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How to Companion Plant for a Healthier Vegetable Garden

carrots, onions, potatoes, and more in a line of dirt simulating a garden
By:Emily Kozak| Last Updated:06/20/2023
Time to Read: 8 min

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A Guide to Companion Planting

If you’ve ever planted a garden, you’ve probably wondered what to plant next to each other, and if certain plants do better with others. Enter: companion planting.

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What Is Companion Planting?

Companion planting is the practice of strategically placing vegetables or herbs next to one another to organically encourage growth, prevent pests or promote pollination.

“Companion planting is in contrast to monocropping,” says the University of Arizona’s Moses Thompson, coordinator of the college's Community and School Garden Program. “Instead of just planting one species in an area, companion planting allows different plants to help each other out. It’s an organic way to control pests and preserve soil health.”

We’ve broken down the top 10 vegetable and herb companion planting charts – including expert tips for what not to plant next to each other – so you can keep your plants thriving naturally.

10 Popular Companion Plants for Your Vegetable and Herb Garden

1. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a classic garden staple, but their soft fruits make them vulnerable to a number of pests and diseases. Thankfully, tomatoes can get by with a little help from their friends. Use these companion planting suggestions to repel bugs and encourage your tomatoes to grow:

Tomatoes on the Vine in the Sun

Companion Planting List for Tomatoes:

What to Plant Next to Tomatoes

Why?

Basil

Repels flies and tomato worms; improves tomatoes’ flavor

Asparagus and Marigolds

Repels nematodes

Borage

Encourages growth; repels tomato worms

Chives

Repels aphids

Garlic

Repels spider mites

What Not to Plant Next to Tomatoes

Why?

Broccoli and Cauliflower

Stunts tomato growth

Strawberries

Can spread diseases to tomatoes

Potatoes

Can cause blight fungus on tomatoes

Chives

Repels aphids

Walnuts

Walnut trees produce jugalone, which can stunt tomato growth

Corn

Attracts tomato-hungry pests; blocks out sun for tomatoes

Dill

Mature dill can crowd out resources for tomatoes

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Why keep certain plants apart in the garden?
 
“Certain pests and diseases are drawn to similar crops and best practice would be to keep those crops separate to avoid losing your whole harvest. Crops like potatoes and tomatoes can get the same blights, while corn and tomatoes are especially tasty to the same worms.”
John Harrison | Espoma
    

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2. Asparagus

One of the first crops to be harvested in spring, asparagus is a vitamin-rich, robust plant that can tolerate both cold and hot weather extremes. To give your shoots an added boost, try planting a few of these companion plants for asparagus:

Close Up on a Bunch of Asparagus

Companion Planting List for Asparagus:

What to Plant Next to Asparagus

Why?

Beans & Peas

Repels asparagus beetles

Corn

Repels spider mites

Mint

Different root depths

Spinach

Encourages growth

Borage

Repels aphids

What Not to Plant Next to Asparagus

Why?

Garlic and Onions

Can stunt asparagus growth

Potatoes

Competes for the same nutrients

Corn

Attracts army worms

3. Zucchini

Zucchini is a fast-growing squash plant that does well in most gardens. However, it is fairly vulnerable to a few pests, so here are a few companion plants for zucchini that will keep it safe and healthy.

Pile of Zucchini

Companion Planting List for Zucchini:

What to Plant Next to Zucchini

Why?

Beans & Peas

Both release helpful nitrogen into the soil

Corn

Repels squash vine borers

Mint

Repels aphids

Spinach

Spinach leaves provide nutrients for zucchini

Borage

Attracts bees, which pollinate zucchini

What Not to Plant Next to Zucchini

Why?

Potatoes

Can stunt zucchini growth

Broccoli

Competes for zucchini’s nutrients

Pumpkins

Can cross-pollinate, creating low-quality fruit

4. Melons

When companion planting melons, you won’t run into many issues as they get along with most other vegetables and herbs. But because pests tend to love them, they really love to be near plants that can keep the bugs away. Check out this companion planting chart to find a few good partners for melons.

Melons on the Vine in a Garden

Companion Planting List for Melons:

What to Plant Next to Melons

Why?

Catnip

Repels flies and aphids

Radishes & Lettuce

Harvested before melon vines spread

Beans & Corn

Provides shade for melons

Marigolds

Repels beetles

Tansy

Repels flies and beetles

What Not to Plant Next to Melons

Why?

Squash

Can cross-pollinate, creating low-quality fruit

Potatoes

Can stunt melon growth

5. Broccoli

Love it or hate it – for most people, there’s no in-between with broccoli. Turns out, lots of plants feel the same way. Broccoli and other members of the brassica family are considered "heavy feeders," which means they absorb a lot of calcium and tend to crowd out other plants that have similar needs, including their own kind. However, there are a few companion plants that benefit from broccoli’s company:

Broccoli in Garden

Companion Planting List for Broccoli:

What to Plant Next to Broccoli

Why?

Celery

Repels cabbage flies, which damage broccoli

Onions

Improves flavor of broccoli

Garlic

Repels beetles and can improve broccoli flavor

Beets

Balances out broccoli’s calcium requirements

Nasturtiums

Repels a number of pests; balances broccoli’s calcium requirements

What Not to Plant Next to Broccoli

Why?

Cauliflower & Cabbage

Competes for broccoli's nutrients

Asparagus

Both plants are "heavy feeders", which can deplete the soil

Pole Beans & Strawberries

Can stunt broccoli growth

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Companion Planting Tip: For Better Pest Control, Avoid Planting in Rows
 
“It has been shown that intermingling herbs and different vegetable plants rather than planting row-type gardens can help protect your plants from attack by harmful insects. Insects have a harder time destroying or damaging one crop if the same type of plants are not planted right next to each other.”
Cindy Meredith | The Herb Cottage
    

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6. Spinach

This delicious, leafy green gets along with almost every garden vegetable, so you shouldn’t run into many issues when companion planting spinach. However, it is a heavy feeder like broccoli, so try to keep it away from other calcium-hungry plants.

Spinach Growing in Garden

Companion Planting List for Spinach:

What to Plant Next to Spinach

Why?

Tansy

Repels cutworms

Cilantro

Repels aphids

Beets & Chard

Similar soil pH requirements

Dill

Repels spider mites

Corn and Beans

Provides shade, which prevents spinach from tasting bitter

Radishes

Repels leaf miners

What Not to Plant Next to Spinach

Why?

Potatoes

Competes for spinach's nutrients

7. Peas

Peas are a pest-hardy, easy-to-maintain plant for almost any garden. Like beans, peas are good companion plants for many other vegetables because they release nitrogen into the surrounding soil, which improves plant growth. But if you’re looking for a few plants that will scratch their back too, here are a few tips for companion planting peas:

Freshly Picked Pea Pods in Wooden Box

Companion Planting List for Peas:

What to Plant Next to Peas

Why?

Beans

Increases nitrogen in soil

Carrots & Cucumbers

Encourages pea growth

Dill

Repels spider mites

Radishes

Repels leaf miners and beetles

Asparagus & Marigolds

Repels nematodes

What Not to Plant Next to Peas

Why?

Onions, Leeks & Garlic

Stunts the growth of peas

8. Onions

Onions are the white knights of the garden, repelling everything from aphids to carrot flies for their fellow veggies. However, not every plant in your garden will appreciate their help. Here are a few ways to successfully companion plant with onions:

Onion Bulbs in the Ground in Rows

Companion Planting List for Onions:

What to Plant Next to Onions

Why?

Carrots

Different root depths

Chamomile

Improves onions' flavor

Leeks

Repels onion flies

Cabbage & Kale

Onions repel pests for these plants

What Not to Plant Next to Onions

Why?

Peas, Asparagus, Sage & Beans

Can stunt onion growth and vice versa

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Companion Planting Tip: Think About Root Depths When Planting
 
"[For example], you can grow lettuce, tomatoes and carrots together in tight spaces. Lettuce has shallow roots, tomatoes have medium roots and carrots are a deep root vegetable, so they will not have to compete for the same space."
John Harrison | Espoma
    

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9. Corn

The Three Sisters trio is probably the most famous companion planting combination and is comprised of dry beans, winter squash and corn. A strategy dating back to early Native American agriculture practices, the Three Sisters work together to protect and nourish one another, improving yields for each plant. But those aren’t the only plants corn can befriend in your garden.

Yellow Corn in Husk

Companion Planting List for Corn:

What to Plant Next to Corn

Why?

Winter Squash

Large squash leaves shade the soil, keeping it cool for corn roots

Dry Beans

Corn loves the nitrogen produced by bean growth

Sunflowers

Sunflowers can increase corn yields

Cucumbers

Cucumbers promote corn growth and can also increase yields

What Not to Plant Next to Corn

Why?

Tomatoes, Eggplant & Basil

Corn can block out sunlight for these plants

10. Potatoes

Potatoes are hardy, deep-rooted vegetables that are extremely easy to grow. However, they are also a fan favorite of beetles and aphids, so here are a few helpful vegetable companion plants to keep around your garden’s spuds.

A Pile of Potatoes

Companion Planting List for Potatoes:

What to Plant Next to Potatoes

Why?

Beans

Releases nitrogen into soil for potatoes

Eggplant

Doesn’t compete with potatoes for sunlight

Catnip

Repels the Colorado potato beetle

Peppermint

Repels flea beetles which feed on potatoes

Petunias

Repels aphids

What Not to Plant Next to Potatoes

Why?

Carrots

Carrot roots compete with potatoes

Raspberries, Tomatoes, Cucumbers & Squash

Make potatoes susceptible to blight

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Companion Planting Tip: Use Companion Planting as a Teaching Opportunity
 
"Companion planting lends itself well to teaching kids about the benefits of biodiversity and the principles of ecology, where everything within a system effect another part of the system. When you have healthy biodiversity, it makes a system more stable. And that’s a concept that we can teach on a microscale through companion planting."
Moses Thompson | CSGP Coordinator | University of Arizona
    

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