Tomatoes are one of the most popular crops to grow in the home garden, sometimes with less than desirable results. To boost your yields, you might try companion planting next to tomatoes. Luckily, there are many suitable tomato plant companions. If you are new to companion planting, the following article will give you some insight into plants that grow well with tomatoes.
Companions for Tomatoes
When we are talking about companions for tomatoes, we aren’t talking about the type of support humans get from friends and family, but in a sense, maybe we are. Companion planting is a form of polyculture or using multiple crops in the same space to the mutual benefit of each – much as humans benefit from those we interact with. These benefits include pest and disease control, aid in pollination, and offering refuge for beneficial insects, all of which will increase crop yields. Companion planting also increases the diversity of the garden, much as mankind’s diversity has been increased with various ethnicities, religions, and cultures. This merging brings out our strengths, but it can also bring out our weaknesses. The same is true when growing tomato plant companions. The right tomato companions will engender a healthier plant with better fruit yields. The wrong tomato companions can have disastrous results.
Companion Planting Next to Tomatoes
Plants that grow with tomatoes can include vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
Vegetables
Plants that grow well with tomatoes include all the members of the onion family such as chives, onions, and garlic. Their pungent odor is said to deter insect pests. Can you plant tomatoes and peppers together? Peppers, both sweet and hot, are excellent companion plants. Probably since they are related; they are both in the nightshade family. Many greens, such as spinach, lettuce, and arugula, enjoy the company of tomatoes and benefit from the shade provided by the taller tomato plants. Carrots are also plants that grow well with tomatoes. Carrots can be started when the tomato plants are small and will grow in conjunction and are then ready to harvest about the time the tomato plants are taking over the space. Can tomatoes and cucumbers be planted together? Absolutely. Cucumbers and tomatoes have similar growing conditions, so they make excellent neighbors. Asparagus and tomatoes, when planted together, get mutual benefits. For the tomatoes, the close proximity of asparagus wards off nematodes and for the asparagus the nearness of tomatoes repels asparagus beetles.
Herb plants and flowers
Borage deters tomato hornworm. Parsley and mint are also good companion herbs for tomatoes and deter a number of pests. Basil is also a favorable plant to grow near tomatoes and purportedly increases not only the vigor of the tomatoes, but their flavor as well. Flowers such as marigolds keep nematodes from attacking tomato plants and their sharp odor confuses other insects. Nasturtiums help to deter whiteflies as well as aphids.
Plants to Avoid Planting with Tomatoes
Plants that should not share space with tomatoes include the Brassicas, such as broccoli and cabbage. Corn is another no-no and tends to attract tomato fruit worm and/or corn ear worm. Kohlrabi thwarts the growth of tomatoes and planting tomatoes and potatoes increases the chance of potato blight disease. Fennel shouldn’t be planted near tomatoes, or near much of anything else actually. It inhibits the growth of the tomatoes and many other types of plants too.
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FAQs
More Herbs & Flowers to Plant with Tomatoes to Keep Bugs Away: Don't just stop at planting Marigolds with your tomatoes. For further protection from pest bugs, you can also plant basil, beans, bee balm, borage, sweet alyssum, chives, garlic, nasturtium, mint, anise, onion, and parsley.
Can cucumbers and tomatoes be planted together? ›
Cucumbers and tomatoes can be planted by each other as they share similar growing habits and therefore you can grow tomatoes by cucumbers. Greg Volente from Greenhouse Today explains that: 'Cucumbers and tomatoes are two vigorous growers in a spring garden. They're both vining plants and share similar basic needs.
What can you plant next to tomatoes in a garden? ›
Some good companions for tomatoes include basil, marigolds, chives, and nasturtiums. These plants can help repel pests and improve pollination. Just be sure to consider the specific needs of each plant when planning your garden layout.
Can peppers and tomatoes be planted together? ›
Although it's usually recommended to not plant tomatoes and peppers right after each other in the same bed every year, they can be grown together in the same garden bed (and then rotated to another bed next season).
Why plant marigolds with tomatoes? ›
Marigolds help attract bees and other beneficial insects to tomato plants. Although tomato plants are self-pollinating plants, they do benefit from insect pollination to increase the fruit production of each plant. Marigolds also attract beneficial insects that will eat pests that would otherwise harm tomato plants.
Why should you not plant cucumbers near tomatoes? ›
Both plants are heavy feeders and require a lot of nitrogen for healthy growth. However, unlike cucumbers, tomatoes have a deep root system. With sufficient fertilization, you may be able to plant these two heavy feeders together. A much bigger problem is that both crops are susceptible to mildew.
Can you plant zucchini and tomatoes together? ›
Zucchini and tomatoes can be grown as close neighbors and will make satisfactory companion plants. Both vegetables thrive in the same environmental conditions, so a garden plot that is ideal for one plant is therefore ideal for the other. They both need a location with full sun and benefit from nutrient-rich soil.
What plants keep tomato worms away? ›
When planted near tomatoes, the garden herb basil helps to repel tomato hornworms and other destructive insect pests, such as thrips and aphids. Plus, many gardeners claim that growing basil alongside tomato plants improves their yield as well as the flavor of the fruit.
What to plant next to peppers and tomatoes? ›
Alliums – Onions, garlic, chives and other alliums can all work well as companion plants for tomatoes and peppers, as they can for a wide range of other crops. Their strong smell can work to repel or distract a wide range of pests that might otherwise plague your plants.
What not to plant with peppers? ›
Brassicas: Almanacs and home gardeners recommend avoiding planting brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, kale, collards, cauliflower) near peppers because they require different soil acidity levels and can deter pepper plant growth.
Brassicas: Plants like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower can compete with cucumbers for the same nutrients in the soil. They also attract pests that can damage cucumber plants, such as flea beetles and cabbage worms.
Can you plant onions between tomatoes? ›
Plants that grow well with tomatoes include all the members of the onion family such as chives, onions, and garlic. Their pungent odor is said to deter insect pests. Can you plant tomatoes and peppers together? Peppers, both sweet and hot, are excellent companion plants.
What not to grow next to zucchini? ›
Potatoes can also spread diseases such as late blight, which can also affect zucchinis. Cucumbers and pumpkins should not be planted next to zucchinis as they belong to the same family (Cucurbitaceae) and therefore attract similar pests and diseases.
What grows good with tomatoes and peppers? ›
Alliums – Onions, garlic, chives and other alliums can all work well as companion plants for tomatoes and peppers, as they can for a wide range of other crops. Their strong smell can work to repel or distract a wide range of pests that might otherwise plague your plants.
Are marigolds companion plants for tomatoes? ›
Marigolds are considered companion plants to tomatoes in that they protect and enhance the growth of your tomatoes. So not only are these flowers pretty but they also do important jobs in the garden. What "jobs" do marigolds do in your garden? Marigolds help attract bees and other beneficial insects to tomato plants.
