Plants You Should Always Grow Side-by-Side (2024)

It's part folklore, part science, but companion planting just may help your garden grow.

By Arricca Elin SanSone
Plants You Should Always Grow Side-by-Side (1)

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Step back in time to embrace some gardening wisdom your grandparents may have practiced: The concept of companion planting, or planting combinations of specific plants for their mutual benefit. "The theory behind companion planting is that certain plants may help each other take up nutrients, improve pest management, or attract pollinators," says Tom Maloney, horticulture educator for Penn State Extension. "Some research, such as how to attract beneficial insects like lacewings to the garden to fight pests, has been studied, so we know it's effective. We're still researching other aspects of companion planting."

While you're you're planning your companion garden, consider making your yard more inviting to some other friends by including flowers that attract hummingbirds or flowers that attract butterflies. Make the space appealing to the younger members of your family by including the best plants for kids or even a whimsical fairy garden. Add some pretty and practical structure to the garden with garden fence ideas. Don't forget to make space for some of the best flowers that bloom in summer. But be sure to set aside an area, whether it's a small plot or a raised bed, to try out these common-sense companion combinations in your garden. Then sit back and reap the benefits.

Nasturtium + Cucumber

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"For me, companion planting is about bringing pollinators and beneficial insects to your garden to improve biodiversity," says Amy Stross, blogger at TenthAcreFarm.com and author of The Suburban Micro-Farm. Stross grows cukes up a trellis, and lets the nasturtiums, which have a unique scent that seems to repel pests, grow in a colorful tumble underneath.

Melons or Squash + Flowering Herbs

These are all vegetables that require pollinators to produce, so invite insect visitors into your garden by planting flowering herbs such as dill, fennel, and parsley near melons and squash. "You won't get any yield if you don't have pollination for these veggies," says Maloney.

Sweet Alyssum + Swiss Chard

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Alyssum is an annual that's easy to grow from seed in between rows of vegetables. "It's a big attractor of hover flies, which are beneficial insects that control aphids," says Stross. Plant pretty Swiss chard as a border, interspersed with these delicate low-growing flowers.

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Corn + Pole Beans + Squash or Pumpkin

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This Native American example of companion planting is often called the "Three Sisters." Corn gives the beans a place to climb. Beans convert atmospheric nitrogen to a form the plants can use. The spreading leaves of squash or pumpkin create a living mulch that reduces weeds and holds moisture.

Calendula + Broccoli

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These flowers exude a sticky substance on their stems that attract aphids and traps them there, says Stross. She finds that planting it next to her brassica crops, specifically broccoli, keeps the aphids off the broccoli. Plus, it brings in beneficial ladybugs to dine on the aphids.

Lettuce + Tomatoes or Eggplants

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"Pairing plants with different growth habits together is referred to as 'intercropping,' and we do have some data to show it's effective," says Maloney. In this case, tomatoes and eggplant grow tall and eventually can shade cool season crops such as lettuce, which doesn't like heat. This trick may extend your lettuce season slightly.

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Radishes + Carrots

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These two plants take up nutrients from different places in the soil so they aren't competing for resources. Radishes mature quickly and don't grow as deeply as carrots, which have a long tap root and take more days to mature, says Maloney.

Tomatoes + Basil or Cilantro

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Some gardeners believe basil improves the flavor of tomatoes, but it's primarily planted because its strong scent may repel pests. Plus, if you let some of your basil or cilantro go to flower, it brings in the pollinators, says Stross.

Lettuce + Chives or Garlic

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Aphids steer clear of smelly plants like chives or garlic, so try it near your lettuce. Or add alyssum nearby to bring in the beneficial insects, says Stross.

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Roses + Geraniums or Chives

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Plants with a strong odor or taste are said to discourage beetle and aphids. While there's no guarantee it works, it's certainly worth giving it a try to prevent roses from getting eaten by these pesky little bugs, which seemingly multiply overnight.

Chamomile + Cabbage

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Chamomile brings in the beneficial insects for brassicas such as cabbage. In the fall, chop it up and toss on the bed to decompose, while leaving the roots intact to decay and enrich the soil, suggests Stross. "Maybe there's not always a lot of scientific evidence behind some of these pairings, but just start trying and see what works," says Stross. After all, experimentation is half the fun in the garden!

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Arricca Elin SanSone

Arricca Elin SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more. She’s passionate about gardening, baking, reading, and spending time with the people and dogs she loves.

Plants You Should Always Grow Side-by-Side (2024)

FAQs

Why do plants grow better next to each other? ›

By eliminating competition between plants, you allow one to absorb what it may need without depriving the other. Additionally, as nutrients are pulled from the soil by one plant, the result can actually change the entire biochemistry of the soil.

What are the three sisters planting? ›

The Iroquois and the Cherokee called corn, bean, and squash “the three sisters” because they nurture each other like family when planted together. These agriculturalists placed corn in small hills planting beans around them and interspersing squash throughout of the field.

What should you not plant next to 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 flowers should not be planted near vegetables? ›

Oleander and Foxglove, while beautiful, shouldn't be planted near your vegetables. All parts of these plants are toxic and harmful to your health. Gladiolus should be kept out of the garden especially if you're growing legumes like peas and beans.

What not to plant near onions? ›

What should not be planted with onions? While there are many plants you want to grow near onions, there are a few that should definitely be avoided. Onions should not be planted with peas, beans, asparagus, or sage. Onions can stunt the growth of these crops and also negatively affect their flavor.

What flower keeps bugs away from vegetables? ›

Nasturtiums. If aphids are chewing up your garden, it's time to plant some nasturtiums. Easy to grow and pretty in bloom, nasturtiums repel aphids, squash bugs, striped pumpkin beetles, and whiteflies. Plant nasturtiums near beans, cabbages, and cucumbers to ensure an insect-free growing season.

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 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.

What should you not plant next to squash? ›

You may want to experiment with different companion crops until you find the perfect combination to fit your personal tastes and growing conditions. 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.

Do beans remove nitrogen from soil? ›

Legumes (peas, vetches, clovers, beans and others) grow in a symbiotic relationship with soil-dwelling bacteria. The bacteria take gaseous nitrogen from the air in the soil and feed this nitrogen to the legumes; in exchange the plant provides carbohydrates to the bacteria.

When to plant potatoes? ›

The best planting time is February. But I think of potatoes as having two seasons here — one is August into early September for a late fall or early winter harvest, and the other is February for a late spring harvest.

What vegetables can sit next to each other? ›

“The easiest rule to follow is to just store like produce together,” Grant-Vose says. “Berries can be stored together, brassica vegetables can be stored together, leafy greens can be together, and most root vegetables (except potatoes) can go together.”

Can cucumbers and tomatoes be planted together? ›

Cucumbers and tomatoes can be planted by each other as they share similar growing habits and therefore you can grow tomatoes by cucumbers. Greg Volente from Greenhouse Today explains that: 'Cucumbers and tomatoes are two vigorous growers in a spring garden. They're both vining plants and share similar basic needs.

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