The plants you should never grow with strawberries

These bright red berries might be synonymous with sunshine, but there are plants you should never grow with strawberries – especially if you want a bumper crop in time for Wimbledon!

Yes, there’s nothing quite like homegrown strawberries, especially when they’re freshly picked, still warm from the sun and bursting with sweetness. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just getting started, though, you need to know that not all plants play nicely with strawberries.

Companion planting is a vital skill when figuring out how to plan a garden, and that’s especially true if you’re growing strawberry seeds or runners. To help you avoid a strawberry-growing disaster, then, we’ve rounded up the plants you should never grow alongside these juicy berries – and what to plant instead.

You should definitely brush up on the plants you should never grow with strawberries, as planting them next to the wrong neighbours can lead to poor growth, pest problems, and a disappointing harvest. And nobody wants that.

‘Companion planting is a very useful way of ensuring there is a beneficial balance of plants in a kitchen garden which together repel pests, enhance flavour, allow even distribution of nutrients and look great, too,’ explains says Morris Hankinson, director of Hopes Grove Nurseries.

‘However, along with plants that grow well together, there are some that ideally shouldn’t be planted together because they can reduce flavour, impact the ability to grow strong roots and get access to nutrients and even encourage pests,’ he adds.

Forget puzzling out how long strawberries take to grow, then, and pay attention the the plants you should never grow them with. Trust us, it’ll be worth the effort in the long run…

1. Brassicas

Cabbages, kale, broccoli, and all other brassicas belong on our list of plants you should never grow with strawberries, and for good reason: the soil’s pH requirements are very different.

‘Brassicas are best kept away from strawberries due to their distinct growing requirements. These crops often prefer more alkaline soil, whereas strawberries thrive in slightly acidic soil,’ says Steven Bell of Ethan Mason Paving.

‘Additionally, brassicas can be heavy feeders, draining nutrients that strawberries require for healthy growth,’ he says.

Growing them together, then, could result in stunted strawberry plants or poor fruit production. Which isn’t what you want come picnic season, trust us…

2. Carrots

They might be a staple when it comes to chaos gardening, but take care not to grow carrots next to your strawberries all the same.

‘Although carrots and strawberries don’t pose an immediate threat to one another, their root systems can compete for space and nutrients, potentially resulting in smaller fruits,’ says Steven.

Essentially, carrots are deep-rooted, while strawberries have shallow roots. This, Steven explains, can create an imbalance in soil nutrient distribution… resulting in teeny-weeny strawberries.

3. Onions and garlic

There are few crops quite so useful as those filled with onions and garlic (just think of all the sauces you can make, for starters) – but these tasty alliums should be counted among the plants you should never grow with strawberries.

‘Onions and garlic, while beneficial for pest control in other areas of the garden, should not be planted with strawberries. They can stunt the growth of strawberry plants by interfering with their root development and soil nutrient uptake,’ says Steven.

‘The strong scent of alliums can also disrupt the growth patterns of strawberries, reducing their potential yield.’

This is true whether you propagate strawberries from runners, cuttings, and even fruit slices, so consider yourself warned.

4. Potatoes, tomatoes, and aubergines

Boil ’em, mash ’em, stick ’em in a stew – just take care never to grow potatoes alongside strawberries, OK?

‘Potatoes and strawberries should not be planted together due to shared susceptibility to diseases, particularly fungal infections like verticillium wilt,’ says Steven. ‘This disease can affect both crops and spread quickly between them, potentially ruining an entire patch.’

As if that weren’t enough reason to keep these two apart, Steven also reminds us that potatoes can compete with strawberries for water and nutrients – and, let’s face it, we want both of these allotment heroes to thrive, so that’s something best avoided.

Top tip: Potatoes, tomatoes, and aubergines are all from the same family, so consider this a blanket rule for all three.

5. Mint and fennel

If you’ve dreamed about growing mint from seed for a while, be sure to stick it on your list of plants you should never grow with strawberries.

‘While mint is often valued for its culinary uses and aromatic qualities, it should be avoided near strawberries, as it’s an extremely vigorous grower and can quickly overtake the more delicate strawberry plants,’ says Steven.

This can lead to competition for space, sunlight, and nutrients – and Steven adds that mint’s invasive nature can stifle strawberry growth and potentially even harm the health of the strawberry plants.

Stick fennel on this list, too, as it’s also a vigorous grower that can overcrowd neighbouring plants. It also releases compounds into the soil that can suppress the growth of certain plants, including your beloved strawberries.

FAQs

What should I not plant next to strawberries?

When it comes to deciding what not to plant next to strawberries, most experts would advise that you avoid… well, everything!

‘Strawberry plants are best planted in containers or a bed all to themselves where they can grow fruit well and grow runners to propagate for new plants,’ says Morris Hankinson of Hopes Grove Nurseries.

If this isn’t possible, however, he advises that you especially focus on trying not to grow these plants with your strawberries:

• Fennel: ‘Yes, it’s delicious but best planted away from most plants and that includes strawberries, as they tend to overpower the sweetness and flavour of the fruits and can shade the plants with their big feathery foliage,’ says Morris.
• Cabbages and kale: ‘In fact, all of the Brassica family should be planted well away from strawberries, as they are heavy feeders that will zap all the nutrients from the soil, taking away all the goodness from strawberry plants,’ explains Morris.
• Potatoes, tomatoes and aubergines: ‘These are all from the same family (solanaceae) and they will attract pests that can harm strawberries, along with the fungi that causes verticillium wilt – a nasty disease for strawberry plants,’ says Morris.
• Squash, cucumber and melon: ‘These are all cucurbits which also use lots of nutrients from the soil along with spreading disease plus their big, long vines will grow over strawberry plants, shading them from sunlight,’ says Morris.

Morris adds that you should ideally keep all tall plants away from strawberries, as these fruits need plenty of sunshine to work their magic.

Mint, carrots, onions, and garlic are also best to keep separate from your strawberries, too.

What should you put around strawberry plants?

If you’re not sure what to put around strawberry plants, the answer is simple: bee-friendly herbs!

Yes, you can attract plenty of pollinators to your strawberry patch by planting them next to herbs such as dill, lavender, fennel, and parsley. And it should go without saying that your strawberries will tend to yield better results if they’ve been visited by an abundance of bees and butterflies.

Can tomatoes be planted next to strawberries?

Tomatoes shouldn’t be planted next to strawberries if you want either crop to thrive.

‘Tomatoes and strawberries have similar growth habits, but they also share some pest issues, such as aphids and spider mites,’ says Steven Bell of Ethan Mason Paving.

‘Growing them together can increase the likelihood of pest infestations. Furthermore, tomatoes prefer a slightly warmer growing environment, while strawberries can be sensitive to heat, leading to potential stress and reduced fruit production.’

Now that you know the plants you should never grow with strawberries, it’s time to get to work planting up these delicious berries ready for the summer months ahead.

Be sure to stock up on plenty of cream, ready to cover them in the stuff after harvest time…