Rhubarb is one of those garden plants that knows how to make an entrance.
Its bold red stalks and giant green leaves bring a dramatic flair to any vegetable patch.
But rhubarb isn’t just pretty—it’s a tough, cold-hardy perennial that comes back year after year when it’s properly cared for.
And one of the best ways to support your rhubarb’s long-term health is by choosing the right neighbors.
Companion planting with rhubarb can help deter pests, improve soil health, and make better use of garden space.
The key is finding plants that play nicely with rhubarb’s big leaves, wide spread, and deep roots.
When done right, companion planting turns your garden into a community where each plant looks out for the others.
If you want your rhubarb to grow stronger, live longer, and taste better, planting good companions around it is a smart place to start.
Let’s dig into the best plants to grow alongside rhubarb and why they make such a great team.
Broccoli: A Leafy Helper That Keeps Pests in Check
Broccoli might not seem like the first choice for a rhubarb companion, but the two make a surprisingly strong team in the garden.
Both plants are cool-season growers, which means they thrive in the same type of weather and can share space without competing too much.
But the real value of growing broccoli near rhubarb comes from its ability to act as a pest deterrent.
Broccoli is a member of the brassica family, which includes cabbage, kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.
These plants have a strong scent that helps repel a number of insects that commonly bother rhubarb, such as aphids and whiteflies.
While these pests usually target leafy plants, they can still cause damage to rhubarb by weakening the overall environment of your garden.
Planting broccoli nearby helps create a natural barrier that keeps the pest population in check.
There’s also a benefit to the physical presence of broccoli in the garden.
With its dense, leafy growth, broccoli can help shade the soil around rhubarb, especially in the late spring when the weather begins to warm up.
Rhubarb prefers cool soil and steady moisture, so having a plant like broccoli nearby can help maintain the right conditions.
That little bit of shared shade also helps prevent weeds from creeping in and competing with your rhubarb for nutrients and water.
Of course, spacing is key.
You don’t want to plant broccoli so close that it crowds your rhubarb or interferes with its wide leaves and deep roots.
But with the right layout, both plants can grow beautifully side by side.
Plus, broccoli has its own rewards—tender heads, edible leaves, and side shoots that keep coming after the main harvest.
With its dual purpose of pest control and soil shading, broccoli is more than just a healthy veggie—it’s a solid teammate for your rhubarb patch.
Garlic: A Sharp Defender With Natural Pest Control
Garlic is one of the hardest-working plants in the garden, and it’s an excellent companion for rhubarb.
While it may be small and simple on the surface, garlic plays a powerful role in keeping your rhubarb safe from pests and diseases.
Its strong smell is one of its greatest advantages.
That distinct garlic scent is unpleasant to many common garden pests like aphids, spider mites, and root maggots.
When garlic is planted near rhubarb, it helps form a kind of invisible shield that keeps harmful insects away.
This is especially important in the early stages of rhubarb growth, when tender new stalks are most vulnerable.
Garlic also has anti-fungal properties, which can help reduce the spread of soil-borne diseases that might otherwise harm rhubarb.
Fungal issues like mildew or rust can affect rhubarb leaves and crowns, particularly in humid conditions.
By having garlic nearby, you help create a cleaner, more balanced environment around your plants.
Another perk?
Garlic doesn’t take up much room.
It grows vertically, with minimal spread, and doesn’t compete with rhubarb’s large root system.
That means you can plant garlic along the borders of your rhubarb patch or even between plants if you space carefully.
The two crops get along well without crowding each other.
And while garlic quietly does its job guarding your rhubarb, you also get the bonus of harvesting your own flavorful bulbs later in the season.
It’s a win-win.
Whether you’re trying to prevent pests naturally or just want a reliable, low-maintenance companion, garlic is one of the smartest choices you can make for your rhubarb garden.
Strawberries: Sweet Groundcover That Shares the Space
Strawberries and rhubarb are more than just a delicious duo in the kitchen—they’re also excellent companions in the garden.
These two plants have similar growing needs and get along surprisingly well when planted side by side.
Strawberries act like a living mulch for rhubarb, covering the ground with their low-growing foliage.
This groundcover helps block weeds, retain moisture in the soil, and protect the base of the rhubarb from drying out in the sun.
That’s a big deal because rhubarb prefers cool, damp roots, especially during hot or dry stretches.
Strawberries also prevent soil erosion around rhubarb, especially in raised beds or sloped garden spaces.
Their root systems are shallow, so they don’t compete much with rhubarb, which sends its roots much deeper into the ground.
This means the two can share space without stealing nutrients from each other.
It’s a peaceful relationship with benefits on both sides.
Another reason strawberries make great companions for rhubarb is their early season growth pattern.
Both plants wake up in early spring, but strawberries are often ready to harvest by late spring or early summer.
Rhubarb also reaches peak harvesting time around then, giving you two fresh, homegrown crops at once.
That timing makes it easy to manage watering, fertilizing, and mulching since both plants follow a similar schedule.
You’ll also love the way they look together.
Rhubarb’s tall, dramatic stalks contrast beautifully with the low, spreading leaves of strawberry plants.
It adds a lovely texture and color combination to your garden bed.
And once the strawberries produce fruit, you’ve got a tasty bonus that’s just a few steps from your rhubarb.
It’s a great use of space, a time-saving combo, and a sweet way to support your rhubarb’s health while harvesting dessert-ready berries at the same time.
Bush Beans: Soil Builders That Feed the Roots
Bush beans are one of the best plants to grow near rhubarb because they improve the soil in a way few others can.
They’re natural soil builders, making them the kind of neighbors that leave your garden better than they found it.
Beans, like other legumes, are known for their ability to fix nitrogen in the soil.
This means they take nitrogen from the air and, with the help of special root bacteria, turn it into a form that plants can use.
Rhubarb is a heavy feeder and needs a steady supply of nutrients, especially as it comes out of dormancy in spring and starts sending up new stalks.
While bush beans won’t replace all the fertilizer your rhubarb needs, they do help enrich the soil and make it easier for rhubarb to access what’s already there.
That’s a huge advantage in any garden bed.
Bush beans are also compact and low-growing, so they won’t compete with rhubarb for light or space.
Unlike pole beans, which climb and could cast shade on your rhubarb, bush beans stay manageable and well-behaved.
You can plant them along the edges of your rhubarb patch or in nearby rows without crowding.
Another perk is how bush beans help break up the soil.
Their roots improve soil structure, allowing better water flow and air circulation around the rhubarb’s deep roots.
That helps keep the soil from getting compacted, especially if you’re growing in clay-heavy beds.
Bush beans also attract pollinators when they bloom, drawing bees and beneficial insects into your garden.
Even though rhubarb doesn’t require pollination to produce stalks, having a healthier, livelier garden environment always helps with plant vigor.
So if you want a companion plant that gives back to the soil, stays out of the way, and asks for very little in return, bush beans are a great match for your rhubarb.
Calendula: A Bright Bloomer That Brings in the Good Bugs
Calendula, often called pot marigold, is more than just a cheerful flower—it’s one of the most helpful companions you can plant near rhubarb.
These sunny, daisy-like blooms aren’t just there for decoration.
They bring serious benefits to the garden and make life easier for your rhubarb.
One of calendula’s biggest strengths is attracting beneficial insects.
Ladybugs, lacewings, and hoverflies love calendula flowers—and these bugs happen to feed on aphids, thrips, and other pests that can cause trouble in the garden.
By planting calendula near rhubarb, you create a natural pest control system that keeps unwanted bugs in check without needing harsh sprays or chemicals.
Calendula is also known to act as a trap crop.
That means some harmful insects are drawn to it instead of your vegetables.
It works like a decoy, luring pests away from your rhubarb while attracting the good bugs to handle the rest.
That balance makes a big difference in keeping your rhubarb healthy and growing strong.
The best part?
Calendula is super easy to grow.
It doesn’t require much space, so you can tuck it in between rhubarb plants or along the edges of your bed.
It thrives in full sun, just like rhubarb, and grows well in a wide range of soil types.
Calendula also blooms for a long time, adding color and charm to your garden for weeks.
And when it’s done blooming, you can collect the seeds and plant them again next season.
It’s a flower that keeps giving.
Whether you’re growing rhubarb for pies, jam, or just to admire its dramatic stalks, adding calendula nearby will create a stronger, more vibrant growing space.
With protection, pollinators, and a little splash of color, calendula earns its place next to rhubarb every time.
Final Thoughts
Rhubarb is a long-living, low-maintenance plant, but even the toughest perennials grow better with a little help.
Choosing the right companions—like broccoli, garlic, strawberries, bush beans, and calendula—can lead to stronger plants, fewer pests, and healthier soil.
Each of these companions offers something special, whether it’s repelling insects, improving the soil, or sharing space without crowding.
Together, they create a garden environment where rhubarb can truly thrive.
Smart planting isn’t just about saving space—it’s about building a balanced system where every plant supports the others.
Give your rhubarb good neighbors, and it will reward you with years of big, flavorful harvests.