Here's a list of the 10 most popular vegetables to grow along with their friends (and enemies).
Companion planting is a great way
to maximize the efficiency of your garden. For almost every vegetable you grow,
there is likely to be a beneficial companion plant that will help increase soil
nutrients, chase away pests, and help you get the most out of your garden. Here
are the 10 most popular vegetables grown in the United States and their friends
(and foes) in the garden.
Companion Planting – What Grows Best Next To Each Other
1. Tomatoes
Friends: Basil and tomatoes were made to
go together, not only in sauces but in the garden, too. This herb helps
tomatoes produce greater yields and it repels both flies and mosquitoes.
Marigolds are another good companion, repelling nematodes and other garden pests.
The strong scent of French marigolds (Tagetes) is said to deter whitefly, which is particularly
useful when planted alongside tomatoes in the greenhouse.
Other friends to tomatoes include
asparagus, carrots, celery, the onion family, lettuce, parsley, and spinach.
Foes: Cabbage, beets, peas, fennel,
dill, and rosemary. Corn and tomatoes both suffer from the corn earworm, and
tomatoes and potatoes are affected by the same blight, so keep these plants
separate to prevent the spread of pests or disease.
2. Peppers
Peppers and basil are good
companion plants.
AD
Friends: Basil is a good friend to
peppers, helping repel aphids, spider mites, mosquitoes, and flies. It’s also
thought that basil improves the pepper’s flavor. Other good companions include
onions, spinach, and tomatoes.
Foes: Beans so the vines don’t
spread among the pepper plants.
3. Green Beans
Friends: Corn and beans grow well together
because beans will grow up the cornstalks, which means you won’t have to build
them a trellis. Beans also fix nitrogen in the soil, which is good for the
corn. Marigolds, nasturtiums, rosemary, and summer savory repel bean beetles,
and summer savory improves growth rate and flavor. Other companions include
broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and other members of the cabbage family along with
cucumbers, peas, potatoes, and radishes.
Foes: Beets or anything from the
onion family. Onions, in particular, impede the growth of bean plants.
4. Cucumbers
Friends: Plant marigolds and nasturtiums
among your cucumbers to repel aphids and beetles,. Beans, celery, corn,
lettuce, dill, peas, and radishes are also good companion plants.
Foes: Aromatic herbs such as sage
which will stunt the growth of cucumbers.
5. Onions
Friends: Carrots should be planted near onions because onions will repel the carrot fly. Onions will also chase away the aphids, so plant them near aphid-prone (but onion-friendly) veggies. Other good friends of onions include beets, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, parsnips (which also suffer from carrot fly), tomatoes, and spices like marjoram, savory, and rosemary.
Foes: Asparagus, beans, and
peas.
6. Lettuce
Friends: Plant mint among your lettuce
to keep away the slugs that feed on lettuce leaves, or plant chives and
garlic to repel aphids. Beans, beets, broccoli,
carrots, corn, peas, radishes, and marigolds also work as good
companion plants. Marigolds attract aphid-eating ladybugs.
Foes: Parsley, because it
tends to grow into a small yet bushy plant and can crowd your lettuce.
7. Summer Squash/Zucchini
Friends: Corn and squash make
good companion plants since the cornstalks give squash vines a place to grow.
Squash also does well planted alongside beans, peas, radishes,
dill, and marigolds. Calendula is extremely attractive to pollinators, and can therefore increase
pollination of some vegetable crops. Underplanting courgettes with calendula can be
extremely useful, especially in dull weather, when courgette flowers may be
overlooked by pollinators.
8. Carrots
Friends: Carrots are heat
sensitive, which is why they go well with tomato plants that can provide them a
bit of shade. Tomatoes are also known to produce solanine,
which is a natural insecticide that targets pests affecting carrot plants.
Tomatoes benefit from carrots, too. Carrots aerate the soil around the roots of
the tomato plants, allowing more air and water to reach the roots. Leeks and
carrots are also good companion plants since leeks repel carrot flies
and carrots repel leek moths and onion flies. Rosemary, sage, and
chive also help repel carrot flies.
Foes: Coriander and dill,
as they both produce compounds that can harm carrot plants, and parsnips suffer
from the same diseases and pests as carrots, so keep them apart to minimize a
potential infestation.
9. Radishes
Friends: Radishes can be planted among cucumbers to attract cucumber beetles away from the cukes. They also do well among carrots because they are harvested before the carrots and they loosen the soil as the carrots start to take off. Onions, beets, cabbage, kale, lettuce, spinach, and squash are also good friends for radishes.
Foes: Hyssop.
10. Sweet Corn
Friends: Corn loves veggies that fix
nitrogen in the soil—like green beans. Cornstalks also make a great trellis for
vining or trailing plants including beans, cucumbers, peas, pumpkins, and
melons. Zucchini is a good companion plant when planted among corn.
Foes: Tomatoes, as they and corn
are attacked by corn earworms. Plant these two far apart to minimize the spread
of these pests.
11. Potatoes
Friends: Potatoes are allies with
beans, cabbage, eggplant, peas, and corn. Marigolds planted near potato patches
help deter beetles and horseradish will provide overall protection to potatoes.
Foes: Tomatoes as they are prone to
blight, which can also affect potatoes.
12. Peas
Friends: Peas love to be planted by beans,
carrots, corn, cucumbers, radish, and turnip. If you plant mint near peas, they
should be healthier and tastier. Chives planted near peas also help deter
aphids.
13. Beets
Friends: Beets grow well next to bush beans,
cabbage family plants, lettuce, and onions. Plant them near garlic and they
will taste even better.
Foes: Pole beans stunt beets growth
and vice versa.
Plants
thought to be foes
There's no science to confirm or deny allelopathic
properties in plants, and much more research needs to be done but, anecdotally,
the following plants are thought to not grow well together:
- Garlic and onions with beans and peas
- Mint or onions with asparagus
- Cucumbers, squashes, radishes, sunflowers or
tomatoes with potatoes
- Cabbages or other brassicas with
strawberries
- Brassicas and potatoes with tomatoes
