{Carrots love Tomatoes – One of my favorite gardening books!}
I don’t know about you, but I am a big fan of companion planting.
Companion planting operates on the basic premise that certain plants play nicer together than others. Some plants function to bring out the flavor of another, deter unwanted insects, attract wanted insects, and compliment the soil.
On the flip side, some plants cause other plants nothing but root-ache and grief, so you want to avoid planting them near one another. If you are interested in gardening organically, companion planting is a great way to work with mother nature.
Here’s a basic companion planting guide to get you started as you plant the layout of your garden this year:
Plant Name |
Plant Close To: |
Keep Away From: |
Repels |
| Basil | Most Garden Crops–especially tomatoes and lettuce | Rue | Mosquitoes |
| Bush Beans | Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Catnip, Cauliflower, Corn, Cucumbers, Marigolds, Potatoes, Savory, Strawberries | Fennel, Garlic, Leeks, Onions, Shallots | |
| Pole Beans | Corn, Marigolds, Potatoes, Radishes | Beets, Garlic, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Onions, Shallots | |
| Beets | Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Bush Beans, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chard, Kohlrabi, Onions | Charlock, Field Mustard, Pole Beans | |
| Borage | Squash, Strawberries | Tomato Worms | |
| Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts | Beets, Buckwheat, Calendula, Carrots, Chamomile, Dill, Hyssop, Marigolds, Mints, Nasturtiums, Onions, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Wormwood | Strawberries | |
| Cabbage and Cauliflower | Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Celery, Chard, Spinach | Strawberries | |
| Cantaloupe | Corn | ||
| Carrots | Cabbage, Chives, Early Potatoes, Leeks, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Radishes, Rosemary, Sage, Salsify, Wormwood | ||
| Chives | Apples, Berries, Carrots, Grapes, Peas, Roses, Tomatoes | Aphids and Japanese Beetles | |
| Corn | Beans, Cucumbers, Early Potatoes, Melons, Peas, Pumpkins, Soybeans, Squash | ||
| Cucumbers | Beans, Cabbage, Early Potatoes, Radishes, Sunflowers | Late Potatoes | |
| Dill | Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cucumber, Lettuce, Onions | Carrots | |
| Eggplant | Green Beans, Peppers, Potatoes, Tomatoes | ||
| Garlic | Cabbage, Cane Fruits, Fruit Trees, Roses, Tomatoes | Peas, Beans | Japanese Beatles and Aphid, Ermine Moths, and Late Potato blight. |
| Kale | Aromatic herbs, Buckwheat, Cabbage Family, Marigolds, Nasturtiums | Pole Beans, Strawberries | |
| Kohrabi | Cabbage/Cauliflower Companions {except tomatoes} | Fennel, Pole Beans, Tomatoes | |
| Lettuce | Beets, Carrots, Parsnips, Radishes, Strawberries | Cabbage Family | |
| Marigolds | All Garden Crops | Bean Beetles, Aphids, Potato Bugs, Squash Bugs, Nematodes, and Maggots | |
| Marjoram | All Garden Crops | ||
| Mustard | Alfalfa Cover Crops, Fruit Trees, Grapes, Legumes | ||
| Nasturtiums | Apples, Beans, Cabbage Family, Greenhouse Crops, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Radishes, Squash | Aphids, Potato Bugs, Squash Bugs, Striped Pumpkin Beetles, and Mexican Bean Beetles. Destroys whiteflies in greenhoues. | |
| Onions | Beets, Cabbage Family, Carrots, Chamomile, Lettuce, Parsnips | Beans, Peas | Many insects/pests–especially maggots |
| Oregano | All Garden Crops | Many insects/pests | |
| Parsley | Corn, Roses, Tomatoes | ||
| Parnips | Onions, Radishes, Wormwood | ||
| Peas | Beans, Carrots, Corn, Cucumbers, Early Potatoes, Radishes, Turnip | Garlic, Leeks, Onions Shallots | |
| Peppers | Basil, Carrots, Eggplant, Onions Parsley Tomatoes | Fennel, Kohlrabi | |
| Potatoes | Basil, Beans, Cabbage Family, Corn, Eggplant, Flax, Hemp, Margolds, Peas, Squash | Apples, Birch, Cherries, Cucumbers, Pumpkins, Raspberries, Sunflowrs, Tomatoes, Walnuts | |
| Radishes | Cervil, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Melons, Peas, Nasturtiums, Root Crops | Hyssop | Cucumber Beetles |
| Rosemary | Beans, Cabbage, Carrots | Bean Beetles, Cabbage Moths, and Carrot Flies | |
| Sage | Cabbage Family, Carrots, Tomatoes | Cucumbers | Cabbage Moths and Carrot Flies |
| Soybeans | Corn, Potatoes | ||
| Spinach | Celery, Cauliflower, Eggplant, Strawberries | ||
| Strawberries | Borage, Bush Beans, Lettuce, Pyrethrum, Spinach | Cabbage Family | |
| Sunflowers | Cucumbers | Potatoes | |
| Swiss Chard | Bush Beans, Kohrabi, Onions | Pole Beans | |
| Tarragon | All Garden Crops | ||
| Thyme | All Garden Crops | Cabbage Moths | |
| Tomatoes | Asparagus, Basil, Carrots, Gooseberries, Mustard, Parsley, Onions, Rosemary, Sage, Stinging Nettles | Fennel, Kohlrabi, Potatoes, Walnuts | |
| Turnips and Rutabagas | Peas | Knotweed, Mustard |
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Maria says
Thanks for the tips! My daughter is allergic to mosquito bites; looks like I need to plant lots of basil!
Maggie says
This is wonderful! Thanks so much.
Grandma PattyB says
I’m planting tomatoes in big pots and carrots surrounding the plant. Never planted according to companion methods before but it explains a few failures! Such as the fennel and bush beans both were a failure last year. Got lots of fennel stalks but no bulbs and the beans’ production was scarce. They both just took up space.
schmei says
THANK YOU! I have hopes to spend some time this weekend figuring out where and what I’m going to plant… this is exactly what I need.
Jenn says
Uh oh… what if I already planted garlic next to my sugar snap peas? We’ll see what happens! They’re about 8 inches away from eachother 🙁
Teri S. says
I need to move my sunflowers from my sunflowers. Opps!
I didn’t think you could plant tomatoes next to beans? It tends to become overwhelming and confusing after a while.
Teri S. says
I mean my potatoes from the sunflowers. Opps again.
Julie's Rants says
We have a monstrous sunflower growing with pumpkin. They are BFF”s. Also have fennel scattered with all the lettuce.
Jenna says
Strawberry patch inter-planted with vinca minor does well (3 years running). They seem compliment each other blue flower fading as the strawberries start to stand up and put out their white flowers. The vinca works as a mulch layer too, so bonus.
Susan says
Hi Mavis. You have tomatoes as being compatible with the Brassica (cabbage) family, but the book above clearly says they should be kept apart. “Tomatoes and all members of the (brassica) cabbage family repel each other and should be kept apart.” p. 25. I haven’t planted my tomatoes yet but was going to put them with my cabbage! Eek!
Mavis says
Wowza! I totally missed that. Thanks Susan I will fix the post.