Companion Planting-With A Little Help From Our Friends
Aeroponics-companion-plantings (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Many plants have synergistic relationships. Our ancestors saw this and practiced companion planting. Native Americans engaged in this practice by organizing the crops of maize, squash and beans close together and called them the Three Sisters .
Some plants exude chemicals from their roots or aerial parts that repel pests and protect their neighbors. Others attract pests and are used to distract them from the main crop. This is trap cropping.
Some plants, like legumes-peas, beans and clover– are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen for their own use and for the benefit of their nearby companions.
Great Garden Companions by Sally Jean Cunningham is one of my favorite books on companion planting.
GardenGuides.com lists Good and Bad Companions For Vegetable Plants below:
| Plant | Good Companions | Bad Companions |
| Basil | Pepper, Tomato, Marigold | |
| Bush Beans | Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Lettuce, Pea, Radish, Strawberry, Savory, Tansy, Marigold | Onion |
| Pole Beans | Carrots, Corn Cucumber, Eggplant, Lettuce, Pea, Radish, Savory, Tansy | Beets, Onion |
| Beets | Bush Beans, Cabbage, Onion, Sage | |
| Cabbage Family | Bush Beans, Beets, Celery, Onions, Tomato, All Strong Herbs, Marigold, Nasturtium | Strawberry |
| Carrots | Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Lettuce, Onion, Peas, Radish, Tomato, Sage | Dill |
| Celery | Bush Beans, Cabbage, Onion, Spinach, Tomato | |
| Corn | Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Cucumber, Melons, Peas, Squash | Tomato |
| Cucumbers | Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Corn, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Radish, Marigold, Nasturtium, Savory | No Strong Herbs |
| Eggplant | Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Spinach | |
| Lettuce | Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Carrots, Cucumbers, Onion, Radish, Strawberries | |
| Melons | Corn, Nasturtium, Radish | |
| Onion | Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Cucumber, Lettuce, Pepper, Squash, Strawberries, Tomato, Savory | Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Peas |
| Parsley | Tomato | |
| Peas | Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Carrots, Corn Cucumber, Radish, Turnips | Onion |
| Pepper | Onion | |
| Radish | Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Carrots, Cucumber, Lettuce, Melons, Peas, Squash | Hyssop |
| Spinach | Celery, Eggplant, Cauliflower | |
| Squash | Corn, Onion, Radish | |
| Strawberry | Bush Beans, Lettuce, Onion, Spinach | Cabbage |
| Tomato | Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Onion, Mint | Corn, Fennel |
For additional information check out the following websites: