What is companion planting?

Companion planting means allowing your plants to grow next to their buddies. Plants are particular, and just like us, they have likes and dislikes. Tomatoes, for example, love basil, but hate dill. Cucumbers love dill, but hate potatoes. Who knew?

Some plants help each other thrive by repelling certain pests, by providing nutrients to the soil, or just by not totally taking over their space. Other plants might attract a certain pest to the other. Potatoes and tomatoes are both affected by the same blight, so although they might not “hate” each other, it’ still best to keep them apart. In these cases, we will categorize them in the “dislike” category.

Source: FarmersAlmanac.com

Here is an *almost* complete guide to companion plants:

Want something added? Comment below 🙂

1. Tomatoes

Likes: Basil (produce greater yields and repel flies/mosquitoes), marigolds, asparagus, carrots, celery, the onion family, lettuce, parsley, and spinach, and long walks on the beach.

Dislikes: Beets, cabbage, corn, peas, fennel, dill, and rosemary, and potatoes.

2. Onions

Likes: Carrots, beets, cabbage, lettuce, parsnips tomatoes, marjoram, savory, and rosemary.

Dislikes: Asparagus, beans, and peas.

3. Cucumbers

Likes: Beans, celery, corn, lettuce, dill, peas, and radishes are also good buddies of the cucumber. Marigolds and nasturtiums will help repel aphids and beetles.

Dislikes: Sage, potatoes

4. Green Beans

Beans are great for the garden as they are nitrogen fixers!

Likes: Corn (green beans and pole beans use corn stalks instead of trellis), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, the cabbage family, cucumbers, peas, potatoes, radishes, marigolds, nasturtiums, rosemary, and summer savory.

Dislikes: Beets, the onion family.

5. Zucchini/Summer Squash

Likes: Corn, beans, peas, radishes, dill, and marigolds.

Dislikes: Potatoes.

6. Corn

Likes: Beans and cucumbers love to grow up cornstalks:

Peas, pumpkins, melons and zucchini are also buddies of corn.

Dislikes: Tomatoes

7. Carrots

Likes: Tomatoes, leeks, radishes, lettuce, rosemary, sage, and chives.

Dislikes: Coriander dill, and parsnips.

8. Radishes

Likes: Cucumbers, onions, beets, cabbage, kale, lettuce, spinach, parsnips, peas, chervil, squash and Nasturtiums.

Dislikes: Hyssop, potatoes, grapes, turnips, kohlrabi

9. Lettuce

Likes: Beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, corn, peas, radishes, bush and pole beans, cucumbers, celery, dill, onion, strawberries and marigolds . Mint will your deter slugs and planting chives and garlic nearby helps repel aphids.

Dislikes: Parsley

10. Celery

don’t forget to take a cel-fie.

Likes: Bush beans, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers, leeks, onions, spinach, and tomatoes.

Dislikes: carrots, parsley, parsnips.

11. Peppers

Likes: Carrots, cucumbers, radishes, squash, eggplant, spinach, chard, lettuce, onions, spinach, tomatoes, and basil (mmm sounds like a delicious salad already)

Dislikes: Beans (the musical fruit)

12. Cabbage

Likes: carrots, parsnips, onions, beets, celery, chamomile, hyssop, thyme, rosemary, dill, peppermint, spearmint, sage, and oregano.

Dislikes: Mustard plants, strawberries, tomatoes. grapes, pole beans, basil.

13. Potatoes

A great way to maximize room is to grow lettuce and/or spinach between rows of potatoes.

Likes: Cabbage, corn, beans, chamomile, spinach, lettuce, basil, yarrow, parsley and thyme.

Dislikes: Raspberry, tomato, cucumber, squash and pumpkin are all more susceptible to developing blight if planted with potatoes. Carrots, asparagus, fennel, turnip, onions and sunflowers can stunt the potato’s growth.

14. Garlic

Garlic is the social butterfly among companion plants, with few incompatible neighbors. Garlic is natural pest and fungus deterrent.  If your garlic cloves have started to sprout, don’t toss them in the compost! Plant them!

Likes:  Beets, sweet peppers, spinach, lettuce, parsnips, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, collards, kale, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts and other members of the cabbage family, celery, carrots, chamomile, dill, savory and parsley.

Dislikes: Asparagus, peas, beans, sage, parsley and strawberries, because it will stunt their growth.

Beets:

Likes: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Bush beans, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chard, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Onions

Dislikes: Pole beans, Field mustard and Charlock (wild mustard)

Here are some companion planting plot guides for inspiration:

Source: Old Farmer’s Almanac

Source: Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, April 2011
Sources:

Old Farmer’s Almanac