What plants compete poorly with cauliflower?
Written by
Nguyen Minh
Reviewed by
Prof. Charles Hartman, Ph.D.To grow cauliflower successfully, you just need to be careful about the poor companion plants. I once planted my cauliflower near tomatoes, and the sprawling vines shaded my cauliflower, thus stunting its growth. Brassicas like broccoli will compete for nutrients, while pole beans create an impenetrable canopy overhead. In short, follow the right steps or pick the right allies to enhance your yield and reduce your pests!
Brassicas (Broccoli, Kale)
- Share pests like cabbage worms and aphids
- Compete for sulfur and nitrogen
- Increase risk of soil-borne diseases like clubroot
Tomatoes
- Heavy feeders deplete soil nitrogen
- Vines block sunlight, causing leggy growth
- Attract hornworms that spread to cauliflower
Pole Beans
- Vines shade cauliflower, reducing photosynthesis
- Root systems compete for water
- Trellises limit airflow, encouraging mildew
Crop rotation interrupts pest and disease cycles. After harvesting cauliflower plant bush beans in its place to restore nitrogen to the soil. And I have a 3-year rotation, brassicas, then legumes, and finally squash, that keeps the nutrients in the soil. I just don't go through the rotation again and again in the same bed for brassicas since they will collect clubroot in the area eventually.
Companion plants with onions or garlic to repel insects, as they have the strongest scents to keep pests away, specifically cabbage worms. This past season, I substituted rows of cauliflower for three rows of onions. Aphids dropped 70%. Low-growing herbs, such as thyme, will help suppress weeds without casting too much shade on your desired plants.
Pay close attention to spacing. A cauliflower plant requires 18-24 inches (45-60 cm) of space from other plants. Overcrowding promotes mildew growth and prohibits air movement. If your garden is small, or you are in a colder climate, try dwarf types like Early White Hybrid that take up less space and have lower competition from a neighboring crop.
Read the full article: How to Grow Cauliflower: 7 Essential Tips for Success
