12 Best Strawberry Companion Plants to Grow

Strawberries may look easy to place in a garden bed, but the plants growing around them can change how crowded, shaded, or manageable that space becomes.

Choosing strawberry companion plants is less about following a fixed rule and more about finding plants that can comfortably share the same area. Growth habit, spacing, and seasonal timing all play a part.

From my experience, the best garden combinations are usually the ones that make sense once you look at how each plant actually grows. A little planning early on can make the bed easier to manage as the season moves along.

What Is Companion Planting for Strawberries?

Companion plants are crops grown near each other because they can share the same space without creating too much competition.

For strawberries, that means choosing plants that will not crowd the crowns, runners, or shallow roots. The pairing should work with the way strawberries spread and use the bed over time.

Some companions can also increase pollinator activity or use space that would otherwise stay open. What matters most is how well the plants fit together as they mature.

I’d look at the pairing as a whole rather than rely on a companion chart alone. Sunlight, moisture, soil, and spacing still matter, and companion planting does not guarantee fewer pests, weed control, or a larger harvest.

Best Strawberry Companion Plants to Use

The best strawberry companion plants fit around strawberries without competing heavily for sunlight, moisture, root space, or room for runners. The choices below focus on useful differences in growth habit, flowering, harvest timing, and overall garden function.

1. Borage

Borage is a leafy annual herb valued for its blue, star-shaped flowers, which add color and texture to a mixed bed. It draws bees and other beneficial insects into the growing area.

Its herb-garden origins also make it a common pick for gardeners already growing culinary herbs nearby.

• Growing habit: Mature plants become much taller and bushier than strawberries.
• Bloom period: Flowers can continue appearing through much of the growing season.
• Care tip: Leave some blooms on the plant so pollinators can continue using them.

2. Thyme

Thyme is a low-growing perennial herb with small leaves and tiny flowers. Its compact growth makes it easier to combine with strawberries than herbs that become tall or heavily branched.

When thyme flowers, the blooms also provide nectar for bees and other small beneficial insects visiting the garden.

• Growth style: Forms low, spreading stems rather than tall foliage.
• Soil preference: Performs best in well-drained soil and does not like constantly wet roots.
• Maintenance: Trim older stems when the plant becomes woody or spreads too far.

3. Chives

Chives are compact perennial herbs that grow in upright clumps of narrow leaves. Their shape allows them to occupy a different type of space than low, spreading strawberry plants.

Their purple flowers also attract bees when allowed to bloom, adding another flowering plant to the bed during the growing season.

• Growth habit: Clumps slowly widen as the plants mature.
• Blooming: Flowers usually appear in spring or early summer.
• Care tip: Divide crowded clumps every few years to keep growth manageable.

4. Garlic

Garlic grows upright from individual bulbs and produces narrow leaves that take up relatively little space above the soil. This makes it easier to combine with strawberries than broad, leafy crops.

It is often listed as a pest-deterring companion. Its clearest advantage is its narrow growth habit and different harvest cycle.

• Growth style: Upright leaves create little surface spread.
• Harvest timing: Garlic is typically harvested after its foliage begins to yellow and dry.
• Keep in mind: Each bulb still needs enough underground space to develop properly.

5. Lettuce

Lettuce is a fast-growing leafy crop that can make use of open soil while strawberry plants are still filling out. Wide varieties are harvested well before strawberries reach their fullest seasonal spread.

Its relatively shallow growth also makes it useful in mixed beds when plants are not packed too tightly.

• Growth speed: Many leaf lettuces mature quickly compared with perennial strawberries.
• Season: Performs best during cooler parts of the growing season.
• Harvest tip: Pick outer leaves or harvest whole heads before the bed becomes crowded.

6. Spinach

Spinach is another cool-season leafy green that grows quickly and stays fairly compact. It can use temporary open space early in the season before warmer weather and heavier strawberry growth take over.

Because spinach often declines as temperatures rise, its growing period can fit neatly around a longer strawberry season.

• Season: Best suited to cool spring or fall conditions.
• Growth habit: Forms a low rosette of leaves.
• Watch for: Warm weather can cause plants to bolt and produce a flower stalk.

7. Bush Beans

Bush beans grow as compact, self-supporting plants rather than long climbing vines. Their upright form can make them easier to manage around strawberries than pole beans.

Beans also form relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria on their roots, although that does not mean they immediately supply usable nitrogen to nearby strawberry plants.

• Growth style: Compact plants usually stay much shorter than pole varieties.
• Soil role: Root nodules can fix atmospheric nitrogen with the help of bacteria.
• Keep in mind: Avoid treating beans as a substitute for proper strawberry fertilization.

8. Marigolds

Marigolds are warm-season flowering plants known for their bright blooms and long flowering period. Their flowers can attract bees, hoverflies, and other insects that contribute to a more active garden ecosystem.

They are often promoted as universal pest repellents, but their more dependable value is flowering diversity rather than guaranteed insect control.

• Bloom period: Many varieties flower repeatedly from late spring until frost.
• Growth range: Sizes vary widely, from compact dwarf types to much taller plants.
• Care tip: Removing spent flowers can encourage continued blooming.

9. Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums are flowering annuals with rounded leaves and bright edible flowers. Their blooms attract pollinating insects while their trailing growth adds a different form to a strawberry planting.

Some varieties remain compact, while others spread considerably, so knowing the variety matters before adding them to a mixed bed.

• Growth style: Available in compact and trailing forms.
• Blooming: Flowers continue over a long season in suitable conditions.
• Watch for: Trailing stems can spread quickly if left unmanaged.

10. Dill

Dill is a tall annual herb with fine, feathery foliage and broad clusters of yellow flowers. Once it flowers, it attracts a range of beneficial insects, including pollinators and small predatory insects.

Its upright growth differs sharply from strawberries, which can make the two plants useful in a mixed planting when overall space is managed well.

• Growth habit: Mature dill can become tall despite its light, open foliage.
• Flowering: Umbel-shaped flowers are especially attractive to small beneficial insects.
• Care tip: Let some plants flower instead of harvesting every stem for leaves.

11. Onions

Onions grow from bulbs and produce narrow, upright leaves, giving them a relatively small footprint above the soil. That makes them easier to combine with strawberries than vegetables with large leaf canopies.

Their growth cycle is also distinct, with most of the plant’s development focused on the bulb and vertical leaves rather than spreading foliage.

• Growth style: Narrow leaves keep above-ground spread limited.
• Harvest cue: Bulbs are generally ready once tops fall over and begin drying.
• Keep in mind: Bulbs still need enough loose soil to expand underground.

12. Radishes

Radishes are quick-growing root vegetables that mature much faster than strawberries. Their short growing period can make them useful for filling temporary gaps early in the season.

Most varieties stay compact above ground and are harvested before they have much time to compete with longer-lived crops.

• Growth speed: Many varieties are ready in only a few weeks.
• Season: Best growth usually occurs in cool weather.
• Harvest tip: Pull roots promptly once mature so they do not become tough or oversized.

How to Arrange Companion Plants Around Strawberries

A mixed strawberry bed works best when plants have room to mature, with open crowns, good airflow, and space for runners.

Plant Growth Type	How to Arrange It	What to Leave Room For
Low-growing plants	Use wider gaps without packing plants tightly	Strawberry crowns and runners
Taller plants	Keep them where they will not block direct sun	Strawberry leaves and flowers
Short-season crops	Use temporary open areas early in the season	Later strawberry growth
Flowering plants	Keep foliage from forming dense clusters	Airflow around leaves and fruit
Spreading plants	Give them a defined area to grow	Runners and developing berries
Perennial companions	Allow extra room for long-term growth	Future expansion of both plants

Tip: Plan around mature plant size rather than seedling size, since strawberries and their companions can fill open space quickly as the season progresses.

Plants to Avoid Growing Near Strawberries

Not every commonly listed “bad companion” is harmful to strawberries. Some combinations are simply harder to manage, while others raise more specific concerns such as aggressive spreading or shared soilborne disease.

1. Brassicas: Broccoli, cabbage, and kale aren’t harmful, but their size can shade low strawberry plants and crowd a shared bed.
2. Tomatoes: Share Verticillium wilt risk with strawberries; keeping them out of the same rotation helps long-term disease management.
3. Fennel: Not proven to suppress nearby crops, but its tall, broad growth competes for space and sunlight in crowded beds.
4. Mint: Spreads aggressively through underground rhizomes, overtaking strawberry crowns and runners – best grown in a container instead.
5. Potatoes: Harvesting disturbs nearby roots, and both crops share susceptibility to Verticillium wilt, increasing the risk of soil-borne infection.

Tips for Maintaining a Strawberry Companion Bed

Mixed beds need a little extra attention because several plants grow, spread, and compete in the same space. The goal is to keep the planting balanced as the season changes.

• Thin crowded growth: Remove excess foliage or extra plants when one companion starts taking over shared space.
• Redirect runners: Guide strawberry runners into open areas or trim extras before they weave through neighboring plants.
• Remove finished annuals: Pull short-season companions once they are harvested so strawberries can reclaim the space.
• Prune back spreaders: Cut or prune back herbs or flowers that begin creeping into strawberry crowns or fruiting areas.
• Recheck shade: As taller companions mature, make sure they are not blocking too much light from the strawberries.
• Replace plants selectively: If one companion consistently crowds the bed or struggles in the same conditions, swap it out rather than forcing the pairing.
• Watch seasonal changes: A combination that works in spring may become crowded by midsummer, so adjust the bed as plants mature.

Conclusion

You do not need to fill every space around strawberries with another plant. Choose a few companions that match your goals, whether you want to attract pollinators, use seasonal space efficiently, or create a manageable mixed bed.

Avoid plants that compete heavily for sunlight, water, or nutrients, and separate crops that may share disease problems.

Before planting, check each companion’s mature size, light requirements, watering needs, and soil preferences. Starting with two or three compatible plants makes the bed easier to maintain and gives you room to adjust your planting plan next season.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can strawberries and blueberries grow together?

Yes, but blueberries need more acidic soil, so separate growing areas are usually best.

Can you grow strawberry companion plants in pots?

Yes, if the container provides enough space, light, drainage, and compatible moisture levels.

Can strawberries grow with herbs in the same container?

Yes, compact herbs can share a large container if their watering needs are similar.

Can strawberries be planted near raspberries?

Yes, but give both crops enough space and plant them in healthy, well-drained soil.

Do strawberry companion plants need the same soil conditions?

No, but similar moisture, drainage, and pH needs make them easier to grow together.