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What grows well with cucumbers


What's Good, Bad, and Best

Reviewed by

Mary Marlowe Leverette

Reviewed by Mary Marlowe Leverette

Mary has been a Master Gardener for 30+ years and a commercial and residential gardener for 50+ years. She is a former Clemson University Extension Agent.

Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board

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In This Article

Being picky about what you grow alongside your easy-to-cultivate cucumbers can mean the difference between a meager or magnificent harvest. The best cucumber companion plants help deter pests and don't compete with this member of the gourd family for water or nutrients. The worst neighbors do just the opposite.

But what garden plants fare well alongside these vigorous vines, and which ones should you steer clear of?

Best Cucumber Companion Plants

Some of the most popular plants to grow alongside cucumbers include:

Learn more about why these are the best cucumber companion plants and why you should not grow incompatible companions such as potatoes, sage, mint, and melon.

Tip

Tomatoes and other cucurbits (zucchini, squash, pumpkin) grow in similar conditions to cucumbers. They also attract similar pollinators to increase your plant's harvest. Although you can plant them together, these plants are not on the list as "best" cucumber companion plants because they are susceptible to some of the same diseases (like mosaic virus or blight). If one plant gets infected, it's possible to wipe out your entire crop.

What Is Companion Planting?

Companion planting is the practice of growing different species together based on their ability to enhance one another's development, offer some form of pest protection, or other advantages.

Sometimes it is a matter of choosing plants with different growth habits that do not compete with one another for space, or it can mean choosing companions with varying nutrient needs to use soil efficiently. Ideally, companion plants help ward off destructive insects, making garden pest management easier.

Some companion planting simply involves common sense—making sure that taller plants don't provide too much shade to low-growing plants, for instance. Strategic companion planting is especially important in small gardens or wherever careful space planning is needed. 

Benefits of Companion Planting

Seasoned gardeners swear by companion planting because it increases the health and productivity of crops like cucumbers. The benefits of selecting appropriate companion plants for cucumbers or any other plant include:

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Best Companion Plants for Cucumbers

Various vegetables, flowers, and herbs make excellent cucumber companion plants. These include:

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Worst Companion Plants for Cucumbers

Steer clear of the following vegetables, herbs, and fruits when selecting your cucumber companion plants.

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The Best Companion Plants For Zucchini and Squash

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. Cucumber Mosaic. University of Wisconsin Division of Extension

  2. Companion Planting. Cornell University Extension Service

  3. Montoya, John E., et al. ‘Pollinator-Attracting Companion Plantings Increase Crop Yield of Cucumbers and Habanero Peppers’. HortScience, vol. 55, no. 2, Feb. 2020, pp. 164–69. journals.ashs.org, https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI14468-19.

  4. Your Own Vegetable Garden of Eden: Companion Planting. Cornell University Master Gardeners.

  5. Ali, Ahmad, et al. ‘Garlic Substrate Induces Cucumber Growth Development and Decreases Fusarium Wilt through Regulation of Soil Microbial Community Structure and Diversity in Replanted Disturbed Soil’. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, vol. 21, no. 17, Aug. 2020, p. 6008. PubMed Central, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21176008.

The Best Companion Plants For Zucchini and Squash

The popular garden phrase "companion planting" refers to the art of intentionally placing certain vegetables, fruits and herbs next to each other in your raised garden bed or soil plot in an effort to enhance their growth. Different plants can help one another in different ways, either by offering protection from pests, amplifying the delicious flavor of a vegetable or fruit, keeping weeds at bay, preserving moisture, or adding nutrients to the soil. In some instances, tall sturdy plants can even provide some much-needed structure and support for nearby vining varieties like beans and peas.

Companion Plants for Zucchini and Squash

The best companion plants for zucchini and squash include beans and corn, a classic combination that benefits all three plants. This combination of plants has long been known as the "three sisters" approach and was practiced by the Seneca branch of the Iroquoian American Indian nation for centuries before Europeans arrived in North America and were taught the method.

Radishes, peas, peppermint, dill, parsley, oregano, and even flowers like marigolds or nasturtiums are a few other options for gardeners. Most importantly, zucchini and squash should grow with plants that also need regular watering but don't take up too much space.

Both zucchini and summer squash (members of the Cucurbia pepo species) require a lot of room in the garden, making it essential to find companion plants with opposite traits. They are also heavy feeders. Their broad leaves and vining nature offer shade which helps keep weeds in check and retain soil moisture which will benefit companion plants with those requirements. With this in mind, you can successfully choose plant companions that will thrive alongside these popular summer vegetables.

Tip

When plotting out your garden and choosing which plants to place near one another, you'll want to to focus on selecting plants that have different growth habits so that they do not out-compete each other for sun and nutrients. For small gardens, strategic companion planting is recommended in order to conserve space and create as bountiful a yield as possible in a small footprint.

The Three Sisters

Beans, corn, and squash are the ultimate companion plants in the gardening world. This top-notch trio is typically planted together in indigenous peoples' gardens and is collectively known as "the three sisters." Legend describes these three plants as "gifts from the gods," noting they should always be planted, eaten, and cherished together.

Each "sister" adds her own unique offering to the garden ecosystem. The beans (or any legume, including peas) pull nitrogen from the air and fixate it into the soil. Nitrogen-fixing plants benefit all other plants—especially heavy feeders like zucchini and squash—by providing the nutrients they need to grow. Corn, with its tall, sturdy stalk, gives vining plants like beans a backbone on which to trellis themselves.

Additionally, both corn and squash have the same moisture and soil fertility requirements, making them impeccable neighbors. The ample growth of squash and zucchini plants shade the soil and prevent the infiltration of weeds, while their spiny leaves deter rodents who may enjoy a bean or sweet corn snack. 

The Spruce / K. Dave 

Other Companions for Zucchini and Summer Squash

While the three sisters are common companion plants for zucchini and summer squash, they're not the only options. Mixing edible flowers and herbs into your vegetable garden will make it pleasing to the eye and can benefit your crops. Flowers like nasturtiums and marigolds act as a "trap crop" (a plant used to attract pests from another crop) for flea beetles and aphids (nasturtiums also repel squash vine borers). If you commonly deal with bugs in your garden, edge the perimeter of your squash plants with these two flowers—as a bonus, both plants bear colorful flowers that can be eaten, too. Nasturtium's spiciness adds a nip to a butter lettuce salad, while marigold's sweetness mellows out the peppery taste of arugula.

Fragrant herbs like peppermint, dill, oregano, lemon balm, and parsley help ward off pests and insects from squashes. However, take care when planting different varieties together—when strong-smelling herbs are planted side-by-side, their tastes can become altered. Additionally, two herbs that are heavy feeders can compete with each other and the squash plants for vital nutrients. On the flip side, blooming herbs like borage attract honeybees—crucial pollinators for any garden—and will increase the yield of your harvest.

Giving your zucchini and summer squash plenty of space to spread out is one of the most important considerations as you plan your garden. Other cool season crops like lettuces, beets, and radishes can be succession planted in garden areas shaded from the intense summer heat.

Good companion plants for zucchini and other summer squash work in one of three ways: by repelling damaging insects, by attracting useful insects, or by improving cultural conditions for the zucchini plants. Many plants offer more than one benefit. Here is a list of helpful companions categorized according to the benefits they offer:

Pest Control Companions

Growth Companions

Beneficial Insect Companions

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Companion Plants to Avoid

While there are many plants that work great together, there are some flowers and vegetables that shouldn't be in the same plot of soil. There are several bad companions for zucchini and other types of summer squash. For example, Irish potatoes shouldn't be planted with squash, cucumbers, pumpkins or tomatoes, as they can negatively impact a variety of other vegetables planted nearby, due to their ability to deplete the soil of nutrients. For this reason, many potato farmers often rotate their crops year after year, making sure to plant nitrogen fixers in their place before reintroducing a subsequent potato crop to that same spot the following year.

It's not a good idea to mix zucchini or summer squash with another vining ground crop. For example, don't plant cucumbers and zucchini together, as the vines will become enmeshed and may even choke one another out. Similarly, it's not a good idea to plant zucchini next to other types of squash, such as pumpkins, for the same reason.

Tips for Success

Both zucchini and summer squash are heavy producers when grown in the correct conditions and this means less is often more. Two or three plants can provide enough yield for a family of four. You will enjoy a better yield with fewer healthy plants than with 5 or 6 crowded together. While you may see these plants for sale at your local garden nursery, both are easily grown by simply pressing a seed into the soil.

You may want to experiment with different companion crops until you find the perfect combination to fit your personal tastes and growing conditions. Avoid planting zucchini and summer squash with all other vining plants which include cucumbers and sweet potatoes as well as pumpkins, winter squashes, and melons.

It helps to know that these summer-type squashes tend to hide among the large leaves and vines of the plant, so check your plants daily as they begin to fruit. They can grow overnight to an unpalatable size, especially after a good rainfall.

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A Companion Planting Trio: Tomatoes, Borage, and Squash

What can be planted next to cucumbers

Usually mixed landings occur where there is not enough space. But there are also experimenters, and they like to combine different crops in the beds and in the greenhouse. Beautiful to the eye and pleasing to the soul. And the earth is not idle. You just need to choose the right plant "neighbors".

Important things to do this week
Southern Moscow region, 16 weeks

Onion

Disinfect and dry onion sets before planting

Tomatoes

Feed the seedlings with complex mineral fertilizer

Apple tree

Apply nitrogen fertilizers to the trunk circle

Gooseberries

Carry out sanitary pruning9 bushes, burn all cut 903

clematis 0002 Remove cover from clematis of the first and second pruning groups

Peonies

Carry out preventive treatment of bushes and soil from fungal diseases

Garden

Install trapping belts at a height of 50-60 cm from ground level

Show more

When placing cucumbers next to other crops, you need to focus on several factors that make it impossible for them to fully coexist. This is incompatibility due to differences in conditions of detention, the struggle for nutrients and space, the tendency to common infections, as well as the ability to pollinate among themselves. In other cases, nothing prevents crops from successfully dividing the total area. By the way, the same rules apply to mixed plantings of any plants, not just cucumbers.

What vegetable and fruit crops to plant with cucumbers

So, using the elimination method, we immediately cross out all pumpkin (including melons) and nightshade from the list. You should not plant carrots there either: cucumbers need too much organic matter, which it simply cannot cope with and risks burning out. Of the remaining crops, onion and garlic are the first to come to mind. And their neighborhood with cucumbers is recognized as one of the most successful. Firstly, these crops repel some pests, and secondly, they do not harm the cucumber crop at all (however, this is mutual). However, some distance should still be maintained between cucumbers and onions, since onion watering is reduced a month before harvesting, and cucumbers need moisture during this period.

Another good variant of the neighborhood with cucumbers is all types of cabbage, as well as other cruciferous ones. Their care conditions are almost the same, and therefore they get along well with each other. However, there is one caveat in the neighborhood of cucumbers and radishes: it is better to plant the latter along the edge of the cucumber ridge so that the root crop does not crowd the root system of the pumpkin culture. The same situation is with root crops belonging to other families, for example, with beets. For a cucumber, she is a successful neighbor, but it is optimal to plant her not directly under the vine, but a little to the side.

Of the tall crops, sunflower and corn will be excellent "companions" of the cucumber whip: this is both a successful support, and protection from direct sunlight, drafts, and the lack of competition for nutrients. Another great tall "neighbor" is any legume. Moreover, it can even be placed inside the cucumber ridge, and the legumes will saturate the soil with nitrogen, which cucumbers love so much. Nothing bad will happen if you plant strawberries near cucumbers.

Output. The best fruit crops-neighbors for cucumber are cruciferous, onion, garlic, corn, legumes, sunflowers and strawberries.

Earlier we wrote about why you should not plant some other vegetable plants next to cucumbers.

What greens to plant next to cucumbers

It is undesirable to sow many herbs next to cucumbers, because their "bright" aroma negatively affects the taste of fruits (these are basil, thyme, rosemary). But dill, mint, parsley, fennel and arugula will perfectly complement the cucumber company.

If cabbage grows next to cucumbers, supplement the bed with leaf celery (but in this case you will have to do without parsley and dill, because they do not grow well next to each other). Celery repels some pests from these crops and promotes the growth of vegetables. Cucumber and spinach coexist well on the same ridge. Between plantings, onions and garlic grown on a feather will take root perfectly.

Output . The best green neighbor crops for cucumber are dill, mint, parsley, fennel, arugula, celery, as well as onions and garlic per feather.

What flowers to plant next to cucumbers

For aesthetics, the cucumber bed can be supplemented with some flowers that act as repellents, protecting not only cucumbers, but also other vegetables growing nearby. In particular, marigolds repel pests such as cabbage white, onion fly, weevil, scoop, aphids and nematodes. Where nasturtium lives, there is no place for whiteflies, and this plant also fights late blight. Imperial hazel grouse will save landing from moles and mice (it can also become a support). Slugs and snails will be skillfully repelled by calendula, and at the end of the season it can also be safely used as green manure. But sage should not be planted next to cucumbers: despite its similar ability to repel snails and slugs, it does not tolerate an excess of moisture that the cucumber culture likes so much. Whimsical flowers (for example, lobelia or petunia) are also not suitable as cucumber vine neighbors.

Output . Excellent neighbors for cucumbers will be flower crops such as marigolds, nasturtium, imperial hazel grouse, calendula.

Have you already chosen the ideal neighbors for your cucumbers?

Good neighborhood: what can be planted next to cucumbers

Before planting cucumber seedlings on the beds, it is worth choosing the right neighbors for the plants. The health of cucumbers, the quantity and quality of the crop will depend on this.

Important things to do this week
Southern Moscow Region, 16th week

Onion

Disinfect and dry onion sets before planting

Tomatoes

Feed seedlings with complex mineral fertilizer

Gooseberry

Sanitary pruning of bushes , burn everything cut

Clematis

Remove cover from clematis of the first and second pruning groups

Peonies

Carry out preventive treatment of bushes and soil from fungal diseases

Garden

Install trapping belts at a height of 50-60 cm from the ground level

Show more

with others - get sick and do not give a harvest? The thing is that plants have an impact on each other, which can be both favorable and negative. It is especially important to take this into account with compacted plantings, when several crops are grown on one bed in order to save space.

But no less important is what plants grow on neighboring ridges. Therefore, it is worth carefully selecting "good" neighbors for cucumbers and protecting them from "bad" ones.

Let's take a look at the most common questions gardeners face when growing cucumbers.

The neighborhood of plants in the garden is one of the most controversial and discussed topics, so you should rely not only on the advice of experienced summer residents, but also on your own observations. It is sometimes not so easy to understand whether some kind of culture really oppresses cucumbers or whether we are talking about improper agricultural practices. We will proceed from the general principles of neighborhood. You can express your opinion on this issue in the comments.

Can I plant tomatoes next to cucumbers?

In general, it is possible. But still, it is better not to grow cucumbers and tomatoes in the same greenhouse or on the same bed in the ground, because these plants need different conditions for growth and fruiting.

Tomatoes Cucumbers
  • They like moderate temperatures and dry air.
  • Require regular ventilation of the greenhouse.
  • Demanding for fertilizing.
  • Prefer root watering.
  • They like high temperatures and high humidity.
  • Cannot tolerate drafts.
  • Do not require heavy top dressing if enough organic matter has been added.
  • Prefer abundant watering and sprinkling.

As can be seen from the table, it is quite difficult to create such directly opposite conditions for these crops in one greenhouse, you will have to spend a lot of effort. It is better to plant cucumbers and tomatoes in separate greenhouses or, in extreme cases, plant them in a greenhouse as far apart as possible.

When practicing mixed planting, do not forget about the annual crop rotation.

Can peppers be planted next to cucumbers?

Again, not the easiest combination. On the one hand, peppers and cucumbers prefer the same warm climate without drafts, are not related and do not compete for food, but they need different growing conditions. Therefore, it is not always possible to get a decent harvest of these vegetables. If you still want to plant peppers and cucumbers in one greenhouse, let there be a maximum distance between them. Otherwise, you will have to constantly monitor whether high humidity harms pepper, whether cucumber lashes obscure it.

Can marrows be planted next to cucumbers?

Cucumbers and zucchini belong to the Cucurbitaceae family and need similar growing conditions, so it is quite tempting to plant them side by side. According to some summer residents, there will be no harm from such a planting, but only on the condition that the leaves of the zucchini do not greatly darken the cucumber ones, and the plants will have enough top dressing. It is no longer worth leaving your own seeds from such plants for sowing. But more often, gardeners are faced with the fact that the amount of harvest of both crops is not encouraging, and sometimes even completely absent, because. disruption of the pollination process. In addition, related plants often affect the same diseases and pests. In this case, powdery mildew often attacks zucchini and cucumbers, quickly spreading through plantings. Therefore, it is still better not to risk it and find different areas for plants.

The powerful root system of zucchini can inhibit cucumber roots, which will interfere with its full development and fruiting.

Can cucumbers be planted next to potatoes?

Potatoes are an undesirable neighbor for cucumbers, despite their distant relationship. Both of these crops are susceptible to phytophthora disease, which can adversely affect the yield. Also, during the processing of potatoes, part of the chemicals may fall on cucumbers. Therefore, it is not worth taking risks and planting these plants nearby. True, the experience of some summer residents is more favorable, but only on condition that cucumbers are grown under a film.

Can cucumbers be planted next to cabbages?

Cruciferous crops perfectly coexist with cucumbers, so you can plant them side by side not only in open ground, but also in a greenhouse. Both cultures love abundant watering, so it will be easier to care for plantings.

Can cucumbers be planted next to corn?

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This planting is quite successful and can significantly increase the yield of cucumbers. In this case, corn will become a real support for cucumber lashes that can be tied to the stems. In addition, it will protect the landing from the wind and the scorching sun. The root systems of these crops do not compete for food, but sometimes a cucumber may lack nitrogen. Therefore, carefully monitor the condition of the plants and regularly fertilize.

Can eggplants be planted next to cucumbers?

Eggplants, like cucumbers, are thermophilic, but they prefer dry air and do not like spraying, they are afraid of shading, so it will not be easy for these crops to get along in one greenhouse. But if you wish, you can seat them at the maximum distance from each other or separate them with a partition.

Is it possible to plant peas next to cucumbers?

Even necessary! Next to peas, as well as beans and beans, cucumbers feel great and bear fruit well. Legumes enrich the soil with nitrogen, so it is especially useful to sow them along the perimeter of cucumber beds or in the middle of the ridge. After harvesting peas and beans, simply cut the plants, leaving the roots in the ground, so you will improve its fertility. You can plant legumes in a greenhouse.

Can cucumbers be planted next to strawberries (garden strawberries)?

Yes, you can plant strawberries next to cucumbers. But on the former cucumber beds, you should not plant a berry.

Can cucumbers be planted next to garlic?

Gardeners have different opinions about this planting. Some believe that there will be practically no benefit, and cucumbers themselves can slow down growth. Others, on the contrary, argue that garlic relieves the whip from angular leaf spot (bacteriosis), aphids, bears, etc. In general, both sides are right. Just to achieve a positive effect, do not plant garlic too close to cucumbers, keep a distance of at least half a meter.

Can onions be planted next to cucumbers?

Onions are "friends" with cucumbers, so you can safely carry out such a planting, but at a short distance. The fact is that a month before the onion harvest, it is necessary to reduce watering, and there may be difficulties with watering cucumbers. Therefore, plant these two crops in adjacent beds, so it will be easier for you to care for them.

Thanks to phytoncides, onions will protect cucumbers from pests, in particular, spider mites and many diseases.

Is it possible to plant watermelons and melons next to cucumbers?

Watermelon and melon, like cucumber, belong to the Pumpkin family, therefore, on the one hand, they are not bad nearby, but on the other, some problems may arise. For example, lack of nutrition, defeat by the same diseases and pests, pollination, due to which the taste of fruits will suffer. Such a neighborhood in a greenhouse is especially undesirable. In open ground, you can try to plant these plants in neighboring beds. But in general, it is better to come up with a different placement.

Is it possible to plant different varieties of cucumbers side by side?

Yes, but only if they are the same height. So, you should not plant low-growing and tall varieties nearby, otherwise the first ones will receive less light.

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