Companion planting guide › White clover living mulch under cabbage and other brassicas

White clover living mulch under cabbage and other brassicas: does it work?

Promising Some peer-reviewed or extension evidence, but limited, conditional or mixed.

Clover living mulch reduces several cabbage pests in multiple studies, but competition often reduces head size.

1. Andow D.A. et al. (1986). Insect Populations on Cabbage Grown with Living Mulches. Environmental Entomology 15(2):293.
2. Theunissen J. et al. (1995). Effects of intercropping white cabbage with clovers on pest infestation and yield. (Wageningen UR record).

Mechanism

Habitat complexity disrupts pest host-finding; more natural enemies.

What the research found

• Andow et al. (1986): lower flea beetle and aphid populations on cabbage with living mulch; some caterpillar numbers increased early.
• Theunissen et al. (1995): clover intercrops suppressed several cabbage pests, but competition reduced head weight.

Caveats

Mixed yield outcome. Mow or manage the clover to limit competition, especially early.