Companion Planting for the 8 Most Popular Plants in Your Garden

By Cindy Cloninger

Like all good friends, 'vegetable friends' help each other out. Did you know that onions & leeks repel carrot flies? Or that lettuce tenderizes summer radishes? Knowing which plants benefit the other is a secret to successful gardening. And who doesn't love hanging out with a good friend?
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There are lots of combinations of plants that grow really well together and have beneficial components for one another.  We’ve narrowed this overwhelming and sometimes confusing process down for you. We've compiled a list of the most common crops, with the most beneficial plants to put together to take the guesswork out of companion planting and guarantee you’ll reap the benefits.

What is companion planting?

While you may not have tried it, companion planting is all around us. The most common practice today comes from industrial farming where it is a common practice to plant vetch or legumes in the fall after harvest.  Native Americans used this practice but called it, Three Sisters, planting corn, beans, and squash together.
So why go to all the trouble to plant next to each other or in the same space?  The main benefits of companion planting are to provide mutually beneficial outcomes in soil nutrients, erosion control, weed control, deterring or attracting insects, and providing shade.

Tomato

Tomatoes grow tall and can provide shade for the more sun sensitive lettuce, cabbage, and other leafy greens. Basil repels common pests and if basil goes to seed will attract pollinators.
Other beneficial plants are carrots, asparagus, beans, celery, chive, cucumber, garlic, marigold, mint, onion, parsley, peppers.
​❌ Tomatoes do not like ? corn, dill, fennel, potato, kohlrabi, and pole beans.

Tomatoes love our Terra Zest, it's our premium organic and all natural blend of manure, sawdust, and hygroscopic fiber (wool).  

Carrots

Carrots are a great friend to have around as they help tomatoes, onions, garlic, shallots, lettuce, leeks, and beans. They are loved in turn by those same plants in addition to chives, rosemary, wormwood, sage, and flax. Onions and leeks help out by repelling carrot flies.
​❌  But not friends with dill, parsnip, and radishes.

Naturally repel slugs and snails by mixing Wool Pellets into your soil. The microscopic wool fibers are little-barbed shields for all your garden plants.  Read 6 Reasons You Should Be Using Wool Pellets in Your Garden Soil to learn more.

Lettuce

Lettuce loves tomatoes as we mentioned above, but lettuce and chives are a great combo too. The strong smell of chives will deter Aphids who would attack your lettuce.  Adding Asylum will attract those beneficial insects that eat those munching on your leafy greens.
Lettuce is a help to beets, beans, okra, radishes, onions, broccoli, and carrots.
Lettuce is helped by onions, beans, carrots, cucumber, strawberries, broccoli, dill, beets, thyme, and cilantro.
​ ​❌  But lettuce does not like ? celery, parsley, cress, and cabbage.

Peas

Cucumbers, carrots, beans, corn, radishes, early potatoes, lavender, and turnips are good friends to your peas.
​ ​❌ However, peas do not like ? garlic, onions, leeks, and shallots.

Giving your plants great friends is just one layer in the making of a plentiful garden.  If you really want to have success, you'll need to make sure the soil is prepped and giving the right nutrients.  Starting your plants in Soft Soil, a blend of premium topsoil & compost, your garden will thrive on the full range of nutrients needed to maintain root health.

Cucumber

To repel cucumber beetles, sow cucumber and radish seeds together. Get the most from your cucumbers by planting them with marigolds, beets, garlic, celery, dill, carrots, peas, beans, sunflowers, and radishes. Cucumbers also provide benefits to beans, kohlrabi, and lettuce.

Cucumbers and squash spread fast and benefit from being planted in a nutrient-rich soil.  Learn how to soften your soil and the benefits and differences in compost in the articles. How Do I Soften My Soil? and ​Are There Differences in Compost and What are They?

Our last three have been planted together for hundreds of years so we’ve kept them together.

Squash, Beans, & Corn

Why not follow the tried and proven process engineered by Native Americans? 
The broad leaves of pumpkin and squash spread out reducing weeds and holding moisture. Beans ingeniously convert atmospheric nitrogen into a ready-to-use form for it’s plant friends. And corn gives the beans a place to climb.   
​Squash is also benefited by marigolds, radishes, and buckwheat which will flower and attract needed insects.
Beans are also enhanced by beets, cucumbers, carrots, cauliflower, marigolds, potatoes, rosemary, peppermint, and mustard.

Flowers

Adding if flowers around the borders of your garden and in between can attract pollinators, insects that will eat those that are a nuisance, and add beauty and color to the overall appearance of your garden beds.

Watch this great little video to learn why marigolds, buckwheat, lavender, daisies, and hollyhocks are great in your garden. And what some of the best flowers you haven’t even thought of to plant in your garden are.

What are your favorite garden combinations?

Recap the best vegetable friends with this quick slideshow:

Cindy Cloninger

Virtual Assistant, blog manager, email & social media marketing assistant, web development. I enjoy hiking, fresh fruits & veggies, planting flowers, cooking great meals. But I love being a wife and mother the most.  When I'm not doing all of those, I love to read and try new things.   No matter the forecast, live like it's spring.