Save garden space and grow pest-free lettuce with companion planting.
However, a top-notch companion plant should also benefitlettuce cropsin some way.
Many of the plants listed here helpcontrol garden pests naturally, but some also enhance lettuce’s growth.
Credit:Kritsada Panichgul
Strawberries
Its always an exciting time of the year whenstrawberry plantsbegin to fruit.
However, pests cant resist the bright red color and succulent taste of garden strawberries.
Spinach
Denny Schrock
Spinachand lettuce have similar growing requirements and dont take up much space.
Credit:Bob Stefko
These two plants grow beautifully together and thrive in cool weather and rich soil.
These low-growing, flowering plants are well-known forattracting beneficial insectsand pollinators to garden spaces.
Saving space in your garden for asparagus leaves can reduce the available growing space in your beds.
Credit:Kritsada Panichgul
Fast-growing and compact, lettuce is aneasy vegetable to grow.
Mini lettuces are great on a grill for summer recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fenneltakes the prize for the worst companion plant for lettuce.
Credit: Stephen Cridland
It secretes a chemical that stunts lettuce growth.
Other undesirable companion plants include parsley, which can cause lettuce to bolt sooner.
Brassica vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, etc.)
Credit: Matthew Benson
secrete a substance from their roots that prevents lettuce seeds from germinating.
Herbs with a strong scent repel many garden pests.
For example, mint helps repel slugs; thyme improves the flavor of lettuce and repels aphids.
Credit:Marty Ross
Other herbs, such as basil, attract beneficial parasitic wasps.
Credit:Kindra Clineff
Credit:Andy Lyons
Credit:Denny Schrock
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit:Marty Baldwin
