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Companion Plants for Asparagus
Companion planting is the art of growing plants that can help each other out. Several plants, both perennial and annual, can help asparagus grow.
A perennial vegetable grown in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9, asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) does best when grown with certain other plants. These companion plants benefit asparagus by repelling asparagus pests, attracting pollinators or providing nutrients that generally improve the overall vigor and health of the asparagus.
Tip
Asparagus plants like sunny beds with good drainage, so choose plant varieties with the same growing requirements when experimenting with companion planting in your garden.
Beetle Beaters
Several companion plants can be used to naturally keep asparagus beetles away from your crop. Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and asparagus are perfect garden companions. Tomatoes contain a chemical known as solanine, which repels the asparagus beetle. In return, the asparagus contains a chemical that kills nematodes that feed on tomatoes. Growing the plants together helps to naturally protect both.
Other asparagus beetle-repelling plants include marigolds (Tagetes spp.), petunias (Petunia hybrida) and parsley (Petroselinum crispum, biennial in USDA zones 5 to 9, but generally grown as an annual).
Basil Benefits
The warm-season annual herb basil (Ocimum basilicum) is frequently grown with asparagus. Growing the two plants together attracts ladybugs, beneficial insects known to eat aphids, a pest known for attacking asparagus and other garden vegetables. Basil also repels the asparagus beetle as well as tomato hornworm, making asparagus, tomatoes and basil the perfect companion planting trifecta.
General Gems
Several other garden plants repel while attracting bees and other pollinators that help all of your garden plants produce more blooms and vegetables. Other companion plants for asparagus include:
Aster (Aster spp., USDA zones 3 through 8)
Comfrey (Symphytum spp., USDA zones 4 through 9)
Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
Tip
Onions (Allium cepa, USDA zones 3 through 9), garlic (Allium sativum, USDA hardiness zones 3 through 8) and potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) all require the same nutrients as asparagus and compete with the asparagus when planted nearby. As a result, your asparagus crop and its competitors will all lose vigor and produce less.
