Companion Planting

Katarena Lyn
May 1
5 min read

Companion planting is exactly what it sounds like: the practice of growing plants together to enhance their resilience and productivity. The advantages can be one-sided, such as planting marigolds near tomatoes and cucumbers to deter pests, or mutual referring to the the three sisters—corn, pole beans, and squash—grown together for their collective benefits. A traditional Native American companion planting technique.

By strategically arranging your garden with plants that support one another, you can save time and avoid potential issues. This companion planting method helps minimize pest damage, boosts soil fertility, and reduces weed competition, ultimately leading to increased yields.

7 Benefits of Companion Planting

1. Deterring pests

2. Attracting beneficials

3. Shade regulation

4. Natural supports

5. Improved plant health

6. Improving soil fertility

7. Weed suppression

Friends or Foe:

Just like in sauce, Basil and Tomatoes belong together in the garden. Basil repels certain insects such as thrips or moths that lay tomato hornworms.

Dill and Cucumbers go together not just in pickle form but in the garden too. Dill attracts ladybugs which eat tiny garden pests such as aphids and spider mites.

Borage attracts pollinating bees, pairing well with tomatoes and enhancing strawberries flavor.

Garlic's strong scent deters most insects, repelling onion flies, ermine moths and japanese beetles. Plant garlic between potatoes, alongside lettuce, cabbage and even fruit trees.

Mint, although categorized as an aggressive grower so be prepared for it to spread, deters aphids, ants and flea beetles.

Crop Name	Companions	Benefits and Notes
ASPARAGUS	Calendula Petunias Tomatoes	Calendula, tomatoes, and petunias are thought to deter asparagus beetles.
BASIL	Peppers Purslane Tomatoes	Purslane is used to shade the soil around basil plants, helping them to remain fresh in hot weather. Basil improves the growth and flavor of tomatoes and peppers.
BEANS	Beets Corn Lovage Nasturtium Rosemary Squash Strawberries Sunflower	Nasturtiums can be used as a trap plant to entice aphids away from beans. Lovage and rosemary also have excellent insect-repellent qualities. Sunflowers can be used to create shade for sun-stressed crops. Corn will benefit from the beans’ nitrogen-fixing capabilities. Pole beans provide structural support.
BEETS	Brassicas Bush beans Garlic Lettuce Onion family	Beets are companions for chicory and endive. Onions protect against borers and cutworms. Beets add minerals to the soil, as beet leaves are composed of 25% magnesium.
	Oregano Other Brassicas Cabbage Brussels sprouts Cauliflower	Oregano has insecticidal properties. Plant Brassicas together so that they can all be covered with nets to protect from pests such as cabbage worms. They also all like lime added to the soil.
CABBAGE	Garlic Nasturtium Sage	Nasturtiums deter insect pests such as beetles and aphids. Garlic repels insects with its odor when planted alongside cabbage. Sage deters cabbage moths.
CARROTS	Chives Leeks Onions Peas Radishes Rosemary Sage	Chives improve the growth and flavor of carrots and deter aphids, mites, and flies. Rosemary and sage repel the carrot fly. Leeks are thought to repel many flying pests (including carrot rust fly). Foes: Dill can reduce the yield of carrots. Dill, coriander, and other members of the Carrot family should not be planted near carrots (they tend to cross-pollinate).
CORN	Beans (pole) Cucumbers Dill Melons Peas Squash Sunflower	Dill is thought to protect against aphids and mites. Beans can provide more nitrogen to the corn. Sunflowers can act as a structure and a windbreak for corn, and dwarf sunflowers bring in ladybugs to control aphids. Pole beans are sometimes interplanted with corn, adding nitrogen and providing structural support. Spinach grows well in the shade of corn, keeping corn roots cool.
CUCUMBERS	Beans Borage Dill Lettuce Nasturtiums Oregano Radish Sunflowers Tansy	Dill is thought to protect against aphids and mites. Nasturtium deters aphids, beetles, and bugs and improves growth and flavor. Oregano deters pests in general. Radish, Nasturtium, and Tansy repel cucumber beetles; radish also repels flea beetles. Tansy also deters ants, beetles, bugs, and flying insects, as does borage, improving flavor and growth.
LETTUCE	Chives Onions Oregano Peas Poached Egg plants Radishes Scallions Zinnia	Chives, onions, and garlic deter aphids and other pests by masking the scent of the lettuce with their aroma. Basil is thought to improve the flavor and growth of lettuce. Radishes can be used as a trap crop for flea beetles. Poached egg plants (Limnanthes), a wildflower, will bring hoverflies and other beneficials that eat aphids.
ONIONS	Beets Cabbage Carrot Chard Lettuce Strawberry Tomatoes	Onions protect against borers and cutworms. Their aroma disorients pests. Onions benefit from marigolds as the smell of marigolds reduces the egg laying of onion maggot fly.
PEAS	Alyssum Carrot Chives Corn Grapes Lettuce Mint Radish Spinach Turnip	Chives deter aphids. Mint improves health and flavor. Alyssum brings in pollinators and encourages green lacewings, which eat aphids. Foes: Do not plant near garlic and onion, as they will stunt the growth of peas.
PEPPERS	Basil Onions Oregano	Herbs like basil and oregano have a protective, insecticidal quality.
POTATOES	Basil Beans Calendula Catnip Cilantro Garlic Horseradish Oregano Peas	Beans can improve the size of potato tubers. Cilantro protects against aphids, spider mites, and potato beetles. Calendula and horseradish planted at the corner of a potato patch ward off Colorado potato beetles. Catnip also repels Colorado potato beetles but can bring cats into the vegetable garden, so it is a good idea to plant it in pots around the edge of the plot.
RADISHES	Chervil Lettuce Nasturtium Peas	Chervil improves growth and flavor. Nasturtiums are a good trap crop for radishes. Radishes are often used as trap crops for flea beetles. Peas give nitrogen to the soil, which benefits radishes.
WINTER SQUASH and PUMPKINS	Beans (pole) Buckwheat Calendula Corn Marigold Nasturtium Oregano	Buckwheat brings in pest predators, which reduce insect pests. Nasturtiums protect against pumpkin and squash beetles. Oregano provides general pest protection. Calendula deters beetles and root nematodes. Squash is traditionally planted with corn and beans (“three sisters”) to disorient the adult vine borer.
SPINACH	Beans Cilantro Eggplant Oregano Peas Rosemary Strawberries	Peas and beans provide natural shade for spinach. Cilantro, oregano, and rosemary are thought to repel insects.
TOMATOES	Asparagus Basil Borage Calendula Dill Garlic Nasturtium Onion Parsley Thyme	Calendula deters general garden pests. Asparagus repels nematodes. Basil repels whiteflies, mosquitoes, spider mites, and aphids. Basil also attracts bees, which improves pollination, tomato health, and flavor. Borage repels hornworms. Dill makes it difficult for cutworms to lay their eggs and supports parasitic wasps that attack pest caterpillars. Thyme reduces egg laying by armyworms.
ZUCCHINI/ SUMMER SQUASH	Buckwheat Oregano Nasturtium Zinnia	Buckwheat brings in pest predators which reduce insect pests. To attract pollinators, plant oregano and zinnias. Nasturtium protects against aphids and whiteflies.