List of Vegetables for Companion Planting For Your Garden

Inside: Companion planting is an important tool that utilizes the natural abilities of plants to contribute to the overall production of your garden.

A successful garden is composed of a variety of vegetables that work together to achieve a delicious bounty of taste. Companion planting is an important tool that utilizes the natural abilities of plants to contribute to the health of your garden. It involves strategically placing different vegetables nearby so that the flavors and qualities of each plant are enhanced. Not only does companion planting help with pest control, but it can also help your plants to thrive in the long run.

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Table of Contents

List of Vegetables for Companion Planting For Your Garden

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Plant Compatibility Guide

Here is a look at some of the best vegetables and herbs to plant together. With this information, you can create the perfect vegetable garden that produces delicious, healthy vegetables for you and your family, while making efficient use of planting space.

Tomatoes

Tomato plants and basil plants truly are the best of friends! Not only do they work wonderfully together in sauces, but they can even help each other out in the garden. Basil helps tomatoes produce bountiful harvests while warding off pesky flies and mosquitoes. The aromatic herbs in basil act as a natural pesticide against tomato hornworms and other pests.

Marigolds are faithful companions too, shielding tomatoes from any nematodes or other garden bad guys. Plus, they are going to draw bees and other beneficial insects to your garden. For tomatoes that require support, consider placing them near corn stalks which can serve as natural stakes.

Tomatoes thrive in direct sunlight, so position smaller plants like carrots and onions nearby to maximize space usage.

Peppers

Basil is a good friend to pepper plants, helping repel aphids, spider mites, mosquitoes, and flies. It's also thought that basil improves the pepper's flavor. Other good companion plants include onions, spinach, and tomatoes.

Trap cropping with nasturtiums can be a good example of diverting pests away from your valuable peppers. The deep root systems of peppers benefit from the presence of onions, which help aerate the soil.

Green Beans

Growing corn and pole beans together is a great example of companion planting because the beans will naturally climb the corn stalks, meaning you won't even have to build a trellis! Plus, the beans will fix nitrogen in the soil which is great for the corn, improving soil fertility.

Planting marigolds, nasturtiums, rosemary, and summer savory will help keep pesky bean beetles away, and summer savory will also help the growth of both crops. As cover crops, beans can be planted throughout your garden to naturally add nitrogen to the soil.

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Cucumbers

Brighten up your cucumber patch by planting cheerful marigolds and nasturtiums – they help to keep aphids and beetles away!

Adding other companion plants such as beans, celery, corn, lettuce, dill, peas, and radishes is also a great way to make your garden look even more beautiful. Tall plants like corn can provide afternoon shade for cucumbers, which appreciate some relief from intense heat.

Onions

Planting carrots near onions is a great idea! Not only will the onions keep the carrot fly away, they also help to chase away pesky aphids.

Other vegetables that are friendly to onions and enjoy their company include beets, cabbage, lettuce, and parsnips (which also need protection from the carrot fly). Onions are specific plants that can be tucked in between larger vegetables to maximize your garden space and provide protection throughout your garden beds.

Lettuce

If you want to keep your lettuce safe, try planting some mint, chives, and garlic nearby. Beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, corn, peas, and radishes all work great as companion plants and don't forget about marigolds, which attract ladybugs that can help control aphid populations.

Lettuce appreciates some shade, making it ideal to plant near taller plants like tomatoes or corn. As a good example, stagger your lettuce plantings among these taller vegetables to provide natural shade and protection.

Summer Squash/Zucchini

Corn and squash are wonderful friends since the cornstalks provide the squash vines with a great spot to climb up! Squash also gets along really well with beans, peas, radishes, dill, and marigolds – a great team!

The wide leaves of squash plants create natural ground cover, helping to retain soil moisture and prevent weed growth. This trio of corn, beans, and squash is sometimes called “The Three Sisters” – a classic example of mutual benefit in the garden.

Carrots

Tomatoes and carrots are the perfect pair! Carrots love the shade that tomatoes provide, and tomatoes benefit from the soil aeration that carrots create.

Tomatoes naturally produce solanine, a natural pesticide that helps protect carrots from pests. As root vegetables, carrots work well with many different types of plants and can be tucked into spaces where larger plants wouldn't fit.

Radishes

Radishes are a great companion to cucumbers and carrots! Planting them nearby will help keep pesky cucumber beetles away from your cukes, and the radishes will loosen the soil as the carrots grow. And they can be harvested before the carrots.

Onions, beets, cabbage, kale, lettuce, spinach, and squash are also great additions for a thriving garden. Radishes mature quickly, making them perfect for small gardens where you want to maximize harvests.

Sweet Corn

Corn loves veggies that can help the soil by adding nitrogen – like green beans! And isn't it great how corn stalks make a great trellis for plants that need support like beans, cucumbers, peas, pumpkins and melons?

Corn has relatively shallow root systems, so pairing it with deeper-rooted plants helps utilize different soil layers efficiently. As tall plants, corn also provides valuable shade for heat-sensitive crops during summer months.

Creating Companion Planting Lists

When planning your garden, creating detailed lists of companion plants can help you organize your space efficiently. Consider these factors when developing your companion planting strategy:

Beneficial insects: Which plants attract pollinators and predatory insects?
Soil fertility: How can plants work together to improve your soil?
Space utilization: How can tall plants support climbers or provide shade for smaller plants?
Pest management: Which plant combinations naturally deter harmful insects?

For the best results, aim for diversity in your garden. Different plant families bring different benefits to your garden ecosystem. Root vegetables work well with leafy greens, while aromatic herbs complement fruiting vegetables like tomatoes and peppers.

By thoughtfully combining plants that support each other, you'll create a resilient garden that produces abundant harvests while requiring fewer inputs like fertilizers and pesticides. This approach is especially valuable in small gardens where every square foot matters.

Remember that successful companion planting isn't just about putting the right plants together—it's about creating a harmonious ecosystem where all plants thrive through their relationships with each other.

Frequently Asked Questions

What vegetables go together in a raised bed? Basil planted in the same bed can help enrich the flavor of ripe tomatoes. Radishes and marigolds planted with cabbages help control the cabbage maggots that commonly attack cabbage plant roots. Add some chives to this bed if you have a slug problem.

What not to plant next to potatoes? Potato – Bush beans, celery, corn, garlic, marigolds, onions, and peas all do well planted near potatoes. Avoid planting potatoes near asparagus, Brassicas, carrots, cucumber, kohlrabi, melons, parsnips, rutabaga, squash, sunflower, and turnips.