Plant tomatoes next to

Companion Herbs for Tomato Gardens

Worst Tomato Companion Plants

These plants are infamous for inhibiting tomato plant growth and increasing their susceptibility to pests or diseases and should not be planted with tomatoes.

• Cabbage (Brassica) family: Relatives of cabbage cultivars stunt the growth of tomato plants (including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, ornamental kale, kohlrabi, rutabaga varieties, and turnip). However, some gardeners do like placing collard greens a few feet away from their tomato plants to lure away damaging harlequin bugs.
• Sweet Corn: The corn earworm is the same as the tomato fruitworm (Helicoverpa zea). Growing plants in proximity that are susceptible to the same pests can invite disaster and a decimated garden.
• Eggplant, hot peppers, and heirlom potatoes: These plants are in the nightshade family like tomatoes, and are all susceptible to early blight and late blight, which can build up in the soil and get worse each year. Avoid planting them near each other or in place of each other for at least three years. Tomato hornworms (Manduca quinquemaculata, the larva stage of the five-spotted hawkmoth) love the foliage and fruit of tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants and can quickly decimate plants. Also, planting tomatoes near potatoes can make the potatoes more susceptible to potato blight.
• Fennel: Fennel secretes a substance from its roots that inhibits tomato plant growth. This secretion affects many other garden plants, too. However, some gardeners deploy fennel to manage aphid invasions.
• Walnuts: Do not plant tomatoes under walnut or butternut trees, which produce an allelopathic chemical called juglone that inhibits the growth of tomatoes (and all the members of the nightshade family). Tomatoes are also susceptible to the disease walnut wilt.

Tomatoes and Roses

While several plants are touted as terrific tomato companions, tomatoes can act as companion plants, too. Tomatoes have been shown to protect flowering roses from a disease called black spot.

If you can't plant tomatoes among your roses, make a spray of liquefied tomato leaves, a tablespoon of cornstarch, and about 4 pints of water. Spritz your roses once a week to keep black spot at bay.

Great Companion Plants for Roses

Article Sources

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. Cover Crops. USDA.

2. Pest Control Companion Planting Chart. Brigham Young University. 

3. Phytophthora Blight. University of Massachusetts Vegetable Extension Program.

4. Baker, Brian P. and Grant, Jennifer A. Garlic and Garlic Oil Profile. New York State Integrated Pest Management. Cornell University.

5. Companion Planting Chart. University of California Cooperative Extension.

6. Gardening: It’s a Risky Business. Mississippi State University Extension, 2019. 

7. Gevens, Amanda; Seidl, Anna; Hudelson, Brian. Late Blight. University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension, 2017.

8. Bauske, Mitchell J.; Robinson, Andrew P.; Gudmestad, Neil C. Early Blight in Potato. North Dakota State University, 2018. 

9. Herb Gardening. Colorado State University Extension.

10. Walnut Wilt. Kansas State University Research and Extension, 2022.

11. Gray, Laveryne. Companion Plantings: Tomatoes and Roses. Marion County Master Gardeners.  

Companion Planting Guide for Vegetable Gardens

Grow the right plants close together for beneficial results all-around

By

Nadia Hassani

Nadia Hassani

Nadia Hassani is a gardening expert with nearly 20 years of experience in landscaping, garden design, and vegetable and fruit gardening. She became a Penn State Master Gardener in 2006 and is a regular contributor to Penn State Master Gardener publications. She gives gardening talks about growing specialty produce for ethnic cuisines, authors two gardening and growing blogs, and created the taxonomy for the plant encyclopedia for Better Homes & Gardens.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 09/25/22

Reviewed by

Mary Marlowe Leverette

Reviewed by Mary Marlowe Leverette

Mary Marlowe Leverette is one of the industry's most highly-regarded housekeeping and fabric care experts, sharing her knowledge on efficient housekeeping, laundry, and textile conservation. She is also a Master Gardener with over 40 years' experience; writing for over 20 years.

Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board

The Spruce / Madelyn Goodnight

In This Article

• Benefits

• Companion Planting Chart

• Best Companion Plants

• Companion Planting with Herbs

• Flowers as Companion Plants

• Companion Planting Mistakes to Avoid

Companion planting is the practice of growing different plants together for mutual benefit. The research on the benefits of planting certain crops together focuses on vegetable gardens, but ornamentals like roses can also benefit from knowing compatible plants to help prevent disease and insect infestation.

Unlike other areas of gardening, this type of gardening is not always based on hard scientific facts but on observations, the type of garden lore found in farmer’s almanacs. There is always an element of trial and error to see what works for you. However, understanding your garden as a system of biodiversity where plants are all connected and interdependent on each other helps you make better plant choices. Read on for a chart with recommended companion planting choices and other tips for popular garden crops.

What Is Companion Planting?

Companion planting is best defined as the practice of planting different plant species in close proximity so that they can offer identifiable benefits to one another. Sometimes the benefit is one-sided, with one plant selflessly offering most of the partnership advantages to the other. In other cases, the benefit is mutual, with each plant enhancing the other's health or vigor.

Benefits of Companion Planting

There are numerous benefits to companion planting. Plants can attract beneficial insects and pollinators, deter pests, and act as insect repellants. They can fend off predators and undesirable wildlife. Raccoons, for instance, dislike the smell of cucumbers.

Plants also play a role in soil fertility by improving the nutrient supply, availability, and uptake from the soil. Tall plants such as corn can provide shade for crops like lettuce which does not do well in the hot summer sun, and they can serve as support for crops that need trellising. Interplanting different crops can help mark garden rows, and distinguish fast germinating plants like radishes from slower germinating plants like lettuce. Proper companion planting can even help suppress weeds.

Companion Planting Chart

Before you even start thinking about companion planting in your garden, make sure that you follow the rules of crop rotation. Don’t plant the same garden crop in the same spot for consecutive gardening years, as this can lead to pest and disease problems, as well as nutrient imbalances.

Depending on the source you consult, information on which plants make good companion plants for each other can vary greatly. There are only a few “hard facts” that are unanimously and universally agreed upon, such as the benefits of planting corn, pole beans, and pumpkins together. The corn provides support for the beans which pull nitrogen from the air to benefit the corn's roots. The pumpkins thrive in the dappled shade of the corn and suppress weeds and keep the ground cooler to conserve water.

Here is a list of popular garden crops with their anecdotal recommended companion plants:

28 Garden Crops	Companion plants
Asparagus	Calendula, Petunias, Tomatoes
Basil	Peppers, Purslane, Tomatoes
Beans	Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Garden peas, Potatoes, Radishes, Squash, Strawberries, Tomatoes
Beets	Brassicas, Bush beans, Garlic, Lettuce, Onion family
Broccoli	Oregano, other Brassicas (cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, etc. )
Brussels sprouts	Basil, Beans, Beet, Carrot, Garlic, Mint, Nasturtium, Onion, Peas, Thyme
Cabbage	Other cole crops (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Collard greens, Kale, Kohlrabi, Rutabagas, Turnips), Onions, Potatoes
Carrots	Chives, Leeks, Onions, Peas, Radishes, Rosemary, Sage
Cauliflower	Beans, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Celery, Corn, Onions, Radish, Spinach, Cucumber
Corn	Beans, Cucumbers, Garden peas, Melons, Potatoes, Squash
Cucumber	Beans, Beets, Corn, Onions, Garden peas, Radishes
Dill	Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Corn, Cucumber, Lettuce, Onion
Eggplant	Beans, Catnip, Marigold, Peas, Pepper
Garlic	Beets, Carrots, Cole crops, Eggplant, Peppers, Potatoes, Tomatoes
Kale	Beet, Beans, Celery, Cucumber, Dill, Garlic, Lettuce, Mint, Onion, Peas, Pepper, Potato, Rosemary, Sage, Spinach
Lettuce	Corn, Pumpkins, Radishes, Squash
Onions	Beets, Carrots, Cole crops, Lettuce
Peas	Beans, Carrots, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Peppers, Radishes, Spinach, Tomatoes
Peppers	Basil, Onions, Okra
Potatoes	Beans, Cole crops, Corn, Lettuce, Spinach, Radishes
Radishes	Chervil, Lettuce, Nasturtium, Peas
Rosemary	Beans, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Kale
Spinach	Beans, Cilantro, Eggplant, Oregano, Peas, Rosemary, Strawberries
Strawberries	Borage, Bush beans, Caraway, Chives, Lettuce, Onions, Sage, Spinach, Squash
Tomatoes	Basil (and other herbs); Carrots, Cucumbers, and Squash (as part of a three-way companion partnership)
Watermelon (and other melons)	Broccoli, Corn, Garlic, Radishes
Winter squash (including pumpkins)	Beans (pole), Buckwheat, Calendula, Corn Marigold, Nasturtium, Oregano
Zucchini (and other summer squash)	Beans, Corn, Garden peas, Radishes

Best Companion Plants

Some vegetable combinations are superstars in bringing out the best in one another, or in preventing common pest and disease problems. Among these outstanding combinations:

• Corn, pole beans, and squash: Known as the "three sisters," this combination was first developed by American Indian people centuries ago. Corn, with its sturdy stems, provides upright support for climbing beans. for their part, the pole beans fix nitrogen in the soil, providing essential nutrients for all three sisters. And the large leaves of the ground-dwelling squash shade the soil, retain moisture, and block out weeds.
• Cucumbers, sunflowers, and pole beans: The principle here is the same as for the three sisters: the sunflower provides support for climbing pole beans, while cucumber vines shield the ground.
• Basil and tomatoes: These can be considered "best friends" in the garden. Basil repels thrips and disrupts the habits of the moths that cause tomato hornworms.
• Sage, with carrots or cabbage. Sage is a proven repellant for carrot flies and cabbage moths.
• Parsley and tomatoes: Parsley attracts beneficial insects that help keep control of damaging insects that prey on tomato plants.

In addition, there are some plants that offer benefits to almost any plant they are paired with—either by repelling damaging insects or attracting beneficial insects that prey on the bad guys. These champions include:

• Nasturiums: This plant lures hungry caterpillars away from brassicas, including cabbage, broccoli, and kale,
• Mint: This plant has an odor that strongly repels aphids, ants, and flea beetles.
• Garlic: This onion relative has a strong scent that is repugnant to aphids and all repels a variety of mites, moths, and beetles.
• Dill: This plant is known to attract ladybugs, which are voracious eaters of damaging aphids and spider mites.

Companion Planting with Herbs

Not every garden is large enough to grow a variety of crops for companion planting. But that does not mean that you cannot take advantage of the numerous benefits that herbs offer like trapping and repelling pests and attracting pollinators and other beneficial insects to increase the biodiversity in your backyard.

From aphids to tomato hornworms, these are just a few of the culinary herbs that can take care of different pests in your garden, or attract beneficial insects:

• Basil
• Borage
• Chives
• Cilantro
• Lavender
• Mint
• Oregano
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Thyme

Allow some of the herbs to bloom because that’s when they become a real magnet for beneficial insects.

Flowers as Companion Plants

Planting flowers in your vegetable garden does more than create beauty and provide cut flowers. Annuals such as nasturtiums, sunflowers, marigolds, and zinnias, and perennials such as lavender repel pests and attract beneficial insects.

Companion Planting Mistakes to Avoid

Just as there are plants that make good neighbors, there are plenty of opportunities to plant bad neighbors. Generally, plants that compete because of similar nutrient needs, water, space—aboveground growth and belowground root systems—as well as sunlight should not be planted next to each other.

Crops that are susceptible to the same plant disease, such as blight, should be kept as far as possible from each other to prevent it from spreading. The same applies to pests.

Some crops can inhibit the growth of other plants. Fennel is often offered as an example of a poor companion plant that should be given its own spot in the garden far away from all other crops.

Article Sources

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. Companion Planting in the Vegetable Garden. University of Massachusetts Amhurst.

2. Using Crop Rotation in Vegetable Gardens. Washington State University.

3. Try Companion Planting. Oregon State University.

What can be planted next to tomatoes in the greenhouse and outdoors

What to plant next to tomatoes is not an idle question. The volume and quality of the future harvest sometimes directly depends on the neighbors in the garden. If you choose the right options for garden crops for joint plantings, the plants will grow healthier and stronger - checked!

Even if you do not have the goal of saving space on the plot (in the greenhouse) and your own forces for processing the beds, you should carefully approach the issue of selecting neighboring crops. Firstly, so that they do not exchange the same diseases and pests, and secondly, so that they do not oppress each other. In the best case, properly selected companions will even help neighboring plants, creating a kind of symbiosis in the garden. nine0003

What can be planted with tomatoes outdoors

So, what to plant next to the tomatoes in the same garden? For example, legumes ( beans or beans ), which will enrich the soil and improve its structure. In general, this applies to the neighborhood of tomatoes with almost any green manure - mustard (and it will also help against late blight and scab), phacelia, cereals .

Perfect combination of tomatoes and greens - all types lettuce, parsley, celery, onion, spinach, asparagus, sorrel ... But with umbrellas (dill, fennel) and lemon balm, it is better to avoid the neighborhood of tomatoes.

It's also a good idea to surround tomatoes with herbs: plant thyme, sage, mint, basil . By the way, ordinary nettle and borage (borage) repel soil pests, extend the shelf life of fruits and even improve the quality of tomato juice! In general, almost any herbs and green crops help tomatoes suffer less from harmful insects. nine0003

Is it possible to plant cabbage next to tomatoes? Yes, provided that it is head and early (for example, varieties Nakhodka, Express, Miracle ultra-early ). Cabbage seedlings are planted in the garden in the spring, with a distance between rows of at least 1.5 m. And when it finally gets warmer, between plantings you you can place tomato seedlings, which will feel great.

By the way, with such a neighborhood you will please not only tomatoes, but also cabbage itself - cabbage butterflies do not like neighborhoods with nightshade, which means that your crop will remain untouched. nine0003

Such plantings can also be "diluted" with onions and garlic , which will not only fit perfectly into the company of cabbage and tomatoes, but will also release phytoncides, protecting all neighbors from phytophthora.

Suitable for the neighborhood with tomatoes and "imposter", it is also Peking cabbage , which is actually one of the subspecies of turnip. Pekinka will feel great as a planting compactor "at the feet" of tomatoes.

But peas, cauliflower, broccoli and kohlrabi are not the best neighbors for tomatoes. nine0003

Plant marigolds in a bed with tomatoes (or even around the perimeter of the entire garden), they perfectly repel insect pests.

Root crops - carrots, radishes and beets - also get along well with tomatoes even on the same bed.

Good "partners" for tomatoes are also gourds - melons and watermelons , unless of course your site allows you to grow such light and heat-loving wonders. For our latitudes, tomatoes are more likely to be adjacent to another representative of this group - from pumpkin , with whom they also have a great relationship.

An interesting idea would be the combined planting of tomatoes and early strawberries - and save space, and get two crops from one garden bed (both berries and vegetables). Just make sure that the selected variety of tomatoes is not too tall and does not take away all the sunlight from the strawberries.

It must be understood that tomatoes can not only benefit from neighboring plants, but they themselves can be excellent partners. For example, when planting tomatoes next to berry bushes ( currant, gooseberry ) they will drive away the moth and sawfly from the last.

And if you plant tomatoes near bird cherry , then it will scare away the nightshade scoop.

Today there are many varieties and varieties of all the above crops. Consider their characteristics (ripening time, growth and size of the plant) so that they "like the tomato" as the main crop.

The most unfortunate neighbors for tomatoes are potatoes and corn. At a minimum, all of them are very demanding on nutrients in the soil, which means that they will simply be strong food competitors. Secondly, they either have the same diseases in their "history" (late blight), or suffer from the invasion of the same pests (Colorado potato beetle, cotton scoop, wireworm), which they can "exchange". nine0003

What to plant next to tomatoes in a greenhouse

To grow tomatoes in a closed room with its own microclimate, and even with neighbors, you need to clearly remember the requirements of the main crop. Tomatoes prefer good lighting (however, cloudy weather is not critical for them), moderate air temperature, frequent airing, regular fertilizing and watering under the root. When choosing greenhouse neighbors, you need to focus on plants with similar requirements. When deciding what else can be planted in a greenhouse along with tomatoes, you also need to take into account the size of the room, the material of the roof and walls, the presence of additional doors and vents. nine0003

So, with what you can plant tomatoes in a greenhouse. According to the above example with the open ground option, in the greenhouse, for starters, in the same way, before planting tomatoes, early and fast-growing crops can be densely sown - onions and garlic for feathers, lettuces, radishes, kale . When the time comes for seedlings of tomatoes, just make room for them among these crops and for at least another month you will be able to harvest the "pioneers" while the tomatoes are just developing. nine0003

What else? Almost all the same crops that we described above, if you prefer to grow them in a greenhouse - gourds, legumes, greens, cabbage, strawberries, spicy herbs ... The main thing is not to forget to tie tall and voluminous tomato bushes so that they do not obscure from the sun of smaller brothers in the greenhouse.

Consider some of the most frequently asked questions about the possible neighbors of tomatoes in the greenhouse.

Is it possible to plant tomatoes and cucumbers side by side

Cucumbers and tomatoes in a greenhouse, in principle, do not interfere with each other. The main problem may be their different microclimate requirements. Judge for yourself.

Tomatoes :

• prefer moderate temperatures and dry air,
• require regular ventilation of the greenhouse,
• very picky about fertilization,
• love root watering.

Cucumbers :

• prefer high temperatures and high humidity,
• do not tolerate drafts,
• may well do without other plentiful dressings, provided that organic matter is applied in a timely manner,
• love abundant watering and sprinkling.

Therefore, if possible, it is better to settle these crops in different greenhouses or take the cucumbers into the open ground under the film.

Is it possible to plant peppers next to tomatoes

Tomatoes and peppers have quite similar requirements for humidity and temperature conditions in the greenhouse. In addition, peppers, like tomatoes, need a garter. So a common trellis is quite suitable for them - at a height of about 2 m, stretch the wire.

Tomatoes will also help repel aphids that love peppers.

However, peppers and tomatoes belong to the same family (Solanaceae), which means that they share the same diseases and pests, which will perfectly roam from one crop to another. If you are able to provide good protection against insects and infections for both, feel free to plant these plants together (a checkerboard pattern is recommended). The presence of marigolds around the perimeter of the structure will also help. nine0003

Just remember that both cultures love the light, so do not thicken the plantings, and also tie the plants in time and correctly.

Can eggplants be planted next to tomatoes

The main problem of joint cultivation of tomatoes and eggplants in a greenhouse is the same as in the previous case - common diseases and pests of the same family.

Their microclimate requirements are not particularly similar:

• eggplant needs much more light for full development,
• eggplant is a more thermophilic crop than tomato,
• eggplant likes much more humid air than tomatoes,
• Eggplant needs more moisture when watering.

Therefore, if possible, avoid growing these crops in the greenhouse at the same time.

If this is not possible (this also applies to the case with cucumbers and peppers), and you are determined to grow both plants this season, try to optimize their place of residence, somehow delimit the territory of the greenhouse into areas with different microclimates . This can be done using self-made (plywood, plastic film, non-woven material) or industrially (special modules) partitions. It is also good to separate crops into separate beds - heat-loving ones are planted away from the entrance and drafts, and tomatoes are placed closer to the greenhouse doors. nine0003

In any case, placing crops that are not very compatible in the same greenhouse, be prepared for a slight decrease in the yield of each of them.

And, of course, if you are waiting for a plentiful harvest, growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, you should remember not only about their neighbors, but also about the rules for caring for them and competent agricultural technology.

In any case, each plot or greenhouse has its own size, soil, microclimate ... Even if you follow the above recommendations, keep in mind that they are quite general. Only your personal experience and observations of your own plants will help you choose the right growing method. nine0003

Information about what can be planted with tomatoes will not be complete without knowing what should not be planted with them in any case. Find the best way to combine plants in the garden and enjoy a great harvest!

What to plant next to tomatoes, is it possible to plant cucumbers and cabbage next to tomatoes

Content:

• Planting together
• Excellent neighborhood
• What not to plant tomatoes with

top ten vegetables in the world. It has been cultivated since the 8th century. Peru is considered the birthplace of the vegetable. About 10 thousand varieties are now known. They differ in size, weight, color, taste: the smallest is about 2 cm in diameter, and the largest is 1.5 kg. These fruits are red, black, yellow. They contain a large amount of vitamins and minerals useful for humans. Tomatoes are widely used in cooking, because they retain their useful qualities even after heat treatment. nine0003

The tomato belongs to the nightshade family and is commonly grown as an annual crop. In most regions of Russia, the seedling method is used. Harvest can be obtained both in protected and open ground. The optimum temperature for growth is 22-28°C. Does not tolerate frost. Gardeners grow varieties of different bush heights. They also differ in terms of maturation.

Planting together

Growing a high yield of vegetables is easy. Any gardener thinks about what can be planted nearby so that all plants feel good. Recently, more and more often, gardeners began to grow different vegetables in the same garden. nine0003

Planting together has many advantages:

• increased yield from the same area;
• reduction in the consumption of mineral fertilizers;
• this way you can protect plants from diseases and pests without resorting to pesticides;
• fruit taste is improved;
• reduced soil depletion;
• planting land is used throughout the season.

Joint landings are placed according to certain principles. It is not necessary to memorize the entire list of good and bad neighbors, it is important to understand why this happens. nine0003

Tomatoes, who will be their neighbors

Rules for placing joint plantings:

• Do not select plants of the same family, because they may suffer from the same pests, diseases.
• Do not oppress each other in nutrition and access to sunlight.
• Do not place nearby plants with different moisture and temperature requirements.
• Observe crop rotation.

One of the options for mixed plantings is the following order: early culture, main, subsequent. So, before planting tomato seedlings in a permanent place, you can place radishes, onions on a feather, lettuce, Chinese cabbage in the garden. nine0003

Excellent Neighborhood

Many plots have one defensive structure for earlier vegetable harvests. Therefore, questions arise about how to plant more different plants, while making sure that they do not oppress each other. What can be planted next to tomatoes if they take up most of the greenhouse?

Video: What can be planted next to corn

In greenhouses, gardeners combine plantings with pepper. How justified is this?

Pepper and tomato are good neighbors because:

• tomato saves pepper from aphids;
• conditions of detention are similar, the same temperature and humidity are needed;
• both cultures need a tie, so one trellis can be pulled.

This neighborhood is acceptable if it is good to protect vegetables from diseases and pests.

Please note! If you plant basil next to tomatoes, pests will be less likely to raid them. Experts also argue that the taste of a tomato benefits from such a neighborhood. nine0003

What else can be planted? Watermelons, melons get along well in the same greenhouse with tomatoes. It is convenient to plant lettuce, radishes, onions, spinach, dill nearby in the greenhouse. They can be placed indoors even before the tomatoes are placed there. It must be remembered that dill should be removed in time so that adult plants do not take food from the main crop.

Peppers and tomatoes, great allies