Garden Vegetable Garden Ideas 12 Companion Plants to Grow Next to Blueberries for a More Bountiful Harvest Your blueberry crop will thrive if you heed these expert tips for the best plants to grow nearby. By Felicia Feaster Felicia Feaster Felicia Feaster has worked for the past 20-plus years as a lifestyle journalist. She specializes in writing about interior design, gardening, trends, culture, travel, and wellness. Editorial Guidelines Published on June 5, 2024 Close Photo: Getty Images There is something extremely appealing about growing your own produce. Whether it’s the warmth and sweet flavor of a tomato just picked off the vine or a tree that produces fruit for homemade pies, relishing the benefits of growing your own food is innately human. But as most gardeners know, the idea of growing a bounty for the dinner table is sometimes easier said than done. So it’s smart to go into your visions of a backyard harvest with a clear head and lots of expert guidance—but you can also get a helping hand from companion plants, nearby plants that work to complement each other. If blueberries are part of your garden plans, you'll want to consider the right blueberry companion plants that will help ward off pests, retain soil moisture, and offer many other benefits. Ahead, we spoke with experts to weigh in with their recommendations for the best blueberry companion plants. Carrie Spoonemore, co-creator of Park Seed’s From Seed to Spoon app Linda Vater, plant expert for the Southern Living Plant Collection How to Grow Delicious Blueberries You Can Harvest Year After Year 01 of 12 Thyme Yulia Naumenko / Getty Images Thyme is wonderfully fragrant—and it's that strong fragrance that naturally repels pests that might feed on blueberries. Plant thyme near your blueberries and take care to give it fertilizer in both spring and fall for optimal growth, says Carrie Spoonemore, co-founder of the Seed to Spoon app. Zone: 5 to 9Mature size: 6 to 12 feet high x 12 to 18 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-drained, sandy loam soil; weekly watering Find Your USDA Hardiness Zone 02 of 12 Strawberries Getty Images Other types of berries can be ideal companions for blueberry plants. A great example is strawberry plants because of their "non-compete" status, says Spoonemore. The strawberry’s shallow root system does not intrude on or impact blueberry bush growth. Both blueberries and strawberries also share a love of acidic soil and full sun, and require frequent watering, making them ideal companions. Zone: 4 to 9Mature size: 6 to 12 inches high x 12 to 24 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-drained, slightly acidic soil; weekly watering with more watering in hot and dry weather How to Grow Sweet Strawberries That Will Produce Fruit Every Year 03 of 12 Rhubarb Kaori Nohara / Getty Images A lover of acidic soil, rhubarb can thrive alongside blueberries, says Spoonemore. Just make sure you don’t plant rhubarb too close to blueberry bushes—both of these plants require adequate room to grow. Zone: 3 to 8Mature size: 2 to 3 feet high x 3 to 4 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun to part shade; rich, well-drained soil; maintain consistently moist soil 04 of 12 Spinach Alexandra Ribeiro / EyeEm / Getty Images An ideal blueberry plant match, spinach can grow in partial shade and, when grown underneath blueberry bushes, can help gardeners maximize their planting space while minimizing blueberry water loss, says Spoonemore, Zone: 2 to 9Mature size: 6 to 12 inches high x 6 to 12 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun to part shade; rich, well-drained soil; keep soil consistently moist 13 Shade-Loving Vegetables That Flourish With Little to No Sun 05 of 12 Basil Ewa Saks / Getty Images Spoonemore recommends this culinary herb as an ideal blueberry companion. For one thing, its bushy growth can help shade blueberries at their base, which helps the blueberry bush retain moisture. Basil is also a light feeder and won't compete with blueberries for essential nutrients. Like thyme, its strong scent can also repel many pests. Zone: 10 to 11Mature size: 1 to 2 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil and light and consistent watering How to Grow and Care for Basil Plants—Indoors and Outside 06 of 12 Azalea Catherine McQueen / Getty Images Azalea makes a great companion plant for blueberries, says Linda Vater, plant expert for Southern Living Plant Collection. It features pretty white blossoms, deep green foliage, and cold resistance. And like blueberries, azaleas thrive in acidic soil and plenty of sun. Azalea blossoms are also appealing to the pollinators they attract, which will also benefit your blueberries as well. Zone: 6 to 10Mature size: 4.5 feet high x 4 feet wideCare requirements: Full to part sun; slightly acidic soil; medium water; optimal flowering in daytime temperatures of 60 to 80 degrees How to Grow Azaleas, a Showy Shrub That Produces Beautiful Blooms 07 of 12 Parsley AndreyTTL / Getty Images This aromatic herb pairs nicely with blueberries in a kitchen garden, says Spoonemore. Parsley does very well in tight spaces and will help repel insects, a decided benefit for any of their blueberry companions. Zone: 4 to 9Mature size: 12 to 24 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soil; water regularly and maintain constant moisture level 08 of 12 Sage Ray Tango / Getty Images A wonderful addition to your culinary garden, sage is also ripe for blueberry companionship, says Spoonemore. With stunning purple flowers, sage attracts pollinators to the garden and offers natural pest control. Zone: 4 to 8Mature size: 1 to 2 feet high x 1 to 2 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-drained, sandy or loamy soil; weekly watering 12 Herbs That Will Thrive Indoors—and Enhance Your Cooking All Year Round 09 of 12 Chives Getty Images Another edible companion plant, Spoonemore recommends chives as a blueberry plant neighbor. Their appeal is twofold—chives attract both pollinators and beneficial insects and keep away other pests like destructive Japanese beetles and aphids. Zone: 3 to 9Mature size: 12 to 18 inches high x 12 to 18 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil; moderate and consistent watering 10 of 12 Marigold Danil Bukhar / Getty Images Marigolds make great companions for myriad plants because their scent repels many pests, including those that prey upon blueberries. Spoonemore recommends using an all-purpose fertilizer when planting marigolds to keep them healthy and thriving. Zone: 2 to 11 (annuals)Mature size: 6 inches to 4 feet high x 6 to 24 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil; consistent moisture How to Plant and Care for Marigolds, Splashy Bedding Plants That You Can Grow in Almost Every Hardiness Zone 11 of 12 Elderberry Crispin la valiente / Getty Images Along with lingonberries and cranberries, elderberries prefer acidic soil and plenty of water, making them natural blueberry companions, says Spoonemore. They are also not particularly prone to pests or disease and can attract beneficial pollinators. Zone: 3 to 9Mature size: 5 to 12 feet high x 6 to 12 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soil; regular watering, keep moist 12 of 12 Other Blueberry Varieties Getty Images Don't restrict yourself to only one cultivar of blueberries, says Vater. For example, she recommends planting DownHome Harvest blueberry varieties together—like I Declare, Take the Cake, Hello Darlin’, Heaven’s Sake, and Bless Your Heart. Planting different blueberry varieties will yield more and bigger blueberries all around. Zones: 7 to 9Mature size: 4 to 5 feet high x 3 to 4 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-drained, slightly acidic soil and medium water Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit