Vegetable Garden Companion Planting Guide

Top Companion Plants for Peppers, Beans, Potatoes, Tomatoes, and More. Find out which veggies grow best in the same bed and are “friends” with one another. In addition, some vegetables aren’t meant to be shared beds. There are flowers and herbs on our Vegetable Companion Planting Chart as well!

Companion planting: What Is It?

Growing one plant to support another as a member of a community is known as companion planting. When one member helps the other, fruits, vegetables, and herbs become noticeably more resilient and productive. Benefits can be reciprocal, as in the case of the well-known Three Sisters of corn, pole beans, and squash, or one-way, as in the case of nectar-rich flowers put around fruiting crops like tomatoes to increase insect pollination.

Plant communities that are known to sustain one another can be grown to save a great deal of time and possible grief. This is how plants naturally reduce pest damage, increase soil fertility, lessen weed competition, and eventually increase yields. Gardens that are productive and well designed with companion plants also often have more aesthetic appeal!

It’s difficult to determine which plants grow nicely together. This is a time-tested method that will decrease pests, draw pollinators, and increase growth! These are typical illustrations.

Basil and tomatoes go together like clockwork in the kitchen and garden. Basil confuses moths, which lay tomato hornworms, and repels some insect pests, like thrips.
Aphids pinch your crop severely! Aphids, however, detest garlic! In light of this, crops protected with garlic planted as a barrier are less susceptible to pest damage. For example, to create a strong defensive line, plant potatoes in between rows of garlic.
Grown near brassica crops such as kale, cabbage, broccoli, and others, nasturtium blossoms will entice hungry caterpillars to stay away from your produce.

See more examples and a full chart of proven companions below!

Seven Advantages of Planting Companions

There are a ton of additional benefits to planting specific crops together:

Keeping pests away: Pests are one of the main obstacles that gardeners face. Pesticides are blunt instruments that can seriously harm non-target species, including helpful insects. Of course, you can spray them. Having companion plants is preferable. Many of us plant single crops in large blocks, which facilitates better detection and assault by their primary pests. Nonetheless, a wealth of data backs up the homesteader’s suspicion that mixing crops results in fewer pest problems.
Drawing Advantages: Certain plants draw beneficial insects as well. Borage, for instance, draws in tiny wasps that feed on pests and bees that pollinate. Researchers have given the green light to beneficial insect-attracting plants, confirming gardeners’ attempts to support pollinators and pest predators by planting “pollinator strips,” or rows of pollinator-magnet plants, in their gardens.
Regulation of shade: Bigger plants shade out smaller ones that require shade from the sun; maize, for instance, shades lettuce.
Natural supports: Lower-growing, sprawling crops like cucumbers and peas can be supported by tall plants like maize and sunflowers.
Better plant health: The biochemistry of the soil can be altered to the benefit of surrounding plants when a single plant takes up specific elements from the soil.
Increasing the fertility of the soil Certain crops, such as legumes like beans and peas, contribute to increasing the amount of nitrogen available in the soil. In a similar vein, plants like burdock that have lengthy taproots draw nutrients up from the earth’s depths to improve the topsoil for plants with shallow roots.
Suppression of weeds: Planting tall, upright plants beside sprawling crops like potatoes reduces the wide spaces where weeds usually establish themselves.

The Philosophy of Evidence-Based Companion Planting

Many companion planting practices were up until recently based mostly on hearsay, but a rising amount of empirical study has shown that pairing particular plants can minimize pests, promote growth, and even benefit wildlife. Everything has been gathered, and the companion planting chart is updated below! A little history:

It was often believed that vegetables had “friends” and “foes”—companion plants that either helped or hindered the veggies’ growth. Though almost all of the correlations are good, there are maybe two or three “bad” combos (e.g., black walnut trees, which exude growth inhibitors through their roots), so this isn’t necessarily incorrect. Ultimately, the evidence favors “good” mates over “bad,” thus we will now concentrate more on the reasons why veggies require buddies!
We found it troubling that there are misconceptions regarding companion planting on the internet. A lot of companion planting instances came from rumor or mythology. We decided that our reference book should only feature companion plant pairings supported by scientific facts and tried-and-true methods, even though observations from our own garden can be important as well.
Although vegetable plant pairs were the traditional focus of companion planting, we have expanded our chart to include more flowers, many of which work well as natural insect repellents. Nasturtium is superior to all of them, withstanding the majority of insect attacks. (See additional information below.) Naturally, nectar-rich flowers like ageratum, zinnia, and comfrey draw bees and other pollinators to the garden, which enhances the pollination of crop plants that bloom, such as tomatoes, beans, and squash.

Examples of the Best Companion Plants

These are some of the most effective combinations of companion plants for your garden. (The chart below has more information.)

As previously mentioned, tomatoes and basil, when planted together, deter thrips. Additionally, moths that lay armyworm eggs and tomato hornworms are discouraged by basil. Bees are drawn to basil, which enhances tomato flavor, health, and pollination.
Ladybugs, which consume small garden pests like aphids and spider mites, are drawn to dill.
Borage attracts pollinating bees and goes well with tomatoes. It also brings out the sweetness and vibrancy of strawberries.
The potent smell of garlic, both raw and in spray form, keeps many insects away. Garlic irritates aphids! Japanese beetles, ermine moths, and onion flies are all turned off by garlic. Plant garlic between potato rows, as well as next to cabbage and lettuce and next to fruit trees. You can also plant alyssum next to the fruit trees to draw hoverflies that consume aphids.
Aphids, ants, and flea beetles are repelled by mint. Just be sure to plant mint close in its own pot or bed, as it is a very aggressive grower!
Nasturtiums draw hungry caterpillars away from brassicas like cabbage, broccoli, and kale, so cultivate these lovely flowers adjacent to those crops; nasturtium also lure black flies away from fava beans.
Parsley encourages useful insects to protect and pollinate tomatoes. Plant these herbs between tomatoes.
Poached egg plants (a wildflower) bring in hoverflies, which reduce aphids on surrounding lettuce.
Sage is a beneficial herb that repels carrot flies. Plant it around a cabbage patch as well to lessen cabbage moth damage.
Cucumbers and pole beans go nicely with sunflowers. They aid in supporting climbing plants and offering shade to crops, which in warmer areas may suffer from sun stress.
Tansy is a tremendous magnet to pest-eating bugs such as ladybugs, ladybirds, and predatory wasps. At the same time, tansy repels several typical nasties, such as cutworm, which targets asparagus, bean, cabbage, carrot, celery, maize, lettuce, pea, pepper, potato, and tomato plants. Tansy is a perennial, which means you only have to plant it once.

The Science of Planting Companions

Particular plant-insect connections have been the subject of numerous research. For instance, University of Nebraska researchers discovered that planting radishes alongside pumpkins seems to deter squash pests. Similar findings have been reported elsewhere, where nasturtiums planted around fruit trees have been shown to repel pests like codling moths. This is as a result of the water-soluble glucosinolates that nasturtiums secrete into the soil through their roots. The trees can then adopt them and adopt the same defensive superpowers.

Glucosinolates are another mechanism used by many plants in the brassica family, such as mustards, horseradish, cabbage, and kale, to ward against pests.

Certain pairs of companion plants, like the unbreakable tandem of tomato and basil, function well together because one plant can camouflage the other’s existence.

Researchers at the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis in France found that the presence of basil reduced tomato pests, which is excellent news for gardeners trying to avoid thrips, which are a common vector of the tomato-spotted wilt virus. Furthermore, despite a decline in pest populations, no rise in pest predators was found to be the reason, suggesting that the strong basil smell protected the tomatoes from pests. Leaf form can also do a wonderful job of hiding a target plant.

Faced with a complex array of leaves, a pest may fail to recognize its host plant amidst the chaos. This works with thyme, another tomato friend. Scientists at Iowa State noticed a reduction in egg-laying by adult armyworms when tomatoes were interplanted with the herb. Used as a living mulch like this, thyme displayed little leaves that performed an excellent job of confounding the moths.

An abundance of nectar-rich blooms that entice bees, butterflies, and other pollinators also attract a lot of insects that feed on plant pests. Hoverflies are attracted to poached egg plants (Limnanthes douglasii) because of their sunny-side-up appeal, and they also enjoy eating juicy aphids. What happens when you plant poached egg plants close to lettuce? Less aphids!

Another example is borage, which attracts tiny wasps that are the natural enemies of tomato hornworm caterpillars. Borage is also a well-known bee attractor, so with it, you get a twofer: enhanced pollination plus wasps laying parasitic eggs to eliminate infamous hornworm pests. The very finest friend that any tomato could dream for!

A study released by the Kentucky Academy of Science in Louisville discovered that growing dwarf sunflowers around a field of corn attracted an army of pest-hungry ladybugs. Additional studies support the usefulness of dill in enticing parasitic wasps to manage cabbage worms and -loopers, and researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey have demonstrated that dill is an excellent attractant for Colorado potato beetle foes.

Complementary Planting Chart: Twenty Typical Vegetables

Some of the most popular garden crops and the appropriate companion plants for them are shown in this chart. We recommend using the online Almanac Garden Planner for further plant recommendations. It features a large database of companion plants and a recently added companion planting function that makes it simpler than ever to locate the ideal match for your plants. (Just choose a crop and click the Companion Planting icon, which has a heart shape). Only the plants that your selected crop will adore will be displayed in the selection bar. Choose one and add it to your garden design.)

Companion Planting Chart

Crop Name	Companions	Benefits and Notes
ASPARAGUS	Calendula Petunias Tomatoes	Tomatoes, petunias, and calendula are believed to repel asparagus beetles.
BASIL	Peppers Purslane Tomatoes	Basil plants benefit from the shade provided by purslane, which keeps the soil cool during hot weather.Tomatoes and peppers thrive and taste better when basil is added.
BEANS	Beets Corn Lovage Nasturtium Rosemary Squash Strawberries Sunflower	Aphids can be lured away from beans by using nasturtiums as a trap plant.Additionally great bug repellents are rosemary and lavender.Sun-stressed crops can benefit from the shade provided by sunflowers. The ability of the beans to fix nitrogen will help corn. Pole beans give the structure support.
BEETS	Brassicas Bush beans Garlic Lettuce Onion family	Beets go well with endive and chicory.Onions ward off cutworms and borers.As beet leaves contain 25% magnesium, beets enrich the soil with nutrients.
BROCCOLI	Oregano Other Brassicas (Cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, etc.)	The characteristics of oregano are insecticidal.Plant your brassicas in clusters so that you can cover them entirely with netting to keep pests like cabbageworms at bay.They all enjoy the addition of lime to the soil.
CABBAGE	Garlic Nasturtium Sage	Insect pests like aphids and beetles are discouraged by nasturtiums.Garlic’s scent deters insects when grown next to cabbage.Garlic keeps cabbage moths away.
CARROTS	Chives Leeks Onions Peas Radishes Rosemary Sage	Carrots benefit from the growth and flavor of chives, which also keep flies, mites, and aphids away.Sage and rosemary keep carrot flies away.It is believed that leeks deter a variety of flying pests, such as carrot rust flies. Opponents: Dill may lower carrot yields.Because they have a tendency to cross-pollinate, dill, coriander, and other carrot family members shouldn’t be planted close to carrots.
CORN	Beans (pole) Cucumbers Dill Melons Peas Squash Sunflower	It is believed that dill repels mites and aphids.Corn can receive extra nitrogen from beans.Corn can benefit from the structure and windbreak provided by sunflowers, while smaller sunflowers attract ladybugs, which help reduce aphids.Corn and pole beans can occasionally be interplanted to provide structural support and nitrogen.In the shade of maize, spinach thrives and keeps the roots cool.
CUCUMBERS	Beans Borage Dill Lettuce Nasturtiums Oregano Radish Sunflowers Tansy	It is believed that dill repels mites and aphids.Nasturtium enhances growth and flavor while discouraging bugs, beetles, and aphids.In general, oregano keeps pests away.Cucumber bugs are repelled by radish, nasturtium, and tansy; flea beetles are repelled by radish.Tansy and borage both improve flavor and growth by keeping out ants, beetles, bugs, and flying insects.
LETTUCE	Chives Onions Oregano Peas Poached Egg plants Radishes Scallions Zinnia	The aromas of garlic, onions, and chives keep aphids and other pests away from lettuce by concealing its smell.It’s believed that basil enhances lettuce’s flavor and growth.You can use radishes as a crop to catch flea beetles.Hoverflies and other helpful insects that consume aphids will be attracted to wildflowers called poached egg plants (Limnanthes).
ONIONS	Beets Cabbage Carrot Chard Lettuce Strawberry Tomatoes	Onions ward off cutworms and borers. The scent of them confuses bugs.Marigolds are beneficial to onions because they discourage onion maggot flies from laying their eggs.
PEAS	Alyssum Carrot Chives Corn Grapes Lettuce Mint Radish Spinach Turnip	Chives repel aphids.Mint boosts flavor and health.Alyssum attracts pollinators and aphid-eating green lacewings. Garlic and onion will limit pea development.
PEPPERS	Basil Marjoram Onions Oregano	Oregano, marjoram, and basil are insecticidal and protective.
POTATOES	Basil Beans Calendula Catmint Cilantro Garlic Horseradish Oregano Peas Tansy	Beans increase potato growth.Aphids, spider mites, and potato beetles are repelled by cilantro.Calendula, Tansy, and horseradish in potato patch corners repel Colorado potato beetles.Tansy is invasive in some regions. Check local rules before planting.Catmint repels Colorado potato beetles but can attract cats, so grow it in containers around the vegetable garden.
RADISHES	Chervil Lettuce Nasturtium Peas	Chervil boosts flavor and growth.Nasturtiums trap radishes.Radishes are popular flea beetle traps.Radish roots thrive from pea nitrogen.
WINTER SQUASH and PUMPKINS	Beans (pole) Buckwheat Calendula Corn Marigold Nasturtium Oregano	Bugs are reduced by buckwheat’s pest predators.Nasturtiums repel squash and pumpkin insects.Oregano protects against pests.Beetles and root nematodes avoid calendula.Traditionally, squash is planted with maize and beans (“three sisters”) to confuse adult vine borer.
SPINACH	Beans Cilantro Eggplant Oregano Peas Rosemary Strawberries	Spinach is shaded by peas and beans.Oregano, rosemary, and cilantro should repel insects.
TOMATOES	Asparagus Basil Borage Calendula Dill Garlic Nasturtium Onion Parsley Thyme	Calendula repels garden pests.Nematodes hate asparagus.Basil deters whiteflies, mosquitoes, spider mites, and aphids.Basil attracts bees, which pollinate, nourish, and taste tomatoes.Borage repels hornworms.Dill aids parasitic wasps that eat caterpillars and prevents cutworm egg laying.Thyme decreases armyworm egg-laying.
ZUCCHINI/ SUMMER SQUASH	Buckwheat Oregano Nasturtium Zinnia	Bugs are reduced by buckwheat’s pest predators.Oregano and zinnias attract pollinators.Nasturtium repels aphids and whiteflies.

More Advice on Companion Gardening

Companion planting takes various vegetable heights into account.

When planted between melons or winter squash hills, lettuce, radishes, and other fast-growing vegetables will reach maturity and be ready for harvesting well before these vines require more space.
In the shade of maize, leafy greens such as spinach and Swiss chard will thrive.
Because their roots are at different levels in the soil than corn’s, bush beans can withstand the dapple shade that maize creates and do not compete with it for nutrients and water.
Avoid becoming overly obsessed with matching crops. Your growth is primarily influenced by proper soil management, sunlight, watering, and spacing.
Why not begin with a tiny planting of zinnia seeds and marigolds and then watch the helpful bugs come! Alternatives to begin with? What about borage, basil, nasturtium, and calendula?

An Effective Friend Planting Tool

While all of this information on companion planting is helpful, let’s face it—who has the time to look up rigorously scientific companion planting combinations?

Because of this, we have a garden planner. Our staff has laboriously gone through a great deal of the peer-reviewed literature in this field for months or even years, determining what is and is not proven. The outcome is the Evidence-Based Companion Planting tool for Garden Planners.

To begin, just choose a vegetable from the garden and press the “Show Companions” button. The plant selection is narrowed down to only display those that thrive particularly well with the veggie of your choice!

For instance, beans make an excellent companion when you choose sweet corn and click the Companion Plantings button! Study up on the Garden Planner.