Brussels Sprouts Companion Plants
Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera · brassica family · rotation group: brassica
The best companion plants for brussels sprouts are Glossy Collard, White Clover, Radish, Indian Mustard, and Buckwheat. Avoid planting brussels sprouts near Other cabbage-family crops, Strawberry, Tomato, Pole Bean. Of the 13 pairings recorded here, 5 are supported by published research and 8 are traditional practice with no controlled evidence behind them.
What to plant with brussels sprouts
| Plant | Claimed benefit | Evidence | What the evidence actually shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buckwheat | Buckwheat borders raise populations of parasitoids and predators over the long growing season. | Research-backed | Extension cites trials showing flowering buckwheat and cowpea increase natural enemies; the long Brussels sprouts season gives beneficials time to build up, which is the main argument for it here. |
| Glossy Collard | A collard perimeter absorbs diamondback moth pressure across the long Brussels sprouts season. | Research-backed | The perimeter trap crop is proven in cole crops and is especially valuable here because Brussels sprouts occupy the ground for 90-110 days, accumulating far more pest pressure than a quick cabbage crop. |
| Indian Mustard | Indian mustard attracts diamondback moth egg-laying far more strongly than the cash crop. | Research-backed | Host-choice trials recorded 18 times more eggs on Indian mustard than on cabbage, and yellow rocket produced zero larval survival; the trap must be managed or it becomes a nursery. |
| Radish | Radish sown ahead of the transplants diverts flea beetles from young Brussels sprouts. | Research-backed | Supported by replicated flea beetle trap-crop trials; sow 1-2 weeks early and destroy the trap, since radish is a brassica and can host clubroot. |
| White Clover | A clover living mulch between the widely spaced stalks reduces pest colonization. | Research-backed | Demonstrated in brassicas at Warwick Crop Centre; the wide spacing and long season of Brussels sprouts suit an undersown mulch better than most cole crops, though clover competition still costs some yield. |
| Beet | Beets occupy the ground between young stalks and share no pests with the cabbage family. | Traditional | Spatial pairing only; harvest the beets before the sprout canopy closes. |
| Dill | Dill in flower feeds the parasitic wasps that attack cabbageworm and looper larvae. | Traditional | Habitat mechanism is real; no controlled trial ties dill to lower caterpillar counts on Brussels sprouts. |
| Sage | Sage and thyme interplanted with Brussels sprouts reduce diamondback moth. | Traditional | Sources genuinely conflict. University of Minnesota Extension lists sage and thyme reducing diamondback moth on Brussels sprouts among research-supported claims, while a peer-reviewed review of the primary trials reports sage and thyme showed no difference in diamondback moth oviposition. Given Finch and Collier found aromatic plants no better than non-aromatic ones generally, treat this as unproven. |
| Spinach | Fast spring greens are harvested from between the transplants long before the stalks fill in. | Traditional | A genuine use of the wide spacing and long establishment period, with no biological interaction claimed. |
What not to plant with brussels sprouts
| Plant | Claimed problem | Evidence | What the evidence actually shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other cabbage-family crops | Neighbouring brassicas concentrate clubroot, black rot and the full caterpillar and aphid complex. | Traditional | Standard rotation advice, and more consequential here than for quick crops because the plants stand in the ground for three to four months of continuous exposure. |
| Pole Bean | Pole beans shade the tall stalks and are said to reduce sprout set. | Traditional | Generic light competition; Brussels sprouts do need full sun to set tight sprouts, so crowding is a real practical concern even though the specific pairing is untested. |
| Strawberry | Strawberries are traditionally said to inhibit Brussels sprouts. | Traditional | Repeated everywhere, supported nowhere; no trial evidence exists for this pairing. |
| Tomato | Tomatoes are said to compete heavily with Brussels sprouts for nutrients. | Traditional | No study found; both are long-season heavy feeders, so this reduces to ordinary competition rather than a documented antagonism. |
The honest verdict
Of everything gardeners recommend planting alongside brussels sprouts, 5 pairings have been tested properly: Glossy Collard, White Clover, Radish, Indian Mustard, Buckwheat. Those are the ones worth planning your bed around.
The remaining 4 pairings on this page are traditional practice. They circulate on every companion planting chart online, but we could not find controlled evidence testing them. They are not wrong so much as unverified — most cost nothing to try, and interplanting flowers and herbs has its own well-documented benefit of pulling pollinators and predatory insects into the garden.
Every row above links to the publication it came from. See how we grade evidence.
Growing brussels sprouts: the numbers
| Sun | Full sun (6+ hours) |
|---|---|
| Water | Moderate |
| Spacing | 18 in apart · 32 in between rows · 1 per square foot |
| Mature size | about 30 in tall |
| Soil pH | 6.2–6.8 |
| Days to maturity | 85–110 days |
| Frost tolerance | Hardy — takes hard frost |
| Containers | Yes — 7 gallon minimum |
| Typical yield | 40-80 sprouts up a single stalk, harvested bottom-up |
| Common pests | cabbage looper, imported cabbageworm, cabbage aphid, diamondback moth, flea beetles, cabbage maggot |
| Common diseases | Alternaria leaf spot, black rot, blackleg, clubroot, Fusarium yellows |
When to plant brussels sprouts
Zone 6b shownTransplant outdoors: Jun 19 – Jul 2 — 10 weeks after last frost
Fall planting: Jul 21 – Aug 3 — 14 weeks before your first fall frost
Expected harvest: Sep 12 – Oct 7 — 85–110 days from planting
Those dates are for zone 6b. Get your own dates by ZIP code →
Varieties worth knowing
seeds- Royal Marvel — 85 days, very productive with tight uniform sprouts
- Long Island Improved — 90 days, open-pollinated heirloom, dependable and widely adapted
- Jade Cross E — 90 days, large sprouts set well up the stalk for easy harvest
- Diablo — 110 days, late maturing with the best storage and post-frost flavour
Variety names link to seeds on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. These are the varieties named in the extension sources for this crop, not a paid placement — where a source recommended a variety for a specific reason, that reason is the note beside it.
Put it in a bed
The garden planner checks every square against this ledger as you place crops — if you drop brussels sprouts next to something recorded as a bad neighbour, the square turns red and tells you why.
Records for the plants named above:
Same rotation group (brassica) — don't follow one with another:
Brussels Sprouts companion planting questions
What should not be planted next to brussels sprouts?
How far apart should brussels sprouts be planted?
Does companion planting with brussels sprouts actually work?
When should I plant brussels sprouts?
Sources for this record
- Growing Brussels sprouts in home gardens — University of Minnesota Extension
- Home Garden Brussels Sprouts (C1069) — University of Georgia Extension
- How to Grow Brussel Sprouts in Your Garden — Utah State University Extension
- Brussels Sprouts — University of Illinois Extension
Record compiled 2026-07. Spot an error or a study we missed? Tell us and we'll correct the entry.