From Onions to Cosmos, These Companion Plants Will Help Your Celery Thrive (2024)

Gardening

Vegetables

These plants grow great beside each other

Michelle Mastro

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Published on 03/21/24

From Onions to Cosmos, These Companion Plants Will Help Your Celery Thrive (2)

Celery, like many plants in home gardens, does best when grown beside other garden variety vegetables. Companion planting offers numerous benefits, like improving the soil the plants are growing in and thus enhancing the veggies’ flavors, plus many more. And they are great for all kinds of gardens from container gardens to smaller gardens.

“Celery companion plants help deter pests from the celery and improve the soil health,” Lee Jones, a farmer at The Chef’s Garden, says.

Here are 16 celery companion plants to enhance your garden.

Meet the Expert

Lee Jones is a farmer at The Chef’s Garden, a family-owned regenerative and climate–friendly farm.

01 of 16
Nasturtiums

Instead of insecticides, consider planting species that attract other animals to take care of your garden’s pests. The nasturtium’s bright orange flowers are one of the best flowers for vegetable gardens and will attract insects like wasps that eat the kinds of pests like aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites drawn to celery, Jones says.
02 of 16
Onions

Perhaps it’s no surprise, but pests don’t necessarily enjoy the smell of onions either. “Onions deter carrot flies in particular,” Jones says.
See Also
Carrot companion planting – the best plants to grow with carrots Celery: From Seeds To Harvest Fryd How to Grow Celery in Your Garden
Though carrot flies are drawn to carrots more than other plants, celery will still benefit from the onions because they are slow growing, allowing the celery to get first pick on where it plants roots.
03 of 16
Tomatoes

Jones explains how tomatoes are great companion plants because they repel celery pests like cabbage worms and whiteflies. There's also a large variety of tomatoes, so you can choose the one that best fits with your region and garden.
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Cosmos

While beautiful, cosmos also attract pollinators, like parasitic wasps, known for eating slugs and other garden pests.
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Spinach

Both spinach and celery love nutrient rich soil, so planting them together allows you to fertilize the same amount for each plant.
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Leeks

Jones says that leeks repel pests like carrot flies and celery worms, which makes them a great fit. They must be planted in early spring for a good harvest.
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Chives

Chives flower profusely, bringing in plenty of insects that eat aphids that like to attack celery plants. “Chives deter aphids and can improve celery flavor,” Jones says.
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Chamomile

Like many of the plants on this list, chamomile can be used in versatile ways. It blooms pretty white flowers that draw in wasps, which eat aphids and other pests.
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09 of 16
See Also
5 Tips for Growing Tender, Juicy Celery | The Seed Collection
Garlic

“Garlic deters aphids and other pests while improving soil health,” Jones says. The plant pulls plenty of nitrogen from the soil.
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Thyme

Because it grows to blanket the ground, thyme can help keep away annoying weeds in your garden and around your celery. This will allow the celery to grow unhindered without the uninvited weeds.
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Marigolds

Jones explains how marigolds repel nematodes and attract beneficial insects. This is because the flowers attract many kinds of pollinators that like to eat pests like beetles.
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Pole Beans

Nitrogen is one of those ingredients that help many plants grow, and pole beans add in nitrogen to help celery and other garden plants mature.
“Pole beans fix nitrogen in the soil, which is beneficial for celery’s growth,” Jones says.
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13 of 16
Cucumber

While many plants with a strong odor, like garlic and chives, benefit celery on this list, celery also has its own strong smell. The celery scent can discourage whiteflies, which love the flavor of cucumbers, so they benefit one another. Meanwhile, cucumbers grow tall, offering celery shade to combat too much sun exposure.
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Sage

Another plant with a strong smell, sage repels carrot flies and cabbage moths. Especially during warmer months, tall herb plants like sage can help filter sunlight to protect and cool down celery plants.
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Dill

This garden plant attracts the attention of ladybugs, a major connoisseur of aphids, which will protect young celery plants as they're growing.
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Cabbage

Both celery and cabbage love drinking lots of water, so planting them together means not worrying about overwatering.

FAQ

What should not be planted with celery?

While there are many plants that work great bedside celery, there are some plants that do not support it.
“It’s best to not plant potatoes, carrots, or parsnips next to celery because of its shallow root system,” Jones says. Hence, these plants would compete with celery too much for root space.
Where does celery like to be planted?

Because celery likes nutrient-rich soil and plenty of water, the veggie can be a bit particular about where it prefers to live.
“Celery prefers well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter,” Jones says.
What does celery like to be planted next to?

“Celery benefits from being planted near companion plants that deter pests or provide support,” Jones says. So, any of the plants listed from marigolds to dill can help keep pests away from celery.

Onion Companion Planting: 18 Onion Companion Plants to Grow

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Broadwater county blog—Broadwater county extension | montana state university. (n.d.). Retrieved March 20, 2024, from https://www.montana.edu/extension/broadwater/blog-article.html

From Onions to Cosmos, These Companion Plants Will Help Your Celery Thrive (2024)

FAQs

Can onions and celery grow together? ›

2. Alliums like garlic, leeks, shallots, and onions enhance the sweetness of a celery crop, and their anti-fungal properties also work as a natural insect repellent within the soil.

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What helps celery grow? ›

Water. Good watering is essential to successful celery production. Celery needs at least 1 to 2 inches of water from rainfall or irrigation each week during the growing season. Always soak the soil thoroughly when watering because celery has a small, shallow root system.

Keep Reading ›

What is the best plant food for celery? ›

Feeding. To boost growth, apply a light dressing of a high nitrogen fertiliser in summer, once the celery plants are established. If growing celery in pots, feed every fortnight with a balanced liquid general fertiliser through the summer.

Discover More Details ›

What not to plant with onions? ›

What should not be planted with onions? While there are many plants you want to grow near onions, there are a few that should definitely be avoided. Onions should not be planted with peas, beans, asparagus, or sage. Onions can stunt the growth of these crops and also negatively affect their flavor.

Learn More Now ›

Do celery plants like coffee grounds? ›

Like most vegetables, celery needs fertile, well-amended soil to thrive. Savio recommends spreading 1 to 2 inches each of compost and cow or steer manure, topped with an inch or so coffee grounds — her personal secret sauce for mulching and enriching her garden soil.

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Does celery like full sun? ›

You can grow celery in full or part sun, but getting the balance right between adequate sunlight for healthy growth and too much of a good thing can be tricky. For the best flavor and texture, grow plants in full sun in winter and protect them from the strong afternoon sun in the height of summer.

Learn More Now ›

Do carrots like to be planted by onions? ›

Onion. These pungent vegetables make great carrot companion plants. Their unappealing odor is a natural deterrent of many garden pests that feed on carrots. Onions can be a useful deterrent of a common carrot seeking pest called the carrot fly.

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What does celery not like to be planted by? ›

What plants are not good companion plants for celery? Don't plant root crops, such as carrots, parsnips, and potatoes nearby. Celery has a shallow root system that can be damaged when a root crop is harvested. Corn is also not a good choice.

What natural fertilizer for celery? ›

Regular applications of compost or organic pellets will keep the soil—and your celery—happy without the risk of overindulgence.

View Details ›

Does celery like garlic? ›

Consider planting some of these aromatic buddies alongside your celery plants to enhance their flavor and protect them from pests: Garlic. Leeks. Onions.

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Is tomato feed good for celery? ›

It requires soil that holds moisture well. Choose a protected spot as strong winds may damage or dry out plants. The key to producing good celery is to keep it growing quickly with copious watering and fortnightly applications of a liquid food such as PowerFeed PRO Series for Tomatoes & Vegetables.

Learn More Now ›

Does celery need nitrogen? ›

Celery Nitrogen Nutrition

Nitrogen deficient celery plants have stunted growth with pale green foliage. The older leaves turn yellow and senesce early ^[^N24^]. Nitrogen deficiency can cause pithiness ^[^N6^], although this may also be caused by water stress ^[^N2^].

From Onions to Cosmos, These Companion Plants Will Help Your Celery Thrive (2024)

Meet the Expert

Nasturtiums

Onions

Tomatoes

Cosmos

Spinach

Leeks

Chives

Chamomile

Garlic

Thyme

Marigolds

Pole Beans

Cucumber

Sage

Dill

Cabbage

FAQs

Can onions and celery grow together? ›

Is tomato feed good for celery? ›

References