Companion Plants for Rutabagas
Traditional companions for rutabagas include edamame and fava beans.
These are garden traditions, collected from 2 US extension guides. Few have been tested in trials, so treat them as a starting point: spacing, sun and rotation matter more.
Good companions for rutabagas
Spacing is per square foot, for a raised bed planted square by square. Cool-season companions can share the bed before or after a warm-season crop, or grow in its shade.
| Plant | Kind | Spacing | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edamame | Vegetable | 9 per sq ft | Warm season |
| Fava Beans | Vegetable | 4 per sq ft | Cool season |
What the evidence says
Companion planting charts come from long garden experience, and most pairs have never been tried in a replicated trial. Several extension services say so directly; one review gives traditional charts more entertainment than scientific value.
What reliably helps rutabagas: the right planting dates, enough space, and moving crops to a new bed each year (crop rotation).
Plant them side by side
Draw your beds, tap squares to plant rutabagas next to their companions, and get every crop's planting dates for your ZIP code. Free, in your browser.
Questions
What can I plant with rutabagas?
The traditional companions are edamame and fava beans. Plant companions in neighbouring rows or squares rather than in the same hole.
Does companion planting with rutabagas work?
Most pairings are tradition rather than tested results: extension services call companion planting promising but largely unproven. None of the pairs for this crop has been tested in a trial we could find. Good spacing, sun, water and rotation do more for a harvest than any single pairing.
How close can edamame grow to rutabagas?
In a raised bed planted by the square foot, give rutabagas 4 per sq ft and edamame 9 per sq ft, in neighbouring squares. In rows, rutabagas need 6 in between plants.