Companion Vegetable Planting
Long-time gardeners use Companion Vegetable Planting to ensure a healthy garden. Did you know tomatoes and basil do great together in your garden and the cooking pot? Many herbs are natural insect repellents that help keep your garden bug-free and reduce or eliminate the need for potentially harmful pesticides. By using a companion planting technique, many gardeners discover they can discourage garden pests without harming helpful insects such as ladybugs and bees. Some herbs, through their odors or root secretions, will deter pests naturally. A bonus is fragrant herbs that will season the fruits of your labors. Please note that herbs can grow huge! They will take over your garden if not trimmed from time to time.
Please note this is not the definitive list of companion plants. Additional plants will be added in the future.
- Basil – Plant with tomatoes to improve growth and flavor and to repel flies and mosquitoes. Do not plant near the rue.
- Chamomile – Improves flavor of cabbages and onions.
- Horseradish – Plant in potato patch to keep away potato bugs.
- Rue – Deters Japanese beetles in roses and raspberries.
- Bay Leaf – A fresh bay leaf in each storage container of beans or grains will deter weevils and moths.
- Chervil – Companion to radishes for improved growth and flavor
- Hyssop – Companion plant to cabbage and grapes, deters cabbage moths. Do not plant near radishes.
- Sage – Companion plant with rosemary, cabbage, and carrots to deter cabbage moths, beetles, and carrot flies. Do not plant near cucumbers.
- Bee Balm – Plant with tomatoes to improve growth and flavor.
- Chives – Improves growth and flavor of carrots.
- Lovage – Improves the flavor and health of most plants.
- Summer Savory – Plant with beans and onions to improve growth and flavor. Discourages cabbage moths.
- Borage – Companion plant for tomatoes, squash, and strawberries. Deters tomato worms.
- Dill – Improves the growth and health of cabbage. Do not plant near carrots.
- Marjoram – Improves flavor of all vegetables.
- Tansy – Plant with fruit trees, roses, and raspberries. Deters flying insects, Japanese beetles, striped cucumber beetles, squash bugs, and ants.
- Caraway – Good for loosening compacted soil.
- Garlic – Plant near roses to repel aphids.
- Mint – Deters white cabbage moths and improves the health of cabbages and tomatoes.
- Thyme – Deters cabbage worms.
- Catnip – Deters flea beetles (and kitties LOVE it!)
- Gopher Purge – Deters gophers and moles.
- Rosemary – Companion plant to cabbage, beans, carrots, and sage. Deters cabbage moths, bean beetles, and carrot flies.
- Wormwood – Keeps animals out of the garden when planted as a border.
Crop | Companion Plant | Plant Apart | Garden Benefits |
| Alliums, Garlic, Leeks, Onions, Chives | Tomatoes, Carrots, Strawberries, Beets, Cucumbers, Celery, Lettuce, Peppers, Squash, Cucumber, Savory | Beans And Peas | Deters Carrot Flies, Aphids, Weevils, Fruit Tree Borers, Moles, Rust Flies, Nematodes, Spider Mites, Black Spot, and Mildew |
| Basil | Asparagus, Tomatoes, Peppers | Deters Tomato Hornworms, Thrips, Asparagus Beetles, Aphids, Flies, Mosquitoes, and Spider Mites. | |
| Bush Beans | Beets, Carrots, Celery, Cucumber, Corn, Eggplant, Potato, Strawberry | Alliums, Fennel | Nitrogen Fixing. Deters Colorado Potato Beetle |
| Beets | Bush Beans, Cabbage, Onion, Sage | Can Cross-Pollinate With Swiss Chard | |
| Cabbage | Bush Beans, Beets, Celery, Mint, Oregano, Onions, Savory, Tomatoes, Marigolds, | Pole Beans | |
| Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Bok Choy, Kale | |||
| Chervil | Radishes, Turnips | Improves Growth And Flavor Of Radishes And Turnips | |
| Carrots | Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Lettuce, Onion, Chives, Peas, Radish, Tomatoes, Sage | Dill | Improves Growth And Flavor Of Cauliflower And Chives. Can Cross With Wild Carrot (Queen Anne’s Lace). Attracts Predatory Wasps |
| Celery | Bush Beans, Cabbages, Cauliflower, Onions, Spinach, Tomatoes | Deters White Cabbage Moths | |
| Coriander, Cilantro | Cabbages, Kale | Deters Aphids. AttractsHoneybees | |
| Corn | Pole Beans, Pumpkins And Squash, Peas, Cucumbers, Potatoes, Cornflower | Tomatoes | A Heavy Feeder, Corn Benefits From A Nitrogen Fixer Nearby |
| Cucumbers | Peas, Beans, Lettuce Radishes, Sunflowers, Nasturtiums, Marigolds | Potatoes, Aromatic Herbs | Will Grow Up Trellises, Sunflowers, Or Corn Stalks Anchoring Them Against WindAnd Holding Fruits Up High Away From Ground Pests |
| Dill | Cabbage, Lettuce, Onions | Carrots, Tomatoes, Fennel | Improves Growth Of Cabbage. Attracts Honeybees |
| Lettuce | Alliums, Radishes, Carrots, Cucumbers, Strawberries | Can Cross With Wild Lettuce Weeds | |
| Parsley | Asparagus, Carrots, Alliums, Tomatoes | Deters Asparagus Beetles, Attracts Hoverflies | |
| Peppers | Alliums, Basil, Nasturtiums, Purslane, | Eggplant, Tomatoes, Potatoes, Or Where Tomatoes Were Last Year | The seed Pulp Of Hot Peppers can deter Rodents, Gophers, Deer, Or Diluted For Spray But Will Not Deter Birds. |
| Mint | Cabbages, Strawberries | Mint Is Aggressive And Will Overtake Most Other Plants, So Give It Room And Harvest Or Cut Back Often | Deters Cabbage Moths, Aphids, Flea Beetles, and Ants. Attracts Honeybees And Pollinators |
| Radishes | Beets, Carrots, Spinach, Parsnip, Cucumbers, Melons, Squash, Lettuce, Beans, Chervil, | ||
| Spinach | Celery, Eggplant, Cauliflower | ||
| Tomatoes | Basil, Borage, Carrots, Parsley | Fennel, Peppers, Potatoes, Eggplants |