Are peppers companions to strawberries?

[Birddog]

I just planted about 12 strawberry plants 18" apart in rows 2' apart. I may need to find room for my pepper plants. Can I put them between the strawberries?

[applestar]

Now THAT is an interesting question.

I have a theory that hot peppers are good companion to apple trees because for years, I've had night shade (weed) flourish under my apple tree. This year, I'm preparing a raised bed just beyond the drip line of the apple tree to plant hot peppers. As you may know, apples and strawberries are related (as are roses).

Last year, a volunteer tomato grew up from the compost in the strawberry bed. It turned out to be a large beefsteak type tomato, possibly a seed from last year's Brandywine (regular leaf) and it grew VERY WELL. Strawberries didn't suffer much either.

Although peppers are shallower-rooted than tomatoes, I would say that they are likely to be compatible with strawberries, and planting them together would work for this year (though probably not next year after your stawberries start to runner and take over.) You would probably want to plant the peppers towards the back of the bed so as not to shade the strawberries too much.

[Ozark Lady]

You can also grow one or the other in baskets. And hang them up here and there.

There are short peppers too. I grew sweet banana peppers last year that only got 8" tall. And they were as productive as the taller ones.

My strawberries are escaping to the pathway. So, I may soon know what all they get along with, as walking onions and strawberries are both wandering off!

I had broccoli and garlic in with the strawberries last year. It didn't bother the strawberries at all. The garlic did fine, and the aphids ate the broccoli. So, all in all the strawberries and garlic worked well together.

I filled my strawberry pyramid, and had a few left over, just 6-8 June bearing and 6-8 everbearing. I stuck them in the edge of two different beds, I always killed strawberries, but all three locations flourished. But, they have grown with tomatoes, sweet potatoes, daffodils, and tulips, didn't bother the strawberries at all. The strawberries actually appreciated the late season shade. The everbearers, just lifted leaves as they needed more sunlight, and did fine.

[applestar]

Oh -- a thought. When the peppers are done at the end of the season, chop the plants off at the ground level with a lopper rather than pulling up the roots so as not to disturb the strawberries. The roots will break down in the soil as organic matter.