Companion Planting for Vegetables

Make the most of your space and your efforts with this age-old technique of growing certain vegetables and herbs together for mutually beneficial purposes like soil condition, sun requirements, pest and weed control, climbing support, and more. Here are some classic vegetable companion groupings.

Tomatoes/Eggplants/Peppers + Herbs + Borage

Nightshades must be planted after the last threat of frost has passed. Edge the beds with herbs that like the same growing conditions, such as basil and parsley. Borage can also help keep away destructive tomato hornworms (and its periwinkle flowers taste like cucumber).

Potatoes + Beans

Plant seed potatoes in spring, after the soil thaws. Beans on poles or trellises make friendly upstairs neighbors, enriching the soil with nitrogen. The two plants hep deter pests that are known to plague the other.

Corn + Squash + Beans

Native Americans call these complementary plants the “three sisters”. Corn grows on a tall stalk, providing a natural support for beans and beans return the favor by adding nourishing nitrogen to the soil. Squash grows happily beneath the other two, helping to keep weeds down and the soil moist.

Radishes + Carrots

Let these roots mingle in the same row. They thrive in cooler temperates, so start them early. After radishes sprout and you put them up, there will be more room for the slower-growing carrots.

Cucumbers + Peas

Like beans, peas and cucumbers climb while they grow, so train then to fences and trellises. Start peas as soon as you can work the soil, then add cucumbers later, after the last frost.

Kale + Swiss Chard

These leafy greens will thrive together in the same bed, and both grow easily and quickly from seed. Spinach (a relative of chard) is another option here. Sow in early spring and continue to grow through fall.