Growing companion plants in the same garden not only make your garden more attractive but also bring a lot of great purposes. For example, you can maximize garden space, attract beneficial insects and pollinators, lure insect pests away from other food crops, provide shade or a wind barrier to other plants, cover the surface of the soil with edible plants to crowd out weeds, or even help boost the growth, flavor, or yields of food crops.
So, in the post today, we want to share 11 plant pairs that grow well together that you should know. If you are planning a companion garden, they are great options for your garden. Saving them you can make your growing experience even better with companion plants as they directly benefit your yield as well as you also can get to harvest them more. Check them right now!
#1 Nasturtium + Cucumber
Growing cukes up a trellis and lets the nasturtiums, which have a unique scent that seems to repel pests, grow in a colorful tumble underneath.
#2 Melons or Squash + Flowering Herbs
These are all vegetables that require pollinators to produce, so invite insect visitors into your garden by planting flowering herbs such as dill, fennel, and parsley near melons and squash.
#3 Sweet Alyssum + Swiss Chard
Alyssum is an annual that’s easy to grow from seed in between rows of vegetables. It’s a big attractor of hoverflies, which are beneficial insects that control aphids. Plant pretty Swiss chard as a border, interspersed with these delicate low-growing flowers.
#4 Corn + Pole Beans + Squash or Pumpkin
Corn gives the beans a place to climb. Beans convert atmospheric nitrogen to a form the plants can use. The spreading leaves of squash or pumpkin create a living mulch that reduces weeds and holds moisture.
#5 Calendula + Broccoli
These flowers exude a sticky substance on their stems that attract aphids and traps them there. Planting it next to her brassica crops, specifically, broccoli keeps the aphids off the broccoli. Plus, it brings in beneficial ladybugs to dine on the aphids.
#6 Lettuce + Tomatoes or Eggplants
Tomatoes and eggplant grow tall and eventually can shade cool-season crops such as lettuce, which doesn’t like heat. This trick may extend your lettuce season slightly.
#7 Radishes + Carrots
These two plants take up nutrients from different places in the soil so they aren’t competing for resources. Radishes mature quickly and don’t grow as deeply as carrots, which have a long taproot and take more days to mature.
#8 Tomatoes + Basil or Cilantro
Some gardeners believe basil improves the flavor of tomatoes, but it’s primarily planted because its strong scent may repel pests. Plus, if you let some of your basil or cilantro go to flower, it brings in the pollinators.
#9 Lettuce + Chives or Garlic
Aphids steer clear of smelly plants like chives or garlic, so try it near your lettuce. Or add alyssum nearby to bring in the beneficial insects.
#10 Roses + Geraniums or Chives
Plants with a strong odor or taste are said to discourage beetle and aphids. While there’s no guarantee it works, it’s certainly worth giving it a try to prevent roses from getting eaten by these pesky little bugs, which seemingly multiply overnight.
#11 Chamomile + Cabbage
Chamomile brings in the beneficial insects for brassicas such as cabbage.