Plants That Go Together, Grow Together

Companion planting: planting two or more plant species in close proximity for mutual benefit.

Coreopsis grandiflora 'Sunray'
Item # 37930 		Coreopsis grandiflora 'Sunray'
'Sunray' Tickseed

each $5.49
3 to 6 plants $5.29
7 or more $4.99
  • Topic: Edible Gardens
  • Keywords: cultural requirements, zones, companion planting
  • Date: April 2003

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If you’re putting in a vegetable garden this year, it’s worth giving companion planting a try. The practice has gone on for thousands of years. Basically, it’s planting two or more plant species in close proximity for mutual benefit.

Early Roman farmers were the first to experiment with this. They planted grain crops between grapevines and among fruit trees. One account shows they planted rue with figs and notes that grapevines abhor vegetables. The early American Indians discovered planting beans (which enrich the soil with nitrogen) worked well with corn (which needs lots of nitrogen). The beans even used the corn as climbing trellises.

Many plants have natural substances in their roots, flowers and/or leaves that repel insect pests. I tried this once, planting marigolds throughout my tomatoes. Nary a bug in sight.

Many varieties of herbs and flowers can be used for companions in a vegetable garden. Following is a list of companions that work well in home vegetable gardens.

For planting vegetables with herbs try:

  • Tomatoes and basil, horehound, lemon balm, dill, parsley, sage
  • Squash and borage
  • Peas and caraway
  • Radishes and chervil
  • Lettuce, corn, cucumber, carrots, tomatoes and dill
  • Cucumbers and lemon balm
  • Peppers and sweet marjoram
  • Cabbage and mint, sage
  • Carrots and parsley, sage
  • Onions and savory
  • Eggplant and thyme
  • Asparagus and parsley, basil
  • Broccoli and dill, peppermint, rosemary
  • Turnips and thyme

Some vegetables work well with other vegetables:

  • Bush beans and potatoes
  • Radishes and pole beans
  • Broccoli and celery
  • Carrots and onions
  • Celery and leaks, cabbage

Flowers that repel insect pests include

  • Coreopsis
  • Marigolds
  • Petunias
  • Four O’ Clocks
  • Morning Glories
  • Sunflowers

And this is just the beginning. Three good books are “Carrots Love Tomatoes” and “Roses Love Garlic” by Louise Riotte, and “Good Neighbors: Companion Planting for Gardeners” by Anna Carr.

Companion planting elevates gardening to a new level of interaction. It’s an old practice and won’t hurt a thing to give it a try.