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Spinach Companion Plants: Full List of Pairings
Good for you and easy to grow, spinach is one of the most versatile greens you can plant! It does best in the cooler months, early in spring and in late summer/early fall. Based on that, you probably wonder what spinach companion plants are best for your garden.
The good news is that there are plenty to choose from! Here are over 35 different options, along with two in particular that you should avoid planting near spinach.
Full List of Spinach Companion Plants
While many fruits, vegetables, and herbs grow well with spinach, there are a few that make particularly good companions. Common reasons for planting spinach and the following garden favorites together are to offer shade for the cool weather loving spinach, repel pests, and improve soil quality.
Fruits and Vegetables to Plant with Spinach
• Asparagus – Asparagus can loosen the soil where spinach is planted. Both are early season vegetables, and asparagus will later grow to offer shade for the spinach.
• Beans, Peas, and Other Legumes – Legumes fix nitrogen in the soil, which helps spinach grow. They are also tall and offer shade for the spinach to lengthen its life before bolting.
• Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, and Kale – These brassicas family members take up different parts of the soil from spinach and won’t compete for nutrients. Taller brassicas can also offer shade for the spinach.
• Carrots – Carrots can act as an aphid trap crop for your spinach.
• Cucumbers – Cucumbers can offer shade for spinach if they’re grown on a trellis.
• Eggplants, Peppers, and Tomatoes – All three of these nightshades take a long time to grow, so planting spinach between them can maximize garden space and offer ground cover.
• Garlic, Onions, Shallots, and Other Alliums – The strong scent that alliums give off can deter bad bugs while bringing in beneficial ones.
• Lettuce – Spinach and lettuce are very similar and grow better together! This is one of my favorite pairings, since both provide valuable ground cover. (Find out what else grows well with lettuce.)
• Radishes – Radishes make a good trap crop for leaf miners when planted near spinach.
• Strawberries – Strawberries won’t compete with spinach for nutrients and can help keep the ground cooler.
• Swiss Chard – Spinach and Swiss chard grow well together, with the chard offering shade to the spinach.
Flowers to Plant Near Spinach
• Alyssum – Sweet alyssum attracts beneficial insects to your spinach patch.
• Calendula – Calendula’s smell can deter aphids and flea beetles, along with larger pests like rabbits.
• Cosmos – Tall cosmos can shade your spinach while attracting beneficial insects.
• Marigolds – Marigolds, particularly the French ones, can help with nematode control.
• Nasturtiums – Nasturtiums are a great aphid trap crop and grow happily with spinach.
• Petunias – Petunias attract beneficial insects.
• Zinnias – Pretty zinnias can offer shade and deter pests from your spinach.
Herbs to Plant Near Spinach
These herbs may keep pests at bay, improve soil quality, or offer ground cover.
• Borage
• Chives
• Cilantro
• Dill
• Parsley
• Tansy
• Yarrow
What NOT to Plant Next to Spinach
• Fennel – Like most plants, spinach can’t grow with fennel. The chemicals fennel puts back in the soil inhibit spinach growth.
• Potatoes – Potatoes compete with spinach for nutrients.
Enjoy Your Spinach!
You now have a good variety of spinach companion plants to try this year. Consider your garden needs and pick what works best!
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