17 Best Kale Companion Plants You Can Use

You’ve probably stood over a kale bed and wondered why it looked so bare next to everything else you planted. I had that same thought the first year I grew kale by itself.

That gap stayed on my mind until a neighbor suggested planting herbs and flowers around her rows instead. I tried it the following season, and the bed looked noticeably fuller.

If you’re looking at your own kale patch right now and wondering what could go beside it or how far apart to plant kale from other companions, you’re not alone in that at all. Let’s look at what actually belongs there.

What Is Companion Planting?

Companion planting means placing plants together on purpose, not just filling empty ground. With kale, the goal is usually simple: better use of space, fewer pests, or insects that help your garden thrive.

Kale belongs to the Brassica family, along with cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. These crops often share pests, including cabbageworms, flea beetles, and aphids, which makes smart pairing useful for kale growers.

Companion planting will not guarantee a pest-free harvest, and not every traditional pairing holds up under research. Combine it with crop rotation, regular inspection, and healthy soil for the best results.

Benefits of Kale Companion Plants

You might not think much about what grows beside your kale, but the right neighbor does real work in your garden bed. Its size, bloom time, scent, and roots all matter.

Better use of space: Fast, small crops fill open soil before kale spreads out.
Helpful insect activity: Flowering plants feed hoverflies, parasitic wasps, and other insects that go after pests.
Lower pest pressure: A mixed bed can make kale harder for insects to locate by sight or scent.
Living ground cover: Low-growing plants shade bare soil, hold in moisture, and crowd out some weeds.
Longer harvest windows: Mixing fast and slow crops means you’re picking something from the bed for a longer stretch.
Clearer garden planning: Matching plants by season and mature size keeps the bed from turning into a tangle.

Note: Companion planting helps manage weeds within the bed itself, but for larger-scale lawn weed pressure, professional weed control is better.

Best Kale Companion Plants to Grow

Not every plant fits well beside kale, but plenty do. Look for options that match kale’s cool-season habits without blocking its sun, draining its nutrients, or choking off airflow around its leaves.

1. Green Onions

green onions growing beside kale in a mulched garden bed

Green onions grow tall and narrow, sliding into gaps between or around young kale without taking up much bed space.

Their upright form makes them a practical filler crop rather than a true pest solution – think of them as one small piece of a broader pest-management approach, not a fix on their own.

2. Garlic

young garlic shoots planted in soil next to a curly kale plant

Garlic shares a cool-season bed comfortably with kale, and since it’s often planted in fall, it may already be growing by the time spring kale goes in.

Give garlic’s leaves enough room so they don’t block airflow around nearby kale, and keep monitoring both crops individually rather than assuming one protects the other.

3. Chives

flowering chives growing around the base of a kale plant in a raised bed

Chives stay compact, producing thin foliage that contrasts nicely with kale’s broader leaves while adding structure to the bed. Once their flowers open, they bring pollinators and other helpful insects into the garden.

Snip off flower heads before they go to seed if you’d rather keep chives contained than let them spread.

4. Thyme

flowering thyme growing along the edge of a kale bed in dry soil

Thyme is a low, sun-loving herb suited to the edges of a kale bed rather than its center. Some research points to fewer moth-related pests in Brassica plantings that included thyme, though the effect isn’t a guarantee.

Its small flowers also offer a food source for insects that prey on common garden pests.

5. Sage

silvery sage plants growing in a raised bed near curly kale

Sage prefers drier soil than kale and does best on a sunny edge where it won’t shade nearby seedlings.

Certain plantings that included sage have shown reduced diamondback moth activity, making it a useful addition near Brassica crops. Its flowers also provide shelter and forage for insects that help manage pest populations naturally.

6. Dill

tall flowering dill growing beside a kale plant in a garden row

Dill’s flowers draw hoverflies, ladybugs, and parasitic wasps – all of which feed on common garden pests. Because dill grows tall, plant it on the north side of your kale bed so it doesn’t block sunlight.

Harvest young dill before it matures fully, since larger plants can begin leaning over neighboring rows.

7. Cilantro

flowering cilantro plants growing in a garden bed near kale

Cilantro thrives in the same cool conditions kale prefers and grows quickly enough to be harvested before kale fills out the surrounding space.

Letting a few plants flower brings in beneficial insects that support the wider bed. Pull extra plants if you’d rather avoid cilantro reseeding itself throughout the garden season after season.

8. Nasturtiums

orange nasturtium flowers growing around a kale plant as a trap crop

Nasturtiums draw aphids and flea beetles toward themselves, functioning as a decoy that keeps pest pressure away from nearby kale. Their bright flowers also attract pollinators.

Check plants regularly, since a heavily infested nasturtium can eventually become a pest source itself if the worst-affected growth isn’t removed in time.

9. Sweet Alyssum

white sweet alyssum flowers bordering a young kale plant in a raised bed

Sweet alyssum is a low, spreading plant best suited to the border of a bed rather than right against kale stems. Its tiny flowers feed hoverflies and parasitic wasps, both natural predators of aphids.

Keeping it along the edge preserves airflow and harvesting space while still bringing pest-fighting insects closer to kale.

10. Marigolds

orange marigolds planted around a kale plant in a garden bed

Marigolds bring color and structure to a mixed bed while supporting a range of beneficial insects throughout the season.

Some plantings near cabbage-family crops have shown reduced caterpillar damage, though marigolds work best as one part of a broader pest strategy rather than a standalone solution for protecting kale from insect pressure.

11. Lettuce

lettuce heads growing on either side of kale in a raised bed

Lettuce grows quickly and stays low, using open soil efficiently early in the season before kale spreads into that same space.

As kale matures and its canopy fills in, harvest lettuce’s outer leaves regularly to preserve airflow around the lower stems and prevent the bed from feeling overly crowded.

12. Spinach

young spinach leaves growing in a row next to kale plants

Spinach shares kale’s preference for cool weather and can be harvested as baby greens well before kale’s canopy closes overhead.

Because both are leafy vegetables drawing on similar soil moisture, water consistently and generously – a crowded bed with two thirsty leafy crops will show signs of stress quickly if watering falls behind.

13. Radishes

radish plants with visible roots growing beside a kale plant

Radishes mature quickly and are typically pulled from the ground before kale needs the extra room. Certain varieties also lure flea beetles away from more vulnerable crops nearby, similar to how nasturtiums function.

Watch radish plants and remove any that become too damaged to continue serving this protective role.

14. Beets

beet plants with red veined leaves growing next to kale

Beets develop their harvest underground while kale grows above it, so the two crops naturally avoid competing for the same physical space.

You can even pick a few young beet greens along the way without disturbing the root. Still, avoid crowding – both plants still need adequate water, nutrients, and leaf room.

15. Peas

pea vines climbing a trellis above kale planted in a raised bed

Peas tolerate spring or fall conditions well and grow vertically, making them a smart choice when ground space is limited. Position any trellis carefully so it doesn’t cast shade over kale.

Despite common belief, peas don’t meaningfully feed nitrogen to neighboring plants – most of what they fix stays within the pea plant itself.

16. Bush Beans

flowering bush bean plants with pods growing beside kale

Bush beans can follow a spring kale harvest or grow alongside it when timing allows, adding a different plant shape that breaks up visual and physical uniformity in the bed.

Since beans prefer warmer weather than kale tolerates, plan their placement around the seasonal calendar and leave adequate space between the two crops.

17. Buckwheat

flowering buckwheat plants growing around a young kale plant

Buckwheat works well as a short-term cover crop or flowering filler in open ground near kale, with blooms that attract a wide range of beneficial insects to the garden.

It grows quickly and self-seeds readily, so cut it back before seed matures if you want to keep it from spreading unchecked.

Plants to Avoid Planting Near Kale

You don’t need a plant to actively harm kale for the pairing to go wrong. Often the real issue is shared pests, heavy feeding, shade, or plain crowding.

Other Brassica crops: Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards, and kohlrabi share kale’s pests and diseases. Spread them out and rotate spots each season.
Large or spreading crops: Pumpkins, winter squash, cucumbers, and melons can vine over kale and block airflow. Give them a separate bed.
Tall, shade-casting crops: Corn, sunflowers, and trellised plants can block sunlight kale needs. Plant them on the north side of the bed.
Strawberries: Low, spreading growth that makes weeding and pest checks harder. A separate strawberry bed keeps care simpler.

Planning a Kale Companion Garden

Planning a kale companion bed means balancing spacing, sunlight, and airflow so every plant can thrive together.

The table below covers how far apart to plant kale, plant grouping, seasonal pairing, and practical layout tips for a healthy, productive garden bed.

Factor	Guidance	Why It Matters
Spacing	2–4″ for baby leaf, 8–12″ for small plants, 12–18″ for full-size kale, 18–30″ between rows	Prevents overcrowding as kale matures to full size
Group by height	Low crops on the sunny edge, medium in the middle, tall trellised crops on the north side	Keeps taller plants from shading kale
Match by season	Pair with cool-season crops like lettuce, spinach, and peas; pull quick growers once harvested	Frees up space as kale fills in
Add edge flowers	Sweet alyssum, nasturtiums, or marigolds around bed borders	Draws beneficial insects without crowding vegetables
Leave room to work	Keep paths wide enough to water, check leaves, and harvest comfortably	Makes routine bed maintenance easier

Kale needs enough room for its leaves to spread and air to move freely around them, with spacing depending mainly on your harvest plan – always check the seed packet, since mature size varies by variety.

Beyond spacing, a mixed bed needs light, airflow, and root room for every plant to thrive.

Common Kale Companion Planting Mistakes

Even with the best pairings, a few small habits can undo your progress in the kale bed. Good companions can’t make up for poor soil, weak light, or inconsistent watering.

Planting too closely: Crowded plants compete for water, nutrients, and airflow.
Trusting unsupported claims: No companion plant guarantees pest-free or disease-free kale.
Ignoring mature plant size: A small seedling today can shade or smother kale later.
Relying on one pest-control method: Combine companion planting with row covers, hand removal, crop rotation, and regular checks.
Letting trap crops turn into pest sources: Check trap plants often and manage infestations before they spread.
Mixing plants with different needs: Kale struggles next to plants that want much drier soil or hot weather.
Forgetting seasonal changes: Pull finished crops and only replant once there’s real space for it.

Conclusion

No kale bed turns out perfect, and yours will not be exactly right either. That’s a normal part of gardening, and it changes with every new growing season.

Some seasons plants end up too close together, or a pest problem shows up before anyone notices it. The fix is usually just a small change for next year.

Try planting something new beside your kale and see what happens in your own garden this coming season. Your own results will teach you more than any guide ever could.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Grow Kale Companion Plants in Containers?

Yes. Most companions, including compact herbs like thyme and chives, do well in containers or raised beds as long as each plant has enough root space and light.