Arugula is a variety of leafy greens and a member of the brassica or cabbage family. It grows quickly in the spring, bolts in the summer, and self-propagate for a fall harvest. Garden pests can infest your arugula. For this reason, gardeners recommend adding companion plants to help deter pests, prevent disease, and increase yields.
The following plants have been demonstrated to perform well when planted with arugula.
1. Beans
Legumes like beans are great companion plants for many crops. They fix nitrogen into the soil and help boost the growth of arugula. Pole beans and bush beans grow taller than arugula, so both crops can provide shade, keeping it cool during the hottest hours of the day.
2. Alliums
Alliums are good arugula companion plants because their strong odor repels cabbage whiteflies and aphids. The allium family includes chives, garlic, and onions. You can sow arugula between the onion rows in your garden for the best effect.
Choose your companion plant wisely because alliums and beans do not get along. Alliums release a chemical that kills the bacteria legumes require to fix nitrogen.
3. Radish
Radishes are quick-growing companion plants that can be used as sacrificial crops. When you grow radishes next to arugula, pesty beetles that eat leafy salad greens will eat the radish leaves instead. According to some gardeners, radishes planted next to arugula are less woody in texture. Most radishes grow up to 14 inches and can provide shade to arugula.
4. Carrots
Planting carrots in rows typically leaves the patch with open spaces. Planting arugula in between carrot crops helps utilize the otherwise unused space. The leafy carrot tops also shade the arugula, while the latter acts as a living mulch that helps suppress weed growth.
5. Celery
Celery and arugula are ideal companion plants because they have similar growing requirements. Both crops prefer full sun and moist soil. While there are no distinct benefits to growing the two together, both plants are frequently used together in recipes.
6. Flowers
Arugula companion flowers include petunias and nasturtiums. Petunias repel leafhoppers, aphids, and other garden pests. Nasturtiums attract aphids, leaving the arugula plants alone in favor of the colorful nasturtium blossoms.
Calendula is another plant that attracts slugs and serves as a trap crop. Marigolds repel worms and attract hoverflies, which eat aphids and greenflies.
7. Herbs
Herbs can repel and distract pests from your arugula. Certain companion plants, such as the aromatic rosemary, may keep pests at bay. Other herbs planted with arugula include dill, thyme, mint, chives, parsley, coriander, sage, basil, oregano, and borage.
Anything in the mint family can efficiently repel garden pests. Dill, commonly used in pest management, is another beautiful plant to cultivate with brassicas. Chervil pairs well with carrots and arugula, as well as several other herbs and deters slugs. It attracts predatory wasps, making it an excellent arugula companion.
