The cabbage family feeds the whole hungry gap and right through winter, but everything wants to eat it first. The most useful companions are strongly aromatic plants that mask the brassica scent the cabbage white butterfly hunts by, and sacrificial or attractant flowers that pull aphids and bring in their predators.
Be honest with yourself, though: against cabbage whites, nothing beats a physical barrier. Fine butterfly netting held off the leaves stops them laying their eggs in the first place. Think of companion planting as the supporting act and the netting as the headliner.
Grow these alongside
Their strong scents mask the cabbagey smell that draws the cabbage white butterfly.
Pungent alliums help confuse pests hunting by smell.
A sacrificial trap — caterpillars and aphids often go for these instead of your cabbages.
Easy-going neighbours that don't compete for the same things.
Said to help deter the cabbage white, and happy in the same rich, moist soil.
Keep these apart
Traditional poor partners that seem to check each other and share some pests.
Compete hard for nutrients — brassicas are greedy enough on their own.
Can shade and crowd brassicas; better in a neighbouring bed.
Flowers worth tucking in
The blooms that pull pests away and bring in the bees — beauty that earns its keep.
Sacrificial trap for caterpillars and aphids.
Bring in hoverflies and ladybirds to clear aphids.
Attracts beneficial insects and brightens the bed.
Common questions
How do I stop cabbage white butterflies without netting?
Aromatic companions like dill, mint, sage and onions help mask the scent the butterflies hunt by, and a ring of nasturtiums can lure caterpillars away. But for reliable protection, fine butterfly netting held off the leaves is far and away the most effective method — use the companions to support it, not replace it.
What can I plant with kale?
Kale enjoys the same companions as the rest of the brassica family: aromatic herbs, onions and garlic to confuse pests, nasturtiums and marigolds as flower helpers, and easy neighbours like beetroot and chard.
What should not be grown near cabbages?
Keep brassicas away from strawberries, and don't crowd them with other heavy feeders like tomatoes that compete for the same nutrients.
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The complete companion planting guide →