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Leeks(Allium ampeloprasum var . porrum)are a tasty veggie belonging to the onion plant family . They ’re great at deterring carrot fly , aphids , and cabbage worms . I urge growing leeks with plant that can do good from their pest ascendance abilities or those that produce in the same conditions .
you’re able to pair off leeks with carrots , rosemary , Apium graveolens dulce , genus Nasturtium , beets , marigolds , chamomile , and spinach . All vegetables of the allium family including onion , garlic , and shallots are also adept companion for leeks because of their similar growing requirements .
I ’ve explained their benefits and planting guide in detail below .
8 Best Companion Plants for Leeks
Leeks grow stiff and vertical shoot , so they do n’t necessarily need to be paired with plants that will offer supporting . However , there are many benefits to be realized from pair leeks with other garden plant , such asimproved dirt fertility , drain , pest ohmic resistance , and flavour .
Here are great industrial plant to couple with leek in your garden :
1. Beets
see pairing leeks with beetroot if you have a belittled garden and want to make the most out of the small garden space useable . The latter is a root crop that , like leek , prefers to farm in well - draining , fertile grease , full Dominicus , and lots of moisture .
Leeks aid to keep beets free of pestiferous pests that feed on beet greens , such as aphids and flea beetles .
Conversely , the taproot of the beet works , usually known as Beta vulgaris rubra , helps to erupt down heavy soil as it grows downwards into the ground . This helps scallion which rise better in well - drain , moderately free soil .
2. Rosemary
Rosemary is an aromatic herbaceous plant with a true pine - alike smell that attracts natural pestilence hinderance like bees that frighten aphid and caterpillars in leek gardens .
Pairing scallion with rosemary also makes the garden more diverse , esthetic - wise . The blue peak and needle - thin rosemary foliage nicely complement the white-hot shaft and thick green shoot of scallion .
Pro point : Just like rosemary , thyme is another aromatic herb known to enhance the flavor of leeks when used as a companion plant . you’re able to , therefore , practice it as an alternative companion flora for scallion .
3. Celery
you’re able to geminate celery with leeks because they both thrive in well - run out , alimental - rich grease , and sunny conditions . Additionally , both are planted by trench them in , puddle them easy to plant simultaneously .
Apium graveolens dulce ’s bombastic taproot help oneself to loosen the soil , allowing wet to pass through more easily . This is good to leeks , which need well - debilitate soil to flourish .
On the other hand , leek have a strong scent that keeps celery free of harmful plague like foliage miner , Daucus carota sativa rootage flies , and aphids .
Pro pourboire : When inter - planting leeks with celery , plant them into deep , not holes , with a spacing of 2 - 6 inches between the plants .
4. Nasturtium
Nasturtium pass around across the ground as it grow , get it an excellent groundcover plant . Since leeks require a lot of wet , inter - planting them with nasturtium plants can serve minimize moisture loss through evaporation on hot Day .
nasturtium also mold a dull shade due to their sidelong growth , suppressing weeds in the process . Common sess that can affect the health of Allium porrum include nutsedge , Canada thistle , and milkweed .
Also , nasturtium is a unfolding plant that attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs that feed on worm pests . It is also a hole harvest for pests like aphids , which opt it over other plant like leek .
5. Carrots
Carrots are the best associate for leek if you ’re wait to repel harmful pests . When found alone , leeks are susceptible to leek moth and onion rainfly . However , these pestis become much less of a trouble when inter - establish with carrot .
Even better , the relationship between leeks and carrots is symbiotic , as the potent feel of leeks repels rust fly that attack carrot , while carrots repel leek moth .
to boot , Daucus carota sativa and leeks can be densely plant ( close spacing ) without the two plant strip the other of sun and nutrients .
6. Marigolds
marigold are great to pair with leeks because of the many benefits their strong smell impart to the garden .
Marigold bloom have an intense flavor that attracts predatory insects like lacewings and ladybugs that eventually tip on harmful pests like aphids .
Moreover , the smell also repels harmful pests that might otherwise aggress other nearby plants in your garden .
Meanwhile , the pass heyday of French and Mexican marigold varieties can be drudge into the soil at the final stage of the flush time of year to kill ascendent - knot nematodes .
Marigolds also provide decent dry land back , suppressing widow’s weeds in the process .
7. Chamomile
Allium family plant life gain from improved flavor when inter - plant with chamomile . The redolent herbaceous plant also has a scent that draw in beneficial insects like ladybugs and hoverflies . These predatory insects feed on insect pestilence that are harmful to leek , such as aphids .
Chamomile also has anti - fungous and anti - bacterial properties , which could benefit other nearby plants in the garden .
scallion also thrive in fertile soil , and fellow traveller planting with Anthemis nobilis offers the utter chance to enrich the dirt .
Anthemis nobilis is typically pruned to prevent it from becoming leggy . you could leave the chamomile clipping in the garden to enrich the stain with potassium , calcium , and magnesium nutrient .
8. Spinach
Leeks love wet , and spinach stay fresh the stain moist , micturate these two the pure fellow traveller plant . Both plant also prefer nitrogen - rich filth .
The best time of the year to grow leeks and spinach is in the spring , pull in it well-situated to pair them up .
leafage miners are a common trouble on spinach industrial plant . These pesky pests tunnel inside the Spinacia oleracea leave , leaving behind tan patch . you’re able to easily keep the leaf miners off by inter - planting with leek , which have a disgustful perfume .
Conversely , leeks also benefit from spinach , which has a deep , big taproot that breaks down the soil for better drain . think , leeks thrive in moist but not waterlogged soil .
observe : When inter - planting leek with spinach , see a spatial arrangement of at least 2 column inch between every plant in the row .
Can you grow onion and leeks together ?
All member of the allium
Plants NOT to Pair with Leeks
The rule of thumb is to fend off couple leeks with legumes such as noodle , pea , lucerne , lentils , and Asparagus officinales . Some of these legumes , such as beans , produce biochemicals that do stunted growing in leeks while others , such as alfalfa , areallelopathic .
Asparagus has different planting and charge requisite from leeks . grow these two next to each other have in mind one will be disadvantaged .
Here are some of the difference between asparagus and leeks that make them poor companion plant :
Other garden plant that should n’t be paired with Allium porrum include cauliflower and rutabaga . These plant vie for indispensable nutrient with scallion , result in stunted increase and rock-bottom fruit .
