Cabbage

Cabbage

Brassica oleracea var. capitata
Brassicaceae
Broccoli

Broccoli

Brassica oleracea var. italica
Brassicaceae

Can you plant cabbage and broccoli together?

Yes. Cabbage and broccoli grow well together. Broccoli lured pests away from cabbage in a field trial.

Why cabbage and broccoli work together

What to plant with cabbage and broccoli

Good neighbours of both, best tested first.

All 7 plants that suit both, with the evidence

What to keep away from cabbage and broccoli

Nothing in our data is a bad neighbour of cabbage or broccoli.

The evidence in detail

For readers who want to dig in: every chart entry, study and yield trial behind the answer above, with the numbers.

Tradition, research and yield trials

Same family, shared pests and diseases. Both in Brassicaceae: often susceptible to the same diseases and insects. Source: Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Yard and Garden

Tradition

No chart mentions this pair.

Research

Good

3 papers found: 1 positive, 0 negative, 2 no effect.

trap crop x2yield / land use

auto-classified not reviewed by a person

Yield trial

No intercropping yield trial.

Good neighbours

What happens above and below ground

Each animation illustrates a mechanism a study reported for this pair. Pick a card to focus on it.

ABOVE GROUNDBELOW GROUNDsubsoilDECOYDECOYone bed, mixed harvestCabbageBrassicaceaeBroccoliBrassicaceaeABOVE GROUNDBELOW GROUNDsubsoilDECOYDECOYone bed, mixed harvestCabbageBrassicaceaeBroccoliBrassicaceae
Everything at once.

Companion plants for both cabbage and broccoli

Plants that are good neighbours of each. Biggest harvest gain first; each cell links to the evidence for that pair.

PlantWith cabbageWith broccoli
Fava bean117% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 5 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for cabbage and fava beansLures pests awayField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for broccoli and fava beans
DillDraws in pest-eating insects and lures pests away55% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 3 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for cabbage and dillNo trial foundNot tested. Charts: recommend.Evidence for broccoli and dill
Tomato34% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 4 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for cabbage and tomatoesNo trial foundNot tested. Charts: recommend.Evidence for broccoli and tomatoes
Beet14% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 5 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for cabbage and beetsNo trial foundNot tested. Charts: recommend.Evidence for broccoli and beets
OnionFewer pests and draws in pest-eating insects8% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 8 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for cabbage and onionsNo trial foundNot tested. Charts: recommend.Evidence for broccoli and onions
CauliflowerNo trial foundSame family (Brassicaceae): shares pests and diseasesNot tested. Charts: recommend.Evidence for cabbage and cauliflowerLures pests awaySame family (Brassicaceae): shares pests and diseasesField trial, 2 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for broccoli and cauliflower

Harvest from the same space compares a bed with both crops against the same area split into single-crop beds, counting the harvest of both crops (the land equivalent ratio in yield trials).

Recommended by garden charts for both, not tested yet

Chives

The evidence, with sources

ResearchGood3 entries
Same familyShares pests1 entry
  • Both in Brassicaceae: often susceptible to the same diseases and insects
    Crop Rotation in the Vegetable Garden (Steil · 2025 · Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Yard and Garden)
Plan a bed with cabbage and broccoli

All neighbours of cabbage and of broccoli, or every pair at once in the companion planting chart.

Have you grown cabbage and broccoli together?

Tell other gardeners what happened: spacing, pests, harvest, or ask a question. Reader notes are not checked by us and do not change the verdicts on this page.