Companion planting involves growing mutually beneficial plants together to create healthy, flourishing plants. By harnessing naturally harmonious relationships, we can maximise plant productivity, safeguard soil quality, and promote overall horticultural well-being. Take a closer look at some of the best plant combinations for you to try with our guide to classic companion plants.
Edible Plants
Beets
Beets can help improve soil fertility since their leaves contain high levels of magnesium. They will release nutrients back into the soil if left to decompose after harvest and are especially beneficial for cabbage, sprouts, and kale (Affeld, 2021).
Corn
Corn can support vining vegetables and plants like climbing beans or cucumbers. Even after the corn ears have been harvested, leave the stalks in the ground to provide support for later season vining veggies like winter squashes. It's also a great nitrogen fixer, even better for the plants it supports (Baka, Nd).
Legumes
Like beans and peas are excellent nitrogen fixers. They absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere and release it back into the soil for nitrogen-heavy feeders like leafy greens (Almanac, 2022).
Onions, garlic, and leeks
They are all members of the allium family which naturally exude strong-smelling chemicals. These smells repel a whole range of pesky insects and even some plant-munching mammals like rabbits. When in flower, bees flock to their pretty purple blooms, helping to pollinate nearby edible plants (Cramer, 2022).
Herbs
Basil
A great all-rounder in a companion planting scheme. It has a strong scent which repels whiteflies, mosquitoes, spider mites, and aphids. In particular, though, it's an excellent companion to tomatoes, repelling notorious tomato pests thrips and hornworms. It also attracts bees who help to pollinate our tomatoes. Many gardeners even report that planting basil near tomatoes makes the fruits taste sweeter (Shinn, 2020). Not to mention tomato and basil are one of the most delicious flavour combinations when harvested!
Dill
A fantastic choice if you want to attract pollinators, especially those who prey on smaller plant pests. Butterflies, bees, wasps, and ladybugs can’t get enough of it, and will happily eat any nearby pests as they visit its pretty yellow flowers (Heber, 2020).
Mint
A great deterrent against cabbage moths and caterpillars, so intersperse this fragrant herb among your brassicas. Sage and rosemary also repel cabbage moths with their strong scent (Quenzer, 2021).
Thyme
Its fragrant purple flowers attract plenty of predatory pollinators like wasps who will eat beetles, caterpillars, and other pests, as well as pollinate nearby plants (Quenzer, 2021).
Flowers
Marigolds
Marigolds attract lots of beneficial insects, especially ladybirds who are voracious predators of pests. They can also be used as a trap plant, enticing slugs and spider mites away from your plants, whilst also deterring parasitic nematodes who like to feast on tomato roots (Quenzer, 2021).
Nasturtiums
A fantastic ‘trap’ plant. Aphids and whiteflies love them, so planting them a short distance away from pest-prone plants should divert their attention. Nasturtiums are also particularly enticing to the notorious squash vine borers, luring them away from your squashes and courgettes (Van Druff, 2022).
Sweet Peas
Excellent nitrogen fixers, delivering extra nutrients to brassicas and leafy greens. Their flowers also attract bees and moths to visit and pollinate your plants (Waddington, Nd).
Sunflowers
Sunflowers make ideal trellises for climbing vegetables like beans, vine tomatoes, cucumbers and melons. Their broad leaves create shade for heat-stressed plants like brassicas and spinach and their flowers attract plenty of pollinators too (Almanac, 2022)!
Clovers
Excellent nitrogen fixers. They also provide good ground cover to suppress weeds and retain soil moisture without blocking sunlight to sun-loving plants (Tavano, 2010).
Companion Planting Matrix
Please note that this list is not exhaustive and further research may be required if you have specific plants you want to try and grow together.
Plant | Good Companions | Bad Companions |
Asparagus | Tomatoes, Parsley, Basil, Marigolds | Garlic, Onions, Potatoes |
Basil | Tomatoes, Peppers, Oregano, Asparagus, Petunias, Lettuce | Rue, Sage |
Beans | Carrots, Corn, Cucumbers, Radish, Peas, Potatoes, Squash | Onions, Garlic, Chives, Sunflowers |
Beetroot | Onions, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Cabbage, Bush Beans | Pole Beans |
Borage | Strawberries, Tomatoes, Squash | None |
Broccoli | Onions, Celery, Beets, Spinach, Lettuce, Potatoes, Dill | Tomatoes, Strawberries, Pole Beans |
Brussel Sprouts | Thyme, Onions, Beets, Lettuce, Spinach, Potatoes, Dill | Tomatoes, Strawberries, Pole Beans |
Cabbage | Onions, Celery, Beets, Spinach, Lettuce, Potatoes, Dill | Tomatoes, Strawberries, Pole Beans |
Carrots | Peas, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Chives, Onions, Leeks, Rosemary, Sage | Dill, Parsnip |
Cauliflower | Onions, Celery, Beets, Spinach, Lettuce, Potatoes, Dill | Tomatoes, Strawberries, Pole Beans |
Celery | Tomatoes, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Beans, Leeks | Potatoes, Carrots |
Chard | Beans, Peas, Onions, Lettuce, Spinach | None |
Chives | Carrots, Tomatoes, Peas, Lettuce | Beans |
Corn | Beans, Peas, Pumpkins, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Sunflowers | Tomatoes |
Cucumbers | Beans, Peas, Corn, Radishes, Sunflowers, Lettuce | Potatoes, Melons |
Dill | Cabbage, Onions, Lettuce, Cucumbers | Carrots, Tomatoes |
Eggplant | Beans, Peas, Peppers, Spinach, Thyme | None |
Fennel | Dill, Coriander | Beans, Tomatoes, Carrots, Kohlrabi |
Garlic | Tomatoes, Peppers, Fruit Trees, Roses | Beans, Peas |
Kale | Onions, Beets, Celery, Spinach, Lettuce, Potatoes, Dill | Tomatoes, Strawberries, Pole Beans |
Kohlrabi | Onions, Beets, Cucumbers, Lettuce | Tomatoes, Pole Beans |
Leeks | Carrots, Celery, Onions | None |
Lettuce | Carrots, Radishes, Strawberries, Cucumbers, Onions | None |
Marigolds | Tomatoes, Peppers, Cucumbers, Squash, Melons, Potatoes | None |
Melons | Corn, Sunflowers, Radishes, Nasturtiums | Potatoes, Cucumbers |
Mint | Cabbage, Tomatoes, Peppers | None (But Can Be Invasive, So Consider Planting In A Container) |
Nasturtiums | Tomatoes, Radishes, Cucumbers, Squash, Melons, Beans, Peas | None |
Onions | Beets, Carrots, Lettuce, Parsnips, Tomatoes, Strawberries | Beans, Peas |
Oregano | Peppers, Beans, Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cucumbers | None |
Parsley | Tomatoes, Asparagus, Corn, Carrots, Peppers | None |
Parsnips | Onions, Radishes, Lettuce, Peas | Carrots, Celery |
Peas | Beans, Carrots, Corn, Cucumbers, Radishes, Turnips | Onions, Garlic, Chives |
Peppers | Tomatoes, Onions, Carrots, Basil, Parsley, Spinach | Fennel, Kohlrabi |
Potatoes | Beans, Corn, Cabbage, Horseradish, Marigolds, Peas | Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Pumpkins, Squash, Sunflowers |
Pumpkins | Beans, Corn, Peas, Radishes, Sunflowers | Potatoes |
Radishes | Beans, Carrots, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Peas, Spinach | None |
Rhubarb | Onions, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kale, Beans | None |
Rosemary | Beans, Cabbage, Carrots, Sage | None |
Rutabaga | Peas, Beans, Onions | None |
Sage | Rosemary, Carrots, Cabbage, Peas, Beans | Cucumbers |
Spinach | Strawberries, Beans, Peas, Onions, Lettuce | None |
Squash | Beans, Corn, Peas, Radishes, Sunflowers | Potatoes |
Strawberries | Beans, Spinach, Lettuce, Onions, Thyme | Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower |
Sunflowers | Corn, Cucumbers, Squash, Pumpkins | Potatoes, Pole Beans |
Swiss Chard | Tomatoes, Onions, Beans, Peas, Lettuce | None |
Thyme | Tomatoes, Cabbage, Strawberries, Eggplant | None |
Tomatoes | Carrots, Onions, Peppers, Basil, Parsley, Marigolds, Nasturtiums | Potatoes, Fennel, Kohlrabi, Cabbage, Cauliflower |
Turnips | Peas, Beans, Radishes | None |
Watermelon | Corn, Sunflowers, Radishes, Nasturtiums | Potatoes |
Zucchini | Beans, Corn, Peas, Radishes, Sunflowers | Potatoes |
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