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The Best Companion Planting Guide

The following is a list of the best companion plants for each vegetable and what not to plant as a companion.  Companion planting can improve the flavor of the vegetable, add nutrients to the soil to help the vegetable grow strong and healthy, and companion plants can deter pests and diseases as well as add some variety in color and fragrance to the garden.  It is key to attracting beneficial pollinators to your garden.

Top vegetables and their companions

Asparagus  Companion-  Spinach, Basil, Dill, Nasturtiums, Marigolds, Tomatoes, Lettuce.  Not compatible-  Garlic, Onions, Potatoes

Basil  Companion-  Tomatoes, Peppers, Radish, Carrots,  Cabbage, Marigolds, Beans, Eggplant.  Not compatible-  Cucumbers

Beans  Companion-  Sunflowers, Corn, Nasturtiums, Beets, Squash.  Not compatible-  Garlic, Onions

Beets  Companion-  Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bush beans, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, kohlrabi, onions.  Not compatible-  Pole beans

Broccoli Companion–  Onions, Lettuce, Potatoes, Carrots, Cucumbers, Marigolds.  Not compatible-  Peppers, Tomatoes, Squash, Asparagus, Pole beans, Corn, Strawberries

Cabbage  Companion-  Garlic, Nasturtiums, Sage, Carrots.  Not compatible- Kolorabi, Tomatoes

Carrots  Companion–  Peas, Onions, Lettuce, Leeks, Radishes  Not compatible–  Potatoes, Dill 

Cauliflower  Companion-  Celery, Beets, Spinach, Chard.  Not Compatible-  Peas, Onions, Beans

Cilantro  Companion-  Basil, Tomatoes, Beans, Peas.  Not compatible-  Rosemary, Thyme, Lavender

Corn  Companion-  Cucumber, Squash, Lettuce, Potatoes,  Zinnias, Melons. Not compatible- Tomatoes, Broccoli, Kale, Cauliflower

Cucumbers  Companion–  Beans, Cauliflower, Dill, Onions, Radish, Zinnias, Nasturtiums, Marigolds. Not compatible-  Melons, Potatoes, Sage

Dill  Companion–  Asparagus, Corn, Onions, Cucumbers, Lettuce.  Not compatible-  Peppers, Eggplant, Potatoes, Cabbage

Eggplant Companion–  Peppers, Tomatoes, Potatoes, Spinach.  Not compatible-  Peas, Beans

Fennel  Companion–  Not compatible- this herb needs to be kept out of the garden, keep as far away as possible due to bad pests it will attract.

Kale  Companion–  Celery, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Onions, Peas, Potatoes.  Not compatible-  Broccoli, Kohlrabi, Swiss chard

Kohlrabi  Companion–  Lettuce, Peas, Cucumbers, Celery.  Not compatible-  Kale, Broccoli, Chard

Lavender  Companion-  All vegetables.  Not compatible-  Mint

Leeks  Companion-  Carrots, Cabbage, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Beets.  Not compatible-  Beans, Peas

Lettuce  Companion–  Carrots, Cucumber, Onions, Celery, Potatoes.  Not compatible–  Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale

Onions  Companion-  Tomatoes, Cabbage, Carrots, Swiss Chard, Lettuce.  Not compatible-  Peas, Beans

Peas  Companion-  Beans, Carrots, Cucumbers.  Not Compatible-  Onions, Garlic, Leeks

Peppers  Companion-  Carrots, Eggplant, Nasturtiums, Tomatoes, Squash.  Not compatible-  Peas, Beans, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Kale, Cabbage

Potatoes  Companion–  Beans, Cabbage, Corn, Marigolds.  Not compatible–  Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Onions, Carrots

Pumpkins  Companion-  Beans, corn, marigolds, nasturtiums, squash.  Not compatible-  Potatoes

Radishes  Companion-  Cucumber, Lettuce, Squash, Beans, Peas.  Not compatible-  Cauliflower, Cabbage, Potatoes

Rosemary  Companion-  Kale, Cabbage, Cauliflower.  Not compatible-  Tomatoes, Carrots, Potatoes, Pumpkins

Sage  Companion-  Rosemary, Tomatoes, Carrots, Strawberries, Cabbage.  Not compatible-  Onions, Leeks, Cucumbers

Squash  Companion-  Corn, Beans, Peas, Raddish, Tomatoes, Peppers, Nasturtiums.  Not compatible-  Onions, Beans, Potatoes

Spinach  Companion-  Peas, Beans, Strawberries, Nasturtiums, Lettuce, Squash.  Not Compatible-  Potatoes

Swiss ChardCompanion-  Beans, Lettuce, Cabbage, Broccoli.  Not compatible-  Mint, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Potatoes, Mellons

Thyne  Companion-  Potatoes, Tomatoes, Blueberries, Eggplant, Strawberries, Cabbage.  Not compatible-  parsley, cilantro, basil

Tomatillos  Companion-  Carrots, Onions Peppers.  Not compatible-  Dill, Potatoes, Eggplant.

Tomatoes  Companion–  Cucumber, Onions, Carrots, Tomatoes, Peppers, Squash, Basil, Spinach, Marigolds, Zinnias.  Not compatible–  Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Broccoli, Fennel

Specific benefits of companion planting

  • detracts pests against battles, aphids, carrot flys, white flys, cabbage moths, cabbage flys.
  • reduces exposure to different plant diseases making the plants more resistant.
  • Adds nutrients to the soil.

Dill and Basil keep hornworms away from tomatoes.

Marigolds are great companions around all vegetables attracting bees for pollination and eliminating nematodes that attack the roots of many vegetables.

Mint repels ants and cabbage moths.

Nasturtiums attract the aphids away from plants so that they do not attack the vegetable plants while attracting pollinators.

Zinnias attract pollinators add great color to the garden and detract cabbage moths while attracting ladybugs which are a great garden bug to have.

Basil adds flavors and nutrients to your tomatoes and helps to increase the production of the tomato plants.

Nasturtiums add flavor to cucumbers and add nutrients to the soil.

Peas and beans can help to add nutrients to the soil for each other for 2nd crop plantings.

Companions can also be beneficial to add shade and windbreaks for plants not needing the late afternoon heat of the day such as beans, peas, corn, cucumbers.  The shade of a plant can also act as a ground cover to prevent weeds and keep soil moisture through blocking the sun on the ground around the plant’s base.

Certain plants can add strong structures for plants to grow up them such as corn, sunflowers, and other strong structured plants.