Many vegetables can be planted together to benefit each other through companion planting, which helps improve soil nutrients, deter pests, and maximize garden productivity. Here are some common compatible vegetable pairings and their benefits:
- Tomatoes grow well with basil, carrots, celery, onions, parsley, and peppers. Basil repels tomato pests like hornworms and improves flavor. Avoid planting tomatoes near cabbage, potatoes, corn, and dill
- Corn, beans, and squash form the classic "three sisters" trio. Corn provides support for climbing beans, beans fix nitrogen in the soil, and squash shades the soil to retain moisture and suppress weeds
- Carrots pair well with onions, leeks, rosemary, sage, chives, and tomatoes. Sage repels carrot flies. Avoid planting carrots near dill, coriander, and parsnips
- Beans grow well with corn, cucumbers, peas, potatoes, radishes, and members of the cabbage family. Avoid planting beans near onions and beets
- Cucumbers do well with beans, corn, lettuce, dill, peas, and radishes. Avoid planting near sage, rosemary, broccoli, and cabbage
- Lettuce pairs well with mint, chives, garlic, beets, broccoli, carrots, corn, peas, and radishes. Avoid parsley and brassicas nearby
- Onions grow well with carrots, beets, cabbage, lettuce, parsnips, tomatoes, and marjoram. Avoid planting onions near asparagus, beans, and peas
- Peas are compatible with beans, carrots, corn, cucumbers, radishes, and mint. Avoid garlic and onions nearby
- Peppers benefit from basil, onions, spinach, and tomatoes. Avoid beans, brassicas, carrots, corn, cucumbers, radishes, turnips, mint, and chives
- Potatoes grow well with beans, cabbage, peas, corn, marigolds, and horseradish. Avoid planting potatoes near tomatoes
- Radishes pair well with cucumbers, carrots, onions, beets, cabbage, kale, lettuce, spinach, and squash. Avoid hyssop, broccoli, cauliflower, turnip, and mustard
- Spinach grows well with lettuce, mustard greens, chard, kale, and other leafy greens. Avoid planting near potatoes, corn, and peppers
- Squash (summer and winter) pairs well with beans, peas, radishes, dill, parsley, oregano, marigolds, and corn. Avoid planting squash near potatoes and cucumbers
These combinations help attract beneficial insects, repel pests, improve nutrient uptake, and optimize space and growth conditions in the garden
. Grouping plants with similar water needs and growth habits also enhances success
. In summary, companion planting involves pairing vegetables like tomatoes with basil, corn with beans and squash, carrots with onions and sage, and many others to create a mutually beneficial garden ecosystem
