Seasoned gardeners know that a diverse mix of plants makes for a healthy and beautiful garden. Many believe that certain plant combinations have extraordinary (even mysterious) powers to help each other grow. Scientific study of the process, called companion planting, has confirmed that some combinations have real benefits unique to those pairings.
Companions help each other grow and use garden space efficiently. Tall plants, for example, provide shade for sun-sensitive shorter plants. Vines can cover the ground while tall stalks grow skywards, allowing two plants to occupy the same patch.
Some couplings also prevent pest problems. Plants can repel harmful organisms or lure the bad bugs away from more delicate species.
These combinations of plants do way better, together:
Roses and Garlic
Gardeners have been planting garlic with roses for eons since the bulbs can help to repel rose pests. Garlic chives are probably just as repellent, and their small purple or white flowers in late spring look great with rose flowers and foliage.
Marigolds and Melons
Certain marigold varieties control nematodes in the roots of melon without using chemical treatments.
Tomatoes and Cabbage
Tomatoes repel diamondback moth larvae, which can chew large holes in cabbage leaves.
Cucumbers and Nasturtiums
The nasturtium's vining stems make them a great companion rambling among your growing cucumbers and squash plants, suggests Sally Jean Cunningham, master gardener and author of Great Garden Companions. Nasturtiums reputedly repel cucumber beetles, but they can also serve as a habitat for predatory insects like spiders and ground beetles.
Peppers and Pigweed
Leafminers preferred both pigweed (also called amaranthus) and ragweed to pepper plants in a study at the Coastal Plains Experiment Station in Tifton, Georgia. Just be careful to remove the flowers before the weeds set seed.
Cabbage and Dill
"Dill is a great companion for cabbage family plants, such as broccoli and brussels sprouts," Cunningham says. The cabbages support the floppy dill, while the dill attracts the helpful wasps that control cabbage worms and other pests.
Corn and Beans
The beans attract beneficial insects that prey on corn pests such as leafhoppers, fall armyworms, and leaf beetles. The vines can also climb up the corn stalks.
Lettuce and Tall Flowers
Nicotiana (flowering tobacco) and cleome (spider flower) give lettuce the light shade it grows best in.
Radishes and Spinach
Planting radishes among your spinach will draw leafminers away from the healthy greens. The damage the leafminers do to radish leaves doesn't prevent the radishes from growing nicely underground.
Potatoes and Sweet Alyssum
The sweet alyssum has tiny flowers that attract delicate beneficial insects, such as predatory wasps. Plant sweet alyssum alongside bushy crops like potatoes, or let it spread to form a living ground cover under arching plants like broccoli. Bonus: The alyssum's sweet fragrance will scent your garden all summe longr.
Cauliflower and Dwarf Zinnias
The nectar from the dwarf zinnias lures ladybugs and other predators that help protect cauliflower.
Collards and Catnip
Studies have found that planting catnip alongside collards reduces flea-beetle damage on the collards. The fragrant plant may also help repel mosquitoes.
Strawberries and Love-In-A-Mist
Tall, blue-flowered love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) "looks wonderful planted in the center of a wide row of strawberries," Cunningham says.
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FAQs
Companion Planting Chart
Crop | Companion Plants |
---|
Lettuce | Carrot, garlic, peas, radish, strawberry, onion, chive |
Onion | Beet, carrot, lettuce, tomato, watermelon, eggplant |
Peas | Apple, carrot, radish, raspberry, turnip |
Pepper | Basil, garlic, onions, radish, nasturtium, cilantro, marigold |
13 more rowsMar 29, 2024
What not to plant next to one another? ›
Broccoli and Cauliflower: Don't plant near peppers, squash, strawberries, tomatoes. Tomatoes: Don't plant near broccoli, cauliflower, cilantro, cucumbers. Dill: Don't plant near carrots. Sunflowers need to be planted at least 12 inches away from any other plant.
What plants grow well together chart? ›
Companion Planting Chart
Crop Name | Companions |
---|
CARROTS | Chives Leeks Onions Peas Radishes Rosemary Sage |
CORN | Beans (pole) Cucumbers Dill Melons Peas Squash Sunflower |
CUCUMBERS | Beans Borage Dill Lettuce Nasturtiums Oregano Radish Sunflowers Tansy |
LETTUCE | Chives Onions Oregano Peas Poached Egg plants Radishes Scallions Zinnia |
15 more rowsApr 24, 2024
What should you not plant next to cucumbers? ›
Antagonistic plants for cucumbers
- Plants in the same family as zucchinis, melons and pumpkins should not be planted directly next to cucumbers.
- The same applies to Jerusalem artichokes, lovage, sage, radishes, radishes and tomatoes.
What should you not plant next to tomatoes? ›
10 Plants You Should Never Grow Next to Your Tomatoes
- 01 of 10. Fennel. Fennel is not a good companion for any garden crop. ...
- 02 of 10. Cabbage. Getty Images. ...
- 03 of 10. Pole Beans. Neyya / Getty Images. ...
- 04 of 10. Dill. Oxana Medvedeva / Getty Images. ...
- 05 of 10. Corn. ...
- 06 of 10. Okra. ...
- 07 of 10. Potatoes. ...
- 08 of 10. Broccoli.
What not to plant with marigolds? ›
Marigold companion planting enhances the growth of basil, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, gourds, kale, potatoes, squash and tomatoes. Marigold also makes a good companion plant to melons because it deters beetles. Beans and cabbage are listed as bad companion plants for marigolds.
What not to plant near zucchini? ›
Avoid planting zucchini and summer squash with all other vining plants which include cucumbers and sweet potatoes as well as pumpkins, winter squashes, and melons.
What should you not plant peppers next to? ›
There's really no evidence that certain plants will somehow affect pepper growth, but you may want to avoid planting peppers near cabbage and other brassicas such as broccoli and cauliflower (because peppers prefer slightly different soil acidity levels) and fennel (which some gardeners say inhibits pepper development) ...
Can tomatoes and peppers be planted together? ›
The reality is that because the two have similar growth requirements, they can in fact be grown quite successfully together. Diseases common to both tomato and pepper include Verticillium wilt and bacterial spot.
How to layout a garden? ›
As a general rule, put tall veggies toward the back of the bed, mid-sized ones in the middle, and smaller plants in the front or as a border. Consider adding pollinator plants to attract beneficial insects that can not only help you get a better harvest, but will also prey on garden pests.
Three plants creates balance
Though three can be tricky in human relationships, this number fits expertly in a landscape. The trick is in the arrangement. Three plants in a row is dull because you know what to expect. If you have enough space, group them in an equilateral triangle.
What not to plant near celery? ›
Don't plant root crops, such as carrots, parsnips, and potatoes nearby. Celery has a shallow root system that can be damaged when a root crop is harvested. Corn is also not a good choice. It is a heavy feeder and can deplete the soil of the nutrients that celery needs, and the tall plants block too much sunlight.
Can peppers and cucumbers be planted together? ›
Vining vegetables like cucumbers actually make perfect companions to bushing veggies like peppers. They enjoy similar growing conditions and can grow together in about the same amount of space as a single plant. Ensure you trellis your cukes and plant your peppers in front so they aren't shaded by growing vines.
What is a bad companion plant for basil? ›
Basil and rue dislike each other. Perhaps this is because Basil is sweet and rue is very bitter. Fennel is one of the few plants that has mostly bad companions. Most plants dislike Fennel, and it should be planted well away from the vegetable garden.
Can you grow zucchini near cucumbers? ›
As with other squash plants, it is not advisable to plant zucchini and cucumbers together. Cucumbers are members of the Cucurbitaceae family, just like zucchini and so they will compete for space and nutrients. Also, growing several similar plants in the same area can make it easier for pests to find the plants.
What are the 3 plants grown together? ›
The Iroquois and the Cherokee called corn, bean, and squash “the three sisters” because they nurture each other like family when planted together.
Is it OK to put plants next to each other? ›
The process is known as companion planting. It is believed that growing certain plants in close proximity to others may help deter pests, promote growth and even improve flavor—or on the opposite end of the spectrum, certain plants, when planted close to one another, may actually stunt each other's growth.
What houseplants can be grouped together? ›
Indoor Plants That Are Meant to Be Together
- Peace Lily & Pothos. Peace Lily grows up while Pothos trails down – you can't say opposites don't attract! ...
- Snake Plant & ZZ Plant. ...
- Jade Plant & Thimble Cactus. ...
- Your Planting Pal: The Miraculous Green Guide.
Can 2 different plants grow together? ›
The main rule of successful cohabitation of different plants in one pot is that you can plant them together only if they have similar subsistence requirements. Pay attention to lighting, watering, temperature, ground mixture, and growth factors; they must be similar.