Companion planting has been around for hundreds of years. Companion planting pairs plants that offer benefits to their neighbours. Learning which plants to plant next to each other will help you regulate pests, reduce water consumption and produce healthier, more abundant veggies this summer.
Benefits of Companion Planting
Pest control: some bugs don’t like certain plants. Planting them next to the bug’s favourite meal will protect your crops. An example of this is that many bugs hate the smell of garlic.
Pollinator Pals: Planting flowers that bees and other pollinators are attracted to can really help to pollinate your veggies, improving yields.
Throwing Shade: Planting larger plants next to those who like a little shade will mean you use less water.
Helping Hand: Taller plants like sunflowers and corn can provide natural support for climbers like peas and beans.
Soil Buddies: Every plant takes some nutrients from the soil and returns others. When you pair plants which support each other with nutrients, everybody wins.
| Veggies | Companions | Benefits |
| Asparagus | Calendula Tomatoes | Companions deter asparagus beetles |
| Basil | Peppers Tomatoes | Basil boosts the flavour of peppers and tomatoes |
| Beans | Corn Nasturtium Rosemary Squash | Nasturtiums repels aphids away from the beans. Rosemary deters insects. Corn provides a pole for the beans to climb and benefits from their nitrogen. Squash shades the bean’s roots so they need less water. |
| Beets | Onion Garlic | Onion and garlic deter cutworms. Beets add magnesium to the soil. |
| Cabbage | Garlic Nasturtium Sage | Nasturtiums keep beetles and aphids away. Garlic repels pests and sage keeps away cabbage moth. |
| Carrots | Chives Rosemary Sage Leeks | Chives boost the flavour of carrots and keeps aphids, mites and flies away. Rosemary, leeks and sage repel carrot fly. Don’t plant dill near your carrots. |
| Corn | Beans Dill Dwarf sunflowers Spinach Squash | Dill repels aphids and mites. Beans provide nitrogen. Sunflowers bring ladybugs which eat aphids. Spinach and squash like the shade and provide their own shade to reduce evaporation. |
| Cucumbers | Dill Nasturtium Oregano Radish Tansy | Dill repels aphids and mites. Nasturtium controls aphids, beetles and bugs and improves flavour. Oregano deters pests. Radish, nasturtium and tansy control cucumber beetles and flea beetles, ants and flying insects. |
| Lettuce | Chives Onion Garlic Basil | Chives, onions and garlic control aphids. Basil improves flavour. |
| Onions | Marigolds | Marigold’s smell reduces the egg laying of maggot fly. |
| Peas | Mint Alyssum | Mint improves flavour. Alyssum attracts pollinators. Do not plant near garlic and onion. |
| Peppers | Basil Oregano Marjoram | These herbs deter insects. |
| Potatoes | Beans Cilantro Calendula Tansy Horseradish Catmint | Nitrogen from beans can make potatoes bigger. Cilantro controls aphids, spider mites and potato beetles. Calendula, Tansy, catmint and horseradish control Colorado Potato Beetle. |
| Radishes | Chervil Peas | Chervil improves size and flavour. Peas provide nitrogen. |
| Squash and Pumpkins | Beans Calendula Corn Nasturtiums Oregano | Nasturtiums control pumpkin and squash beetles. Oregano provides general pest control. Calendula deters beetles and root nematodes. |
| Spinach | Peas Beans Cilantro Oregano Rosemary | Peas and beans provide shade and nitrogen. Cilantro, oregano and rosemary repel insects. |
| Tomatoes | Calendula Asparagus Basil Borage Dill Thyme | Calendula provides pest control. Asparagus repels nematodes. Basil controls whiteflies, spider mites and aphids and attracts pollinators. Borage controls hornworms. Dill controls cutworms and attracts parasitic wasps. Thyme controls armyworms. |
| Zucchini | Nasturtiums | Nasturtiums control aphids and whiteflies. |