Companion planting is the practice of growing plants next to each other for mutual benefit. Companion's attract beneficial or repels harmful insect and it can also improve the flavor or growth. I personally have planted sweet basil next to my tomato plants because it will repel flies and mosquitoes and improve growth and flavor of the tomato. I have planted Marigolds next to beans, peas and tomatoes because it is a natural way to deter beetles and other harmful insects. I also love to grow mint next to beans and carrots to help improve the growth and flavor. I have made flower and vegetable arrangements in containers for customers keeping in mind companion planting. There is a wealth of information on the internet related to this topic. I have tried to simplify it here for you and try to get you thinking about the planning process of your gardern. I have attached a chart to help you get started it is published by Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening for companion planting ideas.
Plant
|
Companion(s) and Effects
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Asparagus
|
Tomatoes, parsley, basil
|
Basil
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Tomatoes (improves growth & flavor); said to dislike rue; repels flies & mosquitoes
|
Bean
|
Potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, cauliflower, cabbage, summer savory, most other veggies & herbs
|
Bean (bush)
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Sunflowers (beans like partial shade, unless you live up north, sunflowers attract birds & bees for pollination), cucumbers (combination of heavy and light feeders), potatoes, corn, celery, summer savory
|
Bee Balm
|
Tomatoes (improves growth & flavor).
|
Beet
|
Onions, kohlrabi
|
Borage
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Tomatoes (attracts bees, deters tomato worm, improves growth & flavor), squash, strawberries
|
Cabbage Family (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi)
|
Potatoes, celery, dill, chamomile, sage, thyme, mint, pennyroyal, rosemary, lavender, beets, onions; aromatic plants deter cabbage worms
|
Caraway
|
Loosens soil; plant here and there
|
Carrot
|
Peas, lettuce, chives, onions, leeks, rosemary, sage, tomatoes
|
Catnip
|
Plant in borders; protects against flea beetles
|
Celery
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Leeks, tomatoes, bush beans, cauliflower, cabbage
|
Chamomile
|
Cabbage, onions
|
Chervil
|
Radishes (improves growth & flavor).
|
Chive
|
Carrots; plant around base of fruit trees to discourage insects from climbing trunk
|
Corn
|
Potatoes, peas, beans, cucumbers, pumpkin, squash
|
Cucumber
|
Beans, corn, peas, radishes, sunflowers
|
Dead Nettle
|
Potatoes (deters potato bugs)
|
Dill
|
Cabbage (improves growth & health), carrots
|
Eggplant
|
Beans
|
Fennel
|
Most plants are supposed to dislike it.
|
Flax
|
Carrots, potatoes
|
Garlic
|
Roses & raspberries (deters Japanese beetle); with herbs to enhance their production of essential oils; plant liberally throughout garden to deter pests
|
Horseradish
|
Potatoes (deters potato beetle); around plum trees to discourage curculios
|
Hyssop
|
Cabbage (deters cabbage moths), grapes; keep away from radishes
|
Lamb's Quarters
|
Nutritious edible weeds; allow to grow in modest amounts in the corn
|
Leek
|
Onions, celery, carrots
|
Lemon Balm
|
Here and there in the garden
|
Marigold
|
The workhorse of pest deterrents; keeps soil free of nematodes; discourages many insects; plant freely throughout the garden.
|
Marjoram
|
Here and there in the garden
|
Mint
|
Cabbage family; tomatoes; deters cabbage moth
|
Nasturtium
|
Tomatoes, radish, cabbage, cucumbers; plant under fruit trees; deters aphids & pests of curcurbits
|
Onion
|
Beets, strawberries, tomato, lettuce (protects against slugs), beans (protects against ants), summer savory
|
Parsley
|
Tomato, asparagus
|
Pea
|
Squash (when squash follows peas up trellis), plus grows well with almost any vegetable; adds nitrogen to the soil
|
Petunia
|
Protects beans; beneficial throughout garden
|
Potato
|
Horseradish, beans, corn, cabbage, marigold, limas, eggplant (as a trap crop for potato beetle)
|
Pot Marigold
|
Helps tomato, but plant throughout garden as deterrent to asparagus beetle, tomato worm & many other garden pests
|
Pumpkin
|
Corn
|
Radish
|
Peas, nasturtium, lettuce, cucumbers; a general aid in repelling insects
|
Rosemary
|
Carrots, beans, cabbage, sage; deters cabbage moth, bean beetles & carrot fly
|
Rue
|
Roses & raspberries; deters Japanese beetle; keep away from basil
|
Sage
|
Rosemary, carrots, cabbage, peas, beans; deters some insects
|
Soybean
|
Grows with anything; helps everything
|
Spinach
|
Strawberries
|
Squash
|
Nasturtium, corn
|
Strawberry
|
Bush beans, spinach, borage, lettuce (as a border)
|
Summer Savory
|
Beans, onions; deters bean beetles
|
Sunflower
|
Cucumber
|
Tansy
|
Plant under fruit trees; deters pests of roses & raspberries; deters flying insects, also Japanese beetles, striped cucumber beetles, squash bugs; deters ants
|
Tarragon
|
Good throughout garden
|
Thyme
|
Here and there in garden; deters cabbage worm
|
Tomato
|
Chives, onion, parsley, asparagus, marigold, nasturtium, carrot, limas
|
Valerian
|
Good anywhere in garden
|
Wormwood
|
As a border, keeps animals from the garden
|
Yarrow
|
Plant along borders, near paths, near aromatic herbs; enhances essential oil production of herbs
|
This link is also a free reference guide that I like to refer back to.
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