

2. Brassicas (Cabbage and Broccoli)

Plants in the cabbage family, like broccoli, kale, and cauliflower, compete heavily for the same nutrients as strawberries. Additionally, studies suggest brassicas can stunt strawberry growth, and strawberries can stunt the growth of brassicas in return. Keep them in separate beds.

3. Mint

Mint is an aggressive spreader that will quickly take over the garden. It sends out runners that will choke out strawberry runners, leaving no room for your berries to grow. If you want to grow mint, keep it strictly in its own pot.

What I’d Plant If I Only Had Room for Two

If you only have space for a couple of companions, go with borage and chives.

Borage takes care of the bees and pollination, while chives defend the berries from pests and mold. They are the two hardest-working plants in my patch.

Common Questions

1. Can you plant strawberries and companion plants in containers?

Yes, they do great in containers. Choose shallow-rooted companions like spinach or sweet alyssum so they don’t crowd the pot. Avoid tall plants like lupines in container setups.

2. How far apart should I plant companions?

3. When is the best time to plant strawberry companions?

Plant perennial companions like chives and thyme in early spring. Annuals like nasturtium, marigold, and borage can go in after the last spring frost. For general strawberry planting advice, refer to the Oregon State University Extension strawberry guide.

— Anh