Gardening Edible Gardening Vegetable Gardening 10 Best Companion Plants for Beets With the help of companion planting for beets, you can grow a healthy harvest organically. By Lauren Landers Lauren Landers Lauren Landers is a freelance writer who focuses on gardening, homesteading, and DIY. Learning from both hands-on experience and a Master Gardener training course, Lauren loves sharing her knowledge about gardening, conscious living, homesteading, backyard food growing, and much more. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on April 7, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Kindra Clineff Beets are delicious vegetables and they’re easy to grow in home gardens. But when pests invade your garden or if you’ve struggled to grow these plants in the past, you may want to try companion planting for beets. The right companion plants can keep pests away from your beets and also boost your beet harvest in even a small garden space. Use this guide to choose the best beet companion plants and how to grow them. 01 of 10 Alliums Lynn Karlin Alliums, like garlic, onions and chives, are strongly scented plants that are excellent for organic pest control. When interplanted among your beets, alliums appear to repel aphids, slugs, and some beetles. Deer also seem to dislike the scent of alliums, so planting a row of onions or garlic on the exterior of your garden can keep deer from browsing in your beet greens. 16 Pretty Allium Varieties to Add an Explosion of Color to Your Garden 02 of 10 Brassicas Better Homes and Gardens Brassicas, including broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, have similar growing requirements to beets. These plants all love plenty of moisture and they grow best in cooler weather, which makes them obvious choices for companion planting. Because beets are smaller plants, they can be easily sown beneath taller brassicas to conserve garden space and allow for more intensive planting. 03 of 10 Bush Beans Scott Little Not all beans are created equal and it’s recommended to avoid growing pole beans near beets as they can stunt your beet roots and produce an overabundance of greens. Bush beans, however, make ideal companions for beets and provide just the right amount of nitrogen to the soil for proper beet development. Bush beans are also smaller plants and they are less likely to block the sun from reaching lower growing beets. 04 of 10 Carrots Marty Baldwin Both root vegetables, carrots and beets don’t take up a lot of space and they can be easily grown together in both in-ground gardens and containers. Because these plants have similar growing requirements, planting them in the same area can reduce your gardening chores and, as long as you follow proper spacing recommendations, they won’t compete with each other for soil space. If you happen to have voles in your yard, you can protect both your carrots and beets by sowing them in containers or grow bags. The 12 Best Self-Watering Planters of 2023 to Avoid Overwatering 05 of 10 Catnip Dean Schoeppner Catnip isn’t just for cats; it also makes an impressive companion for beets and other root vegetables. The scent of catnip can deter a wide variety of pests, including mice, flea beetles and aphids, and its flowers will draw pollinators into your garden. If you want to get more use out of your catnip plants, the leaves can be brewed into a mildly flavored herbal tea. Catnip vs. Catmint: Know the Differences Before You Plant 06 of 10 Hyssop Dean Schoeppner Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) is an attractive flowering perennial herb that grows to about 18 inches tall. Once grown primarily for its medicinal properties, hyssop is mostly kept as an ornamental today. It's a top choice for pollinator gardens because insects can’t resist its fragrant, purple flowers. When planted near beets, hyssop helps repel several different pests, including flea beetles and cabbage moths. 07 of 10 Lettuce Marty Baldwin As a cool season crop, lettuce tends to bolt in the summer heat, but it grows well in the spring and autumn. Additionally, because lettuce plants have shallow root systems, they won’t compete with beets or other root vegetables for growing space. Both beets and lettuce are also compact plants and can easily be grown together in even small containers or other limited growing spaces. 8 Cute Container Salad Gardens So You Can Grow Greens Anywhere 08 of 10 Marigolds Doug Hetherington Marigolds grow well with most vegetables and they are some of the best companion plants for natural pest control. When grown beside beets, marigolds help repel a variety of pests and they also attract lacewings, which feed on aphids and other insects. If you’re gardening in a small space or container, opt for dwarf marigolds, which max out at around 10 inches tall. 09 of 10 Mint Denny Schrock Another exceptional herb for pest control, mint is often overlooked as a companion plant, but it offers a lot of garden perks. When allowed to bloom, mint flowers are very attractive to beneficial insects that prey on pests. Part of the problem is that mint is a notoriously fast grower; however, if you keep it in pots near your beet plants, it won’t spread nearly as much. 10 of 10 Radishes Blaine Moats Radishes and beets are both root vegetables that grow best in cooler weather, which makes them good choices for both spring and autumn gardens. In addition to having similar growing requirements, radishes can also break up tough soil, which helps your beets grow better. Finally, because radishes are so small and fast-growing, they can be easily planted among your beets to boost your garden harvest. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit