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What to plant near cucumbers


13 Best Cucumber Companion Plants

Cucumbers are exuberant plants with vines that can sprawl over a lot of space—the healthier the plant, the more room they seem to take up. But, if you do not want your cucumbers to overgrow in a spot or choke out the competition, give the cucumber vines a trellis to grow up, giving you more space for other nearby plants.

Several garden plants fare well alongside these vigorous vines and make great companion plants for cucumbers. You'll find it's usually easiest to grow plants with similar care instructions, such as light, soil, water, and sun requirements. Some similar growing companions may include plants like tomatoes, zucchini, or squash. However, one thing to be careful of with similar-growing plants like cucumbers and tomatoes is they can sometimes fall prone to the same diseases, like mosaic virus or blight, which can spread easily if they're near each other.

The best companion plants help deter pests and do not compete with cucumbers for water or nutrients. The worst neighbors do just the opposite.

Best Cucumber Companion Plants

Special note about tomatoes and other cucurbits: Tomatoes and other cucurbits (cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin) grow in the same conditions, complementing each other. They also attract similar pollinators to increase your plant's harvest. The reason these plants are not on the list as "best" companions is they are susceptible to some of the same diseases as cucumbers. If one plant gets infected, it's possible to wipe out your entire crop.

Learn more details about the garden plants that make the best cucumber companions and discover why you should not grow potatoes, sage, mint, and melon with cucumbers.

How to Grow Cucumbers

What Is Companion Planting?

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

Sometimes this 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 that have different nutrient needs in order to make efficient use of soil. 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. 

Companion Planting to Control the Insects in Your Garden

Benefits of Companion Planting

Seasoned gardeners swear by companion planting because it increases the health and productivity of crops like cucumbers. Benefits of companion planting for cucumbers and other plants include:

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Best Companion Plants for Cucumbers

Various vegetables, flowers, and herbs make excellent companions for cucumbers.

How to Grow and Care for Oregano

The Spruce / K. Dave  

Worst Companion Plants for Cucumbers

What plants should you not plant near cucumbers and why?

The Spruce / K. Dave 

The Best and Worst Cucumber Companion Plants

When certain plants produce huge yields, grow fast, and take a lot of nutrients and water, it’s only natural they would become the stars of the garden.

Cucumbers, Cucumis sativus, definitely play that role. But if you’re wise, you can make them healthier, happier, and more productive by choosing proper companions as supporting players.

This idea of companion planting is part science, part shared lessons handed down from home gardener to home gardener.

The basic idea is to intently plan your garden spaces so plants that benefit each other end up growing close together – and those that aren’t able to get along don’t have to.

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The end game is to increase the whole garden’s ability to repel pests and attract beneficial insects, improve your soil health, and sometimes to create an appealing garden design.

While this is a great idea in any growing space, I think you’ll find it really makes sense when you’re trying to grow a bumper crop of cukes.

Just a little support from another plant can increase yields and pollination levels. Sometimes, the other plant is the main beneficiary, which is okay, too.

I will mention that many of these ideas are centered on garden wisdom, not hard research conducted in a lab. But I’d encourage you to give them a try yourself and see what works for you.

Some companion plants old timers swear by might solve a big issue for you. And the worst case scenario is that you plant a few things you wouldn’t otherwise. No harm done!

Let’s get to exploring this concept, and take a look at all the best options. Here’s what to expect:

What You’ll Learn

What Cucumbers Need from Companions

Before I get into specific types of plants, I’m going to take a minute and share the general guidelines for beneficial companions for cukes.

In general, the plants should grow well in the same type of soil, and prefer the same pH. To get along with cucumbers, that would mean well-draining soil that’s been amended with plenty of aged organic matter, and a pH of 6.0 to 6.8.

As for light requirements, the best neighbors will either share the need for full sun, or benefit from the shade provided by vining vegetables.

Since these vegetables are annuals, it’s key that any flowers or herbs grown in the same garden plot be annuals as well. Otherwise, it’s a pain to relocate or work around perennials so you can cultivate your veggie garden in preparation for the following season.

You can, of course, opt for perennials, even with the sunflowers I’ll suggest, but plant them nearby or in containers so they don’t mess up your soil prep next year.

Keep in mind, too, that there are many different types of C. sativus plant, and the ones you select will impact your choice of companion.

Bush varieties, for example, don’t grow so tall they’ll shade other plants. So you can plant them closer to fellow sun lovers, like bush beans, but you can’t rely on them to shade plants like calendula.

The bush types spread more than trellised vining varieties, too, so they require more square footage on the ground or in a raised bed.

That leaves you fewer opportunities to tuck a few companions like carrots into the nooks and crannies at the base of the plants, the way you can when you’re growing vines on supports.

Whether a variety requires pollination to bear fruit also impacts this selection process. You may want to emphasize annual and perennial flowers that attract pollinators, for example, but if you have a parthenocarpic cucumber variety in mind, they won’t need bees to produce.

For more information about the different types of cucumber plant, including pickling and slicing, hybrid and heirloom, and distinctions made on whether they require pollination, see our guide.

Also, make sure to note how many days it takes each plant to mature or fruit.

So I can clear the whole garden in one fell swoop for next season’s planting, I make sure to select varieties that wrap up their harvest window around the same time.

I don’t like when one variety lags behind the others once I’m ready to uproot, compost, and sow a new crop or prepare the garden bed for winter.

The Best Companion Plants

Now that we’ve established a basic framework, let’s get a look at some specific companions that are most beneficial as you pursue that bumper crop:

1. Beans

All types of bean plant (Phaseolus vulgaris) “fix” nitrogen into the soil, which is appreciated by this heavy-feeding garden vegetable.

I recommend only bush beans as buddies for cukes, though. If you’re growing vining varieties, pole beans will compete for sunlight and space on the trellis.

And when you’re growing bush cucumbers, the vining types of bean will shade them – not a good thing.

I plan this pairing extra carefully, making sure the cucumber seedlings are at least a couple of inches tall before sowing the beans, so they don’t grow right over the top of them.

Try the heirloom bush bean ‘Dragon Tongue,’ which produces shell, snap, or dried beans.

‘Dragon Tongue’ Beans

It is available from Territorial Seeds via Arbico Organics. And it matures in 60 days, roughly the same as a vining cucumber like ‘Marketmore,’ available from the same seller.

Learn how to grow bush beans in our guide.

2. Borage

Borage (Borago officinalis) is a friend indeed. It draws pollinators with its edible blooms that, ironically, taste like cucumbers.

If it matures ahead of your summer vegetables, you may also want to nosh on the leaves and stalks, which can be steamed as you would spinach or beet greens.

I plant the seeds next to my zucchini and tomatoes, too. When the garden starts blooming, I delight in watching the bees start off at the borage, and stop by to pollinate my veggie plants on their journeys to and fro.

This beautiful plant, which is considered a self-seeding annual herb, also adds nutrients to the soil and repels pests like hornworms.

And it needs the same full sun and well-draining soil as its new BFF, so you can plant them together in containers, too.

Just remember to give each plant enough space; they both really appreciate ample circulation.

Borage

Find borage seeds at Botanical Interests.

Learn how to plant and grow borage in our guide.

3. Calendula

The bright orange blooms on calendula (Calendula officinalis) are attractive, and not just to the human eye.

This annual flowering herb appeals to a number of beneficial and pest insects, which makes it a helpful neighbor for cucumbers.

Plant them as a “trap” to draw aphids away from the vines or bushes.

Also known as pot marigold, calendula attracts a number of beneficial prey insects, too. It brings in hoverflies to dine on aphids, for example, and parasitic wasps that consume cucumber beetles.

On the more appealing side of this circle of life, calendula flowers are pollinator magnets, which is much appreciated if you’re growing heirloom, open-pollinated vegetables.

And the compact plants prefer filtered sun or part shade, so they’re a great choice to grow at the foot of a vining variety, or next to a bush plant that will shade them.

‘Ball’s Improved Orange’ Calendula

This sunny plant is easily grown from seed. Try ‘Ball’s Improved Orange,’ available from Eden Brothers.

Check out our guide to learn more about growing calendula.

4. Carrots

Except for a big taproot that makes them so resistant to transplanting, cucumbers don’t need much space below the soil to grow.

That opens up an opportunity to plant a root vegetable like carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) nearby, and use every square inch of available earth.

Carrots grow best when you plant them as soon as the soil can be worked in spring. So they’ll have plenty of time for their sloooowww germination before the soil warms and you add cucumbers to that same garden bed.

Both veggies appreciate deeply tilled soil, too, another reason they make good neighbors.

‘Little Finger’ Carrots

For this pairing, consider planting heirloom ‘Little Finger’ carrots.They’ll mature in 57 days and grow just three inches long.

Seeds are available from Botanical Interests.

Consult our guide to growing carrots to learn more.

5. Corn

Corn stalks can provide a natural stake for some vining varieties. But if you’re going to try this, make sure you give the corn a head start.

While corn can grow really quickly, to be sturdy enough to support vines, the stalks should be at least half-grown and an inch or two thick.

Also take care not to expect the trellising benefit if you’re growing varieties with heavy yields of eight or 10-inch fruits. Corn is far more reliable as a support for vines that produce smaller cucumbers, like gherkin varieties or ‘Lemon.’

If you’re committed to growing bush or heavy-fruited cucumbers, though, the corn will still appreciate them as a neighbor.

According to ag extension agents at the Chemung County University of Cornell Extension Service, “cukes seem to be offensive to raccoons, so it’s good to plant them near your corn.”

Also, short vine or bush cultivars can suppress weeds if you sow them at the base of corn plants. Just be sure they don’t grow so close together that the corn throws shade.

‘Peaches and Cream’ Corn

Try ‘Peaches and Cream,’ which grows six or seven feet tall, and produces eight-inch ears about 70 days after sowing.

The seeds are available from Eden Brothers.

You can learn more about how to cultivate corn in our guide.

6. Dill

Dill attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs, which eat the aphids and spider mites that tend to plague cucumbers.

The popular pickling herb also brings in the pollinators, a benefit to open-pollinated vegetables all over the garden.

‘Bouquet’ Dill

‘Bouquet’ dill is the standard choice here, with seeds available from Eden Brothers.

It matures in 40 to 60 days, so it will be ready for pickling enterprises right about the same time as your cucumber harvest.

Check out our guide to growing dill for more information.

7. Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum spp.) spell two-for-one trouble for common cucumber insect pests.

First, their bright, edible blooms attract aphids. Plant them close enough, and the aphids will bug the nasturtiums, not your veggies.

In addition, they’re a draw for the beneficial insects including ladybugs, which eat cucumber beetles and whiteflies.

And the ladybugs consume aphids, too, so you don’t have to fret that the nasturtiums will suffer under this arrangement.

This pairing has visual appeal in an edible container garden, too, with the vibrant oranges, yellows, and reds playing off the dark green cucurbit leaves and yellow blossoms.

If you’ve got a strong enough trellis, consider growing a climbing nasturtium alongside your vining cucumber to save space.

‘Mahogany Gleam’ Nasturtiums

For a trailing vine with red-petaled blooms, try ‘Mahogany Gleam’ nasturtiums. You can find seeds available from Eden Brothers.

Learn more about how to grow nasturtiums in our guide.

8. Radishes

If maximizing every inch of your garden is a priority for you, consider planting a few radishes (Raphanus sativus) near your cucumbers.

They’ll sprout quickly and the spring varieties mature within 21 to 35 days. By the time your cucurbit plants are sizable enough to need the space, the radishes will be but a fond memory.

The ag experts at Chemung County University of Cornell Extension Service recommend this pairing for a different reason, though.

They advise home gardeners to plant two or three radish seeds in each hill because those root vegetables repel cucumber beetles.They also say to let the radishes get so old they begin to flower, which renders them inedible but draws in pollinators.

I would add, though, that if you’re growing a lot of brassicas like kale, broccoli, or mustard greens, you might want to skip this idea.

Radishes are also brassicas, so if you plant even a few of them now, it’s not a good plan to grow other cole crops in that soil for a season or two.

Brassica crops grown two years in a row in a particular location increase the risk of certain pests and diseases making an appearance. As important as companion planting can be, I would rank the value of crop rotation ahead of it, and skip the radishes.

‘Sora’ Radish

If that’s not a concern, try ‘Sora,’ spring-planted radishes that mature in 26 days.

You can find seeds available from Territorial via Arbico Organics.

Learn how to grow radishes in our guide.

9. Sunflowers

Heirloom and other open-pollinated sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) draw bees and other pollinators to the vegetable garden.

Some sunflower cultivars are also sturdy and tall enough to provide support for climbing plants. Just make sure to pick an open-pollinated cultivar with a substantial center stalk.

Plant them well ahead of the vines they’re intended to support.

Try ‘Lemon Queen,’ planting the seeds as soon as the weather is warm enough, and at least three weeks ahead of the cucumbers.

‘Lemon Queen’ Sunflowers

It takes 85 to 90 days to grow five to seven feet tall and bloom on a main stalk strong enough to support vines.

Find ‘Lemon Queen’ seeds available at Botanical Interests.

And our guide to growing sunflowers covers cultivation instructions.

Keep Cucumber Plants Away From These

Along with pairing up mutually-beneficial plants, it’s a good idea to keep cucumbers away from these plants that impact them adversely.

Other Cucurbits, Like Squash

C. sativus is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, which also includes various gourds, squash, and watermelons.

You may want to get familiar with that short list ahead of vegetable garden planning, because ideally, you won’t place any of its relatives too close to cukes.

When they’re neighbors, they tend to spread disease and attract the same insect pests, since they are susceptible to almost all the same issues and bugs.

If any are vining varieties, they’ll quickly get tangled, too.

Potatoes

One potato, two potato… no potato here, because they don’t play well with cucurbits.

One reason is that both vining veggies and potatoes are quite thirsty, and compete for water with one or both as the loser.

Also, to harvest potatoes, you have to uproot them, which can disturb those thin, shallow side roots the cucumber relies on.

Other nightshades do fine as cucurbit neighbors though, including tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. 

Sage and Other Aromatic Herbs

While I’ve never come across any hard data on the topic, gardening wisdom and even the occasional agricultural extension service expert warns against planting sage (Salvia officinalis) or other pungent, aromatic herbs near cucumbers.

The thinking is that the strong scent of these herbs may adversely affect the flavor profile of nearby vegetables.

My view is, why risk it? There’s a chance all those generations of home gardeners are mistaken, but I’d rather just save the sage, basil, and mints for other spots.

Cool Friends for Cucumber Plants

As you start using this list of vegetable plant friends and enemies to plan your own garden, I hope you’ll experience an added benefit.

Aside from improving the health of your plants and the yield of your vegetables, companion planting can hone your awareness as a gardener.

To figure out which pairings will work in your available growing space, you’ll need to observe, tinker, and check in on your seedlings, soil, and even the bugs.

To me, that’s one of the great joys of gardening: being present.

It gives me a lift that exceeds even the value I receive from managing my cucumbers, and indeed all the vegetables I grow, in a way that will keep them producing at their best.

What about you? Do you have any experience with cucumbers and their BFFs and enemies?

Tips or questions are most appreciated. Kindly share either in the comments section below.

And if you’re getting into the swing of growing this popular vegetable, or even if you’re still just considering all the angles, read these cucumber guides next:

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.

Why do cucumbers grow well and bear fruit next to some crops, while next to others they get sick and do not produce a crop? 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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. nine0034
  • 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 applied.
  • 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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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

Is it possible to plant cucumbers 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. nine0003

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?

fermilon.ru

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. If you are going to get seeds for the next year, then it is better not to plant different varieties together so that cross-pollination does not occur.

And now let's summarize and complete the lists.

Compatible Culture

What can be planted next to cucumbers

Cabbage, corn, peas, beans, bush and climbing beans, beets, corn, onions, celery, spinach, sunflowers, grapes, calendula, nasturtium.

What not to plant next to cucumbers

Potato, pumpkin, watermelon, melon. Spicy herbs (exception: dill), because they spoil the taste of the fruit. nine0024
Controversial opinions on compatibility Tomato, eggplant, bell pepper, zucchini, garlic, lettuce, radish, radish.

We looked at whether cucumbers can be planted next to the most popular crops. Now you can get more crispy greens at a minimum cost!

which of the crops is good compatibility with

Contents:

The area in summer cottages allocated for a vegetable garden is usually limited. Therefore, amateur vegetable growers use every opportunity to get the maximum yield from a small number of beds. The joint cultivation of different crops is one of them. It is worth figuring out what can be planted next to cucumbers and how to care for joint plantings.

Cucumbers are planted in beds in open ground, in film shelters, polycarbonate greenhouses, in containers (barrels, buckets, bags) and even in apartments on the windowsill. Depending on the place where the crop is grown, the most suitable varieties are selected. Each variety has its own agrotechnical features, but in order to get a bountiful harvest, the basic requirements for caring for cucumbers must be met. nine0003

Cucumber Features

This crop requires fertile, light, warm soils with a high nutrient content. In autumn, when preparing the beds, it is useful to introduce rotted manure at the rate of 6 kg per 1 m2. As the manure decomposes, it releases heat and provides the plants with essential nutrients, while the carbon dioxide released during its decomposition is absorbed by the leaves.

Neighbors in the garden

Cucumber is a moisture-loving plant, it does not tolerate drying out of the soil. Watering is carried out in the morning with warm settled water. At least 2 liters are poured under each plant. The vegetable is demanding on soil aeration. Lack of oxygen with excess water leads to the death of roots, the development of diseases and the appearance of pests, such as spider mites. Therefore, the earth is maintained in a loose, moderately moist state. It is useful to mulch with mowed grass. Mulch retains moisture in the soil, and when decomposed, provides nutrition to the plant. nine0003

Attention! In containers, the earth dries out faster, so the cucumbers growing in them are watered more often.

The culture is sensitive to thermal conditions and does not like sudden changes in temperature. At temperatures below 10⁰С, plants stop growing and turn yellow, cooling down to 5⁰С leads to the death of leaves and damage to plants by powdery mildew. In extreme heat, the pollen dries up, pollination does not occur, the ovaries fall off. The optimal temperature for full development is not higher than 28⁰С during the day and not lower than 18⁰С at night. nine0003

Experts recommend placing plants vertically, tying them to a trellis, which contributes to better illumination, ease of care and protection from diseases and pests. As a support, gardeners plant high-stemmed plants (vegetable beans, sunflowers, corn), which create a favorable microclimate in crops.

Why "good neighbors" are useful and why "bad" neighbors are undesirable

Video: What can be planted next to corn

For joint cultivation, plants are chosen that develop the area at different times or occupy different tiers in height. nine0022 A positive effect from combined plantings can be achieved when these vegetables are adjacent to crops that:

Attention! Joint cultivation is the competition of plants for water, light and nutrition, so their volume should be increased by 1.5 - 2 times. nine0003

However, not all neighbors of cucumbers in the open field have a positive effect on their growth. It is not recommended to plant other crops of the pumpkin family in close proximity. Having common pests and a predisposition to similar diseases, if one plant is infected, the entire crop of vegetables of this family will die.

Do not place as neighbors crops that release substances that slow down or prevent the development of cucumbers.

How to plant cucumbers in one bed

What can be planted next to tomatoes

What can and cannot be planted next to cucumbers? How are vegetable crops combined or not combined?

Experienced vegetable growers advise planting corn, sunflower, rye as backstage. They are able to reliably protect cucumbers from wind and scorching sunlight. For this purpose, peas and beans placed on supports are also used.

Vegetables in the neighboring garden

A good crop of cucumbers, red beets and carrots can be grown by placing these plants in the neighborhood. nine0003

Greens are successfully combined with white cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli.

Please note. There is no unambiguous opinion about the compatibility of cucumber and tomato in a garden bed in open ground. However, if you create suitable conditions for the growth of both cultures, they will not have a negative impact on the development of each other. It is enough to remember that cucumbers love abundant watering and shading during hot hours, while tomatoes are suitable for a sunny place and waterlogging of the soil is harmful. But in one greenhouse, these plants are definitely not recommended to be planted. Cucumber feels great at 90-100% humidity and does not tolerate draft at all, while humidity above 50% is contraindicated for tomatoes, and draft is necessary.

Useful neighbors are onions and garlic. The smell of these vegetables repels harmful insects.

Eggplants and peppers also coexist peacefully with greens.

Radish is a neutral plant in relation to cucumber. Due to different planting and ripening periods, these vegetables practically do not “meet” each other, and radishes should be used as a predecessor. nine0003

Diversity in one place

Lettuce mustard, Chinese cabbage, dill can also precede planting.

Pumpkin and zucchini, which, like cucumber, belong to the same family, should not be planted side by side.

The most unfortunate neighborhood is with potatoes. These cultures are mutually oppressive. It is better to place them away from each other.

Important! Cucumber plantings should not be combined with herbs (parsley, basil, coriander), with the exception of dill. nine0003

Mustard is sown as green manure. It enriches the soil with nitrogen and phosphorus, reduces the number of wireworms and slugs, loosens heavy soils, and is a honey plant. These qualities of mustard have a beneficial effect on the growth of cucumber.

Lettuce and spinach stimulate root growth and prevent soil overheating. However, they consume a lot of moisture and minerals needed by cucumbers; these cultures should not be placed nearby.

Fennel is not planted next to cucumbers. It has a powerful root system capable of drawing moisture and nutrients from the soil over a wide area. nine0003

Of all the vegetables cultivated in household plots, some are especially "friendly" with cucumbers, their crops can be interspersed, not only effectively using the area, but also creating beautiful compositions. What can you plant cucumbers on one bed with?

The best "neighbors" in the garden for cucumbers are corn and legumes. Corn, in addition to protecting against natural factors, serves as a support for cucumber lashes. Wrapped around corn stalks, the lashes grow vertically, receiving plenty of sunlight and avoiding the risk of infection with fungal diseases. Corn, having a deep root system (1.5 m), does not take away nutrition from cucumbers, whose roots are located close to the surface. nine0003

Note ! Legumes - beans, peas - release nitrogen into the soil, which is necessary for the nutrition of cucumbers.

Good results are obtained by growing cucumbers together with cabbage, eggplant, garlic, onions, beets, dill, Beijing cabbage. Cabbage and eggplant are combined with cucumber in watering and nutrient requirements. Garlic and onions, releasing phytoncides, drive away pests. The shade from dill umbrellas saves cucumber plantings from overheating. Beetroot successfully coexists with cucumber, but due to different nutritional requirements, it is better to place it around the perimeter of the garden. nine0003

Flowering plants - marigolds, calendula, nasturtium - have a positive effect on the development of cucumber. Marigolds lure lacewings. The insects themselves are "vegetarians", but their larvae destroy aphids. Calendula attracts pollinating insects. Nasturtium repels the whitefly that sucks juice from cucumber leaves.

Taking into account the compatibility of different crops and knowing what cucumbers should be planted next to, you can have various fresh vegetables from your garden on the table throughout the season. In order not to miss a single detail and avoid mistakes, it is recommended in the fall to draw up a plan for combined plantings for the next year. It must take into account what crops will be grown, the timing of their planting, ripening, where and how to place them, what fertilizers need to be applied. nine0003

Competent selection of plants for mixed plantings with cucumbers will avoid one-sided depletion of the land; plants - neighbors will attract beneficial insects, suppress each other's diseases, close the garden as much as possible and will not allow weeds to grow. And most importantly, a variety of vegetables will be harvested from one small area.