10 Companion Plants for Your Veggies (& What to Never Grow Together)

When planning my garden, I always keep “companions” in mind.

In the world of gardening, companion planting is a popular technique that involves planting certain crops together to promote mutual benefits.

Whether it’s for nutrient sharing or pest control, companion planting can significantly improve the health and productivity of your garden.

Let’s look at this a little more in depth, then I’ll share my 10 favorite pairings!

Benefits of Companion Planting

Companion planting offers several benefits for gardeners:

1. Natural Pest Control: Certain plant combinations can help repel pests or attract beneficial insects, reducing the need for chemical pesticides. For instance, planting marigolds alongside tomatoes can deter nematodes, while planting mint near cabbage can deter cabbage moths.
2. Improved Pollination: Some plants attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, which can increase the yield of nearby flowering plants, fruits, and vegetables. For example, planting flowers like lavender or bee balm near fruit trees can attract pollinators and improve fruit set.
3. Enhanced Flavor: Companion planting can enhance the flavor of certain crops. For instance, planting basil near tomatoes can improve the taste of the tomatoes, while growing dill near cucumbers can enhance their flavor.
4. Optimized Use of Space: Planting compatible crops together can maximize garden space and increase overall yield. For example, tall plants like corn can provide shade for lower-growing crops like lettuce or beans, creating a more efficient use of space.
5. Soil Improvement: Some companion plants, like legumes (e.g., beans and peas), have the ability to fix nitrogen in the soil, which can benefit neighboring plants by improving soil fertility.
6. Weed Suppression: Certain plants can act as living mulch, suppressing weed growth and reducing the need for manual weeding. For example, planting ground cover plants like clover or thyme between rows of vegetables can help suppress weeds.
7. Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health: Companion planting promotes biodiversity in the garden, which can help create a more resilient and balanced ecosystem. By diversifying plantings, gardeners can support a wider range of beneficial insects and microorganisms.

Overall, companion planting is a holistic approach to gardening that harnesses the power of plant relationships to create healthier, more productive, and more sustainable gardens.

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10 Effective Companion Plantings for Your Vegetable Garden

1. Basil for Tomatoes

Basil and tomatoes are not only a fantastic combination in a caprese sandwich, but they also make great companions in the garden. Basil helps deter aphids and whiteflies from attacking your tomato plants.

Some even claim that basil can enhance the flavor of tomatoes, although scientific evidence for this is limited.

Regardless, planting basil next to your tomatoes can provide pest protection and potentially improve their taste.

2. Green Beans for Corn

The Native American tradition of the Three Sisters Garden demonstrates the effectiveness of planting green beans with corn.

Corn is a heavy nitrogen feeder, while green beans fix nitrogen into the soil. By interplanting these two crops, the green beans provide the nitrogen that the corn needs, creating a mutually beneficial relationship.

You can even experiment with planting pole varieties of green beans close to corn plants, allowing the beans to grow up the corn stalks.

This not only saves space but also provides a natural trellis for the beans!

3. Onions for Carrots

Carrots often suffer from attacks by carrot flies, which can decimate your crop. However, onions act as a natural repellent for these pests.

The strong aroma of onions helps deter carrot flies, making them an excellent companion for carrots. Additionally, onions can be harvested and used in your cooking, providing a dual purpose in your garden.

4. Radishes for Cucumbers

Cucumber beetles can wreak havoc on cucumber plants, affecting their growth and yield.

One effective way to control these pests is by planting radishes as a trap crop. Radishes attract cucumber beetles, drawing them away from your cucumbers and reducing the pressure on your cucumber plants.

Radishes also have the advantage of being a root crop, so they won’t compete with cucumbers for nutrients or sunlight.

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5. Carrots for Tomatoes

While carrots benefit from the presence of onions, they also make great companions for tomatoes.

Tomatoes release a chemical called solanine that repels carrot flies. By planting carrots near your tomatoes, you create a mutually beneficial relationship.

The carrots provide aeration for the tomato roots, while the solanine in tomatoes helps repel carrot flies.

6. Nasturtiums for Cabbage

Nasturtiums are not only beautiful flowering plants but also effective companions for cabbage.

They help repel cabbage loopers and cabbage worms, which can cause significant damage to cabbage plants. Nasturtiums can be grown as ground cover or trained to vine up a fence or trellis, providing additional benefits in weed suppression and aesthetics.

7. Mustard Greens for Potato Family

Plants in the potato family, including potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes, and peppers, can benefit from the presence of mustard greens.

Mustard greens repel flea beetles, which can be a common pest for these crops. For optimal results, plant arugula, mustard greens, and Napa cabbage in clusters near your potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, or peppers.

This grouping attracts the predators of flea beetles and provides better pest control.

8. Blue Hubbard Squash and Sunflowers for Squash and Zucchini

Blue Hubbard squash and sunflowers can be used together to deter squash bugs from attacking your squash and zucchini plants. Blue Hubbard squash acts as a sacrificial trap crop, attracting squash bugs away from your desired crops.

Sunflowers, on the other hand, unintentionally attract squash bugs, making them an effective tool for monitoring and controlling these pests.

9. Sweet Alyssum for Squash

Sweet alyssum is a flowering plant that attracts beneficial insects, such as parasitic wasps and damsel bugs.

These insects prey on squash bugs and squash vine borers, which are common pests for squash plants.

By planting sweet alyssum near your squash, you can naturally control these pests and promote healthier plants.

10. Cowpeas for Corn

Corn is a heavy nitrogen feeder, while cowpeas are nitrogen-fixing legumes. Planting cowpeas near corn provides a source of nitrogen for the corn plants, creating a mutually beneficial relationship.

Additionally, cowpeas attract predators of the corn earworm, a destructive pest that can devastate corn crops.

Plants to Avoid Planting Together

While companion planting offers numerous benefits, there are certain combinations of plants that should be avoided due to potential negative effects.

Here are five plant pairings to steer clear of in your garden:

1. Sage and Cucumbers: Sage releases chemicals into the soil that can stunt the growth of cucumbers.
2. Dill and Carrots: Dill has a similar effect on carrots, inhibiting their growth.
3. Tomatoes and Potatoes: Both plants are susceptible to blight, so planting them together increases the risk of disease.
4. Sunflowers and Potatoes: Sunflowers release chemicals that can stunt the growth of potatoes.
5. Peas and Garlic: Peas release compounds that can inhibit the growth of garlic.

Companion planting is a fascinating technique that can significantly benefit your vegetable garden.

By choosing the right plant combinations, you can enhance nutrient availability, deter pests, and promote overall plant health.

Experiment with these companion plantings in your garden and discover the positive impact they can have on your harvest!