Which crops you choose to plant next to each other makes a difference. The right choice can provide nitrogen, deter pests, improve flavor, and provide shade or protection. Choosing the wrong plants can stunt your hard work in the garden.
Companion planting examples such as the 3 sisters – corn, beans, and squash. The beans provide nitrogen for the corn. The corn provides support for the squash vines, as well as some shade. Some of the vining beans can help confuse squash bugs.
Other examples include calendula to deter deer and rabbits, and flowers to provide pollinators.
Basil will improve the flavor and reduce pests when grown close to tomatoes.
Nasturtiums will deter cabbage moths. Plus the nasturtiums have a wonderful mustard-like flavor. I plant nasturtiums intermixed with my climbing beans and they climb up the trellis together.
The wrong choice of companion plant can stunt the plants. It is unwise to plant tomatoes near potatoes or cabbages. They just don’t thrive next to each other.
Don’t plant Wormwood too close to apple trees or chestnut trees. The roots of the Wormwood may hinder root growth of trees.
Companion Planting Guide for Common Vegetables and Herbs
| Crop | Companions (Friend) | Avoid (Foe) |
| Basil | Peppers, Tomatoes – Basil improves the growth and flavor of tomatoes and peppers. | Sage and Wormwood |
| Beans | Any green leafy vegetable, Beets, Brassicas (cabbage), Corn, Radish, Squash. Planting nasturtiums as a trap plant for aphids. Rosemary can deter pests. | Onions and other alliums Some sites say avoid beets nearby. |
| Beets | Lettuce, Cabbage, Bush beans, Onions. | Some sites say avoid pole and runner beans nearby. |
| Broccoli | Oregano, other brassicas (cabbage), Potatoes | |
| Cabbage | Bush beans, Spinach, Onions, Beets, Potatoes, Celery. Plant nasturtiums, garlic and pungent plants nearby to deter pests. | Strawberries, Tomatoes |
| Carrots | Chives, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions and other alliums, Chives improve the growth and flavor of carrots and deter aphids, mites, and flies. | Tomatoes |
| Cauliflower | Bush beans, Spinach, Onions, Beets, Potatoes | Tomatoes |
| Celery | Beans, Brassicas (cabbage), Onions and other alliums. | Corn, Tomatoes |
| Corn | Pole beans, Squash, Pumpkins, Melons, Potatoes, Spinach. Beans provide nitrogen, Corn provides structure. Also plant dill to deter aphids, and calendula to deter deer. Dwarf sunflowers can bring in ladybugs to deter pests. | Celery, Tomatoes |
| Cucumbers | Corn, Cabbage, Broccoli, Tomato, Bush beans, Peas. | Potatoes. Some sites say avoid planting tomatoes nearby. |
| Lettuce | Lettuce can be planted with everything. 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 | Foe to none. |
| Melons | Corn | |
| Onions | Beets, Cabbage, Carrot, Chard, Lettuce, Peppers, Tomatoes. | Asparagus, Beans, peas |
| Peas | Carrots, Turnips, Lettuce, Spinach, Radish, Corn | Garlic and Onion will stunt the growth of peas. |
| Peppers | Bush beans, Carrots, Onion | Potatoes |
| Potatoes | Beans, Cabbage, Carrot, Celery, Peas | Tomato, Sunflower, Asparagus |
| Pumpkins | Corn, Pole Beans, Oregano. Nasturtiums protect against squash bugs. | Potatoes |
| Radish | Lettuce, Peas. Nasturtiums are a good trap crop for radishes. | |
| Spinach | Peas, Cauliflower, Lettuce, Onion | |
| Squash | Corn, Pole Beans, Oregano. Nasturtiums protect against squash bugs. | Potatoes |
| Tomatoes | Carrots, Cucumber, Onions, Peas, Potatoes. Calendula, Basil, Dill, Thyme, Corn, Potatoes, Brassicas (cabbage) | Corn, Potatoes, Brassicas (cabbage) |
Sources:
Clyde’s Garden Planner from Baker Creek Seeds
Almanac.com Companion Planting Guide
Companion Planting Guide from WorldWaterReserve.com
Deter pests in the garden without pesticide
One thing that I found interesting about researching the “friend and foe” approach to companion planting was the added pest deterrence – all without using pesticides. I seldom get squash to full maturity without losing many to a squash bug invasion. I have had some luck with planting squash in a Milpa garden, among beans or buckwheat or something that shields the plants. I have similar luck with cabbage – if densely planted with other crops the cabbage moths do not get as many of them. In this chart, you can see several crops that that deter aphids and other pests, or act as trap crop, pulling bugs from other plants, such as tomatoes. The best companion crops for deterring pests are nasturtiums, calendula, oregano, and garlic.
Try these companion plants in your garden!
Cross posted from All Garden Advice.
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Raised beds that I am building to test Perennial Kitchen Garden layouts:
Vego Garden Modular Metal Raised Bed (which I will make 5′ x 3.5′, 17″ tall).
I use this for a perennial kitchen garden – growing herbs to use daily in the kitchen. Just come along and pick what you need for tonight’s dinner.
Meadow Creature Broadfork is my favorite tool for starting new garden beds. I turn over the sod, add a layer of compost, then Milpa, and cover with woodchips.
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