Turnip (Brassica rapa)

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Turnips make excellent companion plants, improving soil structure and deterring pests. Their deep roots break up compacted soil, allowing better water and nutrient flow for neighboring plants.

Turnips also help repel pests like aphids and flea beetles, protecting more vulnerable crops.

They grow well alongside peas, beans, and leafy greens, benefiting from nitrogen-fixing plants while providing natural ground cover to suppress weeds.

However, avoid planting turnips near other brassicas (such as cabbage and broccoli), as they compete for nutrients and may attract shared pests.

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7 Companion Plants for Turnip

  • Garlic

    Garlic is a powerful protector for turnips, repelling pests like aphids and beetles with its strong scent. Its antifungal properties also promote healthier soil, helping turnip roots thrive.

  • Chives

    Chives are a strong ally for turnips, repelling pests like aphids and thrips with their potent scent. Planted nearby, they create a natural bug barrier for healthier growth.

  • Mint Mint's strong scent repels flea beetles and aphids that like to snack on turnips. Mint, surprisingly enough, is great at attracting earthworms which are excellent for soil health and predatory wasps that help control pest populations.
  • Brassicas

    Brassicas like broccoli, kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts benefit greatly from turnips as companions. Turnips act as a natural trap crop, luring aphids, slugs, and other pests away from these veggies, keeping them safer and healthier.

  • Peas

    Peas make excellent companions for turnips! As nitrogen-fixers, peas and beans naturally enrich the soil, giving turnips a growth boost. Plus, they complement each other perfectly maximizing garden space efficiently.

  • Nasturtium

    Nasturtiums are more than just pretty flowers. They’re a powerhouse companion for turnips! They repel aphids, cabbage worms, and other pests while attracting beneficial insects like ladybugs and hoverflies.

  • Thyme

    Thyme is a double win for turnips! It repels cabbage whiteflies while attracting helpful insects like ladybugs and hoverflies, making it a great addition to any vegetable garden.

3 Neighbor Plants to Avoid near Turnip

  • Potatoes

    Potatoes and turnips both grow underground, competing for space and nutrients. Planting them together can stunt their growth, so it’s best to keep these root crops separate.

  • Fennel Fennel is known to be allelopathic, meaning it releases substances that can inhibit the growth of other plants, including turnips.
  • Sunflower Sunflowers can have an allelopathic effect, similar to fennel, and their large root systems can dominate the soil, leaving less room and nutrients for turnips to grow.