Stephen Albert
Companion planting means growing certain plants together with the hope and intent that one will benefit another or that both will benefit each other. Companion planting is a bit of art and science; not all of the claims for companion planting have been scientifically proven, but anecdotal evidence and collected garden wisdom seem to support keeping some plants close and others at arm’s length.
One of the most helpful influences one plant may have for another is the ability to repel pests and or attract beneficial insects. Other plants–mostly legumes–aid other plants by helping to enrich the soil. If you decide to give companion planting a try, keep in mind that companion plants do not need to be bosom buddies. Vegetable garden companions will still have a positive impact even if they are many feet away or several planting beds apart.
Based on collected garden wisdom this chart gives you the companion planting friends (that will enhance growth) and enemies (that will hinder growth) for 38 commonly grown vegetables:
| Vegetable | Companions (enhance growth) | Antagonists (hinder growth) |
|---|---|---|
| Asparagus | Tomatoes repel asparagus beetles; nasturtiums, parsley, and basil help growth. | Onions, garlic, chives, gladiolus |
| Beans | Potatoes repel Mexican bean beetles; rosemary repels insects, catnip repels flea beetles. To help growth: beets with bush beans, carrots, peas, cauliflower, cabbage with bush beans, eggplant, cucumbers, radishes with pole beans, summer savory, celery with bush beans, strawberries, petunia, parsnips with bush beans, sunflower with bush beans. | Beets and cabbage family with pole beans, onion family, kohlrabi, sunflower with pole beans, gladiolus, fennel |
| Beets | Bush beans, cabbage, lettuce, onions, kohlrabi, lima beans. | Pole beans |
| Broccoli | Onion family, herbs; see Cabbage | See Cabbage |
| Brussels Sprouts | Carrots, herbs | See Cabbage |
| Cabbage | Celery repels cabbage worms, onion family deters maggots; rosemary, sage, thyme repel insects. To help growth: beets, carrots, bush beans, lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, kale, potatoes, aromatic herbs, dill, sage, mint, chamomile, nasturtiums. | Strawberries, tomatoes, pole beans |
| Carrots | Beans and peas add nutrients; onion, leeks, chives repel carrot flies; rosemary and sage repel insects; cabbage and Brussels sprouts repel insects. To help growth tomatoes, peppers, leaf lettuce, red radishes. | Dill, celery, parsnips |
| Cauliflower | See Cabbage | See Cabbage |
| Celery | Beans and peas add nutrients; early potatoes repel insects; soybeans repel chinch bugs. To help growth: cucumbers, cantaloupes, squash, cabbage, parsley, pumpkin. | Tomatoes |
| Cucumbers | Beans and peas add nutrients; radishes repel cucumber beetles. To help growth: corn, tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce, sunflowers, dill, nasturtiums. | Potatoes, sage and aromatic herbs |
| Eggplant | Green beans repel Coloradopotato beetles. To help growth: peppers. | None |
| Kale | Cabbage, aromatic herbs | None |
| Kohlrabi | Beets, lettuce, onions | Tomatoes, pole beans |
| Leeks | Celery, carrots, celeriac, onions | Tomatoes, pole beans |
| Lettuce | Beets, carrots, radishes with leaf lettuce, kohlrabi, strawberries, cabbage, onion family, basil, cucumbers | None |
| Lima Beans | Beets, radishes | None |
| Melons | Corn; nasturtiums and radishes repel cucumber beetles. | None |
| Onion Family: bulb onions, garlic, leeks, scallions, shallots | Beets, tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, kohlrabi, lettuce, cabbage, leeks, summer savory, carrots, strawberries, chamomile, parsnips, turnips | Beans, peas, asparagus |
| Parsley | Asparagus, tomatoes, corn | None |
| Parsnips | Bush beans, peppers, potatoes, peas, radishes, onions, garlic | Carrots, celery, caraway |
| Peas | Radishes, carrots, cucumbers, corn, beans, turnips, celery, potatoes | Onion family, gladiolus |
| Peppers | Tomatoes, eggplant, onions, carrots, parsnips | Fennel, kohlrabi |
| Potatoes | Beans and corn repel insects; eggplant as a trap plant for Colorado potato beetle. To help growth: cabbage, peas, marigolds, horseradish at corners, parsnips. | Pumpkin, squash, cucumbers, turnips, rutabagas, tomatoes, sunflowers, raspberry, apples |
| Pumpkin | Corn, eggplant, radishes | Potatoes |
| Radishes | Cucumbers repel insects. To help growth: peas, pole beans, leaf lettuce, nasturtiums, carrots, lima beans, chervil, parsnips. | Hyssop |
| Soybeans | All vegetables | None |
| Spinach | Cabbage, strawberries | Potatoes |
| Squash | Corn, nasturtiums | Potatoes |
| Strawberries | Lettuce, spinach, beans, onions, borage | Cabbage |
| Tomatoes | Asparagus and basil repel insects: To help growth: peppers, celery, onions, carrots, cucumbers, parsley, mint, chives, marigolds, nasturtiums. | Corn, dill, potatoes, cabbage, kohlrabi, fennel |
| Turnips and Rutabagas | Most vegetables, peas, onion family | Potatoes |
