What Are the Best Companion Plants to Grow with Rhubarb?
Rhubarb is a beloved perennial in many gardens, prized for its tart stalks that add a unique flavor to pies, jams, and desserts. Beyond its culinary appeal, rhubarb also plays a valuable role in the garden ecosystem, influencing which plants thrive nearby. Understanding what to plant with rhubarb can enhance your garden’s productivity, health, and aesthetic appeal, making your outdoor space both beautiful and bountiful.
Companion planting with rhubarb is more than just a gardening trend—it’s a strategic approach that leverages the natural relationships between plants. By choosing the right neighbors for rhubarb, gardeners can improve soil quality, deter pests, and even boost growth. This synergy between plants creates a harmonious environment where each species supports the others, leading to a more resilient and vibrant garden.
Exploring the best plants to grow alongside rhubarb opens up opportunities to maximize space and resources while minimizing common gardening challenges. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, discovering these compatible companions will inspire you to cultivate a thriving garden that benefits from nature’s own partnerships.
Companion Plants That Benefit Rhubarb
Planting the right companions with rhubarb can enhance growth, deter pests, and improve soil conditions. Rhubarb thrives when paired with plants that have complementary root systems and nutrient requirements. Avoid overcrowding to ensure adequate air circulation, which helps prevent diseases.
Good companion plants for rhubarb include:
- Alliums (onions, garlic, chives): These help repel aphids and other pests that might otherwise damage rhubarb stalks.
- Beans and peas: As legumes, they fix nitrogen in the soil, enriching it and benefiting rhubarb, which prefers fertile soil.
- Strawberries: These share similar soil and sunlight preferences and can form a productive ground cover that reduces weeds.
- Marigolds: Their strong scent deters various insects and nematodes, protecting rhubarb roots.
- Herbs such as mint and oregano: These herbs can repel pests but should be planted with care, as mint can be invasive.
Plants to avoid near rhubarb include potatoes and tomatoes, which compete for similar nutrients and may share disease susceptibility.
Plants to Avoid Near Rhubarb
Certain plants can negatively impact rhubarb growth due to competition for nutrients, allelopathic effects, or attracting pests and diseases. Avoid planting rhubarb near:
- Potatoes: Compete heavily for nutrients and moisture, reducing rhubarb yield.
- Tomatoes: Both are susceptible to similar soil-borne diseases, increasing risk.
- Fennel: Known to inhibit the growth of many plants, including rhubarb.
- Cabbage family (brassicas): May compete for nutrients and attract pests like cabbage worms that can spread to rhubarb.
Maintaining appropriate spacing and avoiding these incompatible neighbors can help ensure healthy rhubarb development.
Optimizing Growth With Companion Planting
Effective companion planting involves considering the growth habits, nutrient needs, and pest profiles of plants grown alongside rhubarb. Some practical guidelines include:
- Spacing: Allow at least 3 feet between rhubarb crowns and companion plants to prevent competition and ensure airflow.
- Soil enrichment: Incorporate nitrogen-fixing plants like peas early in the season to boost soil fertility.
- Pest control: Use aromatic herbs and flowers to create a natural pest barrier.
- Mulching: Plant low-growing companions such as strawberries as living mulch to suppress weeds and retain soil moisture.
Below is a table summarizing companion plants suitable for rhubarb, their benefits, and spacing recommendations:
| Companion Plant | Benefit to Rhubarb | Recommended Spacing |
|---|---|---|
| Onions, Garlic, Chives | Repel aphids and other pests | 12-18 inches apart from rhubarb crowns |
| Beans, Peas | Fix nitrogen in soil to enrich rhubarb | 3 feet or more, planted early season |
| Strawberries | Ground cover to suppress weeds, similar soil needs | 12-18 inches apart, avoid overcrowding |
| Marigolds | Deters nematodes and harmful insects | 12 inches around rhubarb perimeter |
| Mint, Oregano | Repel pests; mint is invasive so use containers | Plant mint in pots to control spread |
Companion Plants That Thrive Alongside Rhubarb
Rhubarb’s vigorous growth and large, leafy foliage create a unique microenvironment in the garden. Selecting compatible companion plants can enhance soil health, deter pests, and optimize space without competing aggressively for nutrients.
When choosing plants to grow alongside rhubarb, consider those that benefit from similar soil conditions—rich, well-drained soil with consistent moisture—and those that do not overshadow or crowd rhubarb’s expansive leaves.
- Alliums (Garlic, Onions, Chives): These help repel pests such as aphids and improve rhubarb’s growth by discouraging harmful insects.
- Beans and Peas: As nitrogen-fixers, legumes enrich the soil, benefiting heavy feeders like rhubarb by providing additional nitrogen naturally.
- Herbs (Mint, Tarragon, Thyme): Aromatic herbs can mask rhubarb’s scent, reducing pest attraction, and some herbs improve pollinator activity nearby.
- Strawberries: Their shallow root systems do not compete heavily with rhubarb, and they can form a ground cover that conserves soil moisture.
- Marigolds: These flowers repel nematodes and other soil-borne pests, improving overall plant health.
Conversely, avoid planting rhubarb near potatoes or members of the nightshade family (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants), as they can compete for nutrients or share susceptibility to certain diseases.
Planting Strategies for Optimal Growth
To maximize the benefits of companion planting with rhubarb, consider spatial arrangement and timing:
| Companion Plant | Recommended Distance From Rhubarb | Benefits | Planting Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garlic | 12–18 inches | Deters aphids and fungal diseases | Plant cloves in fall or early spring, around rhubarb’s perimeter |
| Bush Beans | 18–24 inches | Fix nitrogen, improving soil fertility | Plant after danger of frost; avoid shading rhubarb crown |
| Strawberries | 12 inches | Ground cover; conserves moisture and suppresses weeds | Plant in early spring; ensure adequate spacing for air circulation |
| Marigolds | 10–12 inches | Repel nematodes and insect pests | Plant seeds or seedlings in spring near rhubarb beds |
| Chives | 12 inches | Repels aphids and improves overall plant vigor | Plant in spring; can be harvested throughout growing season |
Ensure companion plants do not cast excessive shade on rhubarb, especially during early spring when rhubarb stalks are emerging. Maintaining adequate airflow around the crown reduces disease risks.
Soil and Watering Considerations for Mixed Plantings with Rhubarb
Rhubarb prefers nutrient-rich, slightly acidic to neutral soil (pH 6.0–7.0) with good organic matter content. Companion plants should ideally have similar soil preferences to avoid stress or competition.
When planting companions, amend soil with compost or well-rotted manure prior to planting to boost fertility for all crops involved. Mulching around rhubarb and companion plants helps retain moisture and suppress weeds.
- Watering: Rhubarb requires consistent moisture, especially during stalk development. Companion plants with similar water needs (e.g., beans, herbs) are ideal to streamline irrigation.
- Drainage: Avoid waterlogged conditions; raised beds or well-drained soil beds reduce risk of root rot for rhubarb and its companions.
- Fertilization: Side-dress rhubarb and nitrogen-demanding companions with balanced organic fertilizer during early spring and mid-season.
Seasonal Planting and Crop Rotation Suggestions
To maintain healthy soil and reduce pest buildup, rotate companion crops annually where possible. For example, follow rhubarb and legumes with leafy greens or root vegetables in subsequent seasons.
| Season | Planting Focus | Suggested Companion Plants | Rotation Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Spring | Rhubarb emergence | Garlic, chives, early herbs | Plant garlic and herbs to establish before rhubarb fully develops |
| Late Spring to Early Summer | Legume planting | Bush beans, peas |