Companion planting helps bring a balanced eco-system to your garden. Here are a few of nature’s mechanisms at work, plants:
Common name |
Latin name |
Assists |
Assisted by |
Keep away from |
Attracts |
Repels / Distracts |
| Allium Family | Allium | Almost Everything, Especially Fruit Trees, Nightshades (Tomatoes, Peppers, Potatoes, ...), Brassicas (Cabbage, Broccoli, Kohlrabi, ...) Carrots |
Carrots |
Beans, Peas, Parsley |
-- |
Ants, Aphids, Black Spot, Cabbage Looper, Cabbage Maggot, Cabbage Worms, Carrot Fly, Japanese Beetles, Rabbits, Slugs |
| Leek | Allium ampeloprasum v. porrum | |||||
| Onion | Allium cepa | |||||
| Garlic | Allium sativum | |||||
| Chives | Allium schoenoprasum | |||||
| Anise | Myrrhis odorata | -- |
Coriander |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| Asparagus | Asparagus officinalis | Tomatoes |
Aster Family Flowers, Dill, Coriander, Tomatoes, Parsley, Basil, Comfrey, Marigolds |
Onion, Garlic, Potatoes |
-- |
-- |
| Basil | Ocimum basilicum | All, Especially Tomato, Peppers, Oregano, Asparagus, Petunias |
Chamomile, Anise, Sweet Pepper |
Common Rue, Sage |
Butterflies |
Aphids, Flies, Mosquitos, Mites, Tomato Hornworms, Asparagus Beetles |
| Beans | Phaseolus | Corn, Spinach, Lettuce, Rosemary, Summer Savory, Dill, Carrots |
Eggplant |
Alliums (Onions, Garlic, Etc), Kales (Cabbage, Broccoli, Etc), Beets, Kohlrabi, Tomatoes, Chili Peppers, Sunflowers |
-- |
California Beetles |
| Beets | Beta vulgaris | -- |
Onion, Sage, Catnip, Mint |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| Borage | Borago officinalis | Almost Everything, Especially Strawberry, Cucurbits (Cucumber, Gourds), Tomatoes |
-- |
-- |
Predatory Insects, Honeybees |
Many Pests |
| Brassicaceae Family | Brassicaceae | -- |
Geraniums, Dill, Alliums (Onions, Shallots, Garlic, ...), Rosemary, Nasturtium, Borage |
Strawberries, Pole Beans, Mustards, Nightshades (Tomatoes, Peppers, ...) |
-- |
-- |
| Broccoli | Brassica oleracea var. botrytis | |||||
| Cabbage | Brassica oleracea | |||||
| Cauliflower | -- | |||||
| Mustard | Sinapis alba | Cabbage, Cauliflower, Radish, Brussels Sprouts, Turnips, Collards, Kohlrabi |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Various Pests |
| Horseradish | Armoracia rusticana | Potato |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| Radish | Raphanus | Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Carrots, Cucumber, Lettuce, Melons, Peas, Squash |
-- |
Hyssop |
-- |
Cucumber Beetles, Rust Flies |
| Caraway | Carum carvi | Strawberries |
-- |
-- |
Parasitic Wasps, Parasitic Flies |
-- |
| Carrots | Daucus carota | Tomatoes, Alliums (Onions, Chives, Etc), Lettuce |
Alliums (Leeks, Shallots, Etc), Rosemary, Wormwood, Sage, Beans, Flax |
Dill, Parsnip, Radish |
Assassin Bug, Lacewing, Parasitic Wasp, Yellow Jacket And Other Predatory Wasps |
-- |
| Castor Bean | Ricinus communis | Vegetables |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Repels Moles And Plant Lice. |
| Catnip | Nepeta cataria | Eggplant |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Flea Beetles |
| Celery | Apium graveolens | Cabbage, Leeks, Tomato, Cauliflower |
Cosmos, Daisies, Snapdragons |
Aster Flowers,Can Transmit Aster Yellows Disease |
-- |
White Cabbage Butterflies |
| Chamomile | Matricaria recutita | Basil, Wheat, Onion, Cabbage, Cucumber |
-- |
Growing Near Herbs Will Increase Their Oil Production. |
Hoverflies, Wasps |
-- |
| Chervil | Anthriscus cerefolium | Radish, Lettuce, Broccoli |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Aphids |
| Cilantro / Coriander | Coriandrum sativum | Vegetables, Especially Spinach |
Beans, Peas |
-- |
Tachinid Fly |
Aphids |
| Corn / Maize | Zea mays | Beans |
Sunflowers, Beans, Curcubits (Squash, Cucumbers, Etc), Peanuts, Soybeans, Amaranth |
Tomato |
-- |
-- |
| Cosmos | Cosmos bipinnatus | All |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| Datura | Datura pruinosa | Various Plants |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Deters Japanese Beetles. |
| Dill | Anethum graveolens | Cabbages, Corn, Lettuce, Onions, Cucumbers |
Fennel |
Carrots, Tomatoes |
Hoverflies, Wasps, Tomato Horn Worms, Honeybees, Ichneumonid Wasps |
Aphids, Spider Mites, Squash Bugs, Cabbage Looper |
| Fennel | Foeniculum vulgare | Dill |
Dill |
Almost Everything |
Ladybugs, Syrphid Fly, Tachinid Fly |
Aphids |
| Geraniums | Pelargonium spp. | Roses, Tomatoes, Peppers, Grapes, Cabbage, Corn |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Repels Cabbage Worms, Leafhoppers, Japanese Beetles |
| Hemp | Cannabis sativa l. subsp. sativa | Brassica (Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, Other Kales) |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| Hyssop | Hyssopus officinalis | Cabbage, Grapes |
-- |
-- |
Honeybees, Butterflies |
Cabbage Moth Larvae, Cabbage Butterflies |
| Lettuce | Lactuca sativa | -- |
Radish, Kohlrabi, Beans, Carrots |
Celery, Cabbage, Cress, Parsley |
-- |
-- |
| Lovage | Levisticum officinale | Almost All Plants |
Beans |
Rhubarb |
Ichneumonid Wasps, Ground Beetles (Good) |
-- |
| Marigold | Asteraceae calendula officinalis | Most Plants, Especially Tomatoes And Peppers, Cucurbits (Cucumbers, Gourds, Squash), Brassicas (Broccoli, Kale, Cabbage) |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Nematodes, Mexican Bean Beetles, Beet Leaf Hoppers, Cabbage Flies, Aphids, Asparagus Beetle, White Flies, Cabbage Maggot, Other Pests |
| Melon Family | Cucumis | -- |
Nasturtiums, Radishes, Marigolds |
Tomato, Strong Herbs |
Beneficial For Ground Beetles |
-- |
| Cucumber | Cucumis sativus | Corn, Beans, Peas, Radish, Sunflowers |
||||
| Mint Family | Mentha | Brassica (Cabbage, Kholrabi, Broccoli, And The Other Kales), Strawberries |
Tomato, Cabbage |
-- |
-- |
Ants, Aphids, Cabbage Fly, Cabbage Looper, Cabbage Maggot, Plant Lice |
| Peppermint | Mentha piperita | |||||
| Pennyroyal | Mentha pulegium | |||||
| Spearmint | Mentha spicata | |||||
| Nasturtium | Tropaeolum majus | Many Plants, Especially Fruit Trees, Cucurbits (Melons, Cucumbers, Gourds), Beans, Tomatoes, Apple Trees, Brassicas (Broccoli, Cabbage, Etc), Radish |
-- |
Radish, Cauliflower |
Predatory Insects |
Aphids, Cabbage Looper, Squash Bug, White Fly, Cucumber Beetles |
| Nightshade Family | Solanaceae | -- |
Carrots, Alliums, Basil, Oregano, Mints |
Beans, Black Walnuts, Corn, Fennel, Dill, Beetroot, Brassica (Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Etc) |
-- |
-- |
| Peppers | Solanaceae, capsicum | Themselves, Marjoram, Basil |
Onion, Tomatoes, Geraniums, Petunias |
-- |
-- |
|
| Tomatoes | Solanum lycopersicum | Roses, Peppers, Asparagus |
Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Carrots, Marigold, Alliums, Celery, Geraniums, Petunias, Nasturtium |
-- |
Asparagus Beetle, Black Spot |
|
| Eggplant | Solanum melongena | Beans, Peppers |
Marigolds, Tarragon, Mints |
-- |
-- |
|
| Potato | Solanum tuberosum | -- |
Horseradish, Tansy |
Pumpkin, Squash, Tomato, Cucumber, Sunflower |
-- |
-- |
| Oregano | Origanum vulgare | Tomatoes, Cabbage, Peppers, Many Other Plants |
Basil |
-- |
-- |
Repels Cabbage Butterfly And Aphids |
| Parsley | Petroselinum | Asparagus, Carrots, Tomato, Roses. |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Asparagus Beetle, Carrot Flies And Rose Beetles. |
| Peanuts | Arachis | Corn, Squash |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| Peas | Pisum | -- |
Lettuce, Spinach, And Chinese Cabbage |
Onion Family, Gladiolus, Irish Potato |
-- |
-- |
| Petunia | Petunia x hybrida | Cucurbits (Squash, Pumpkins, Cucumbers), Asparagus |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Leafhoppers, Japanese Beetles, Aphids, Asparagus Beetle |
| Pumpkin Squash | Curcurbita spp | Corn, Beans |
Buckwheat, Catnip, Tansy, Radishes, Marigold |
Irish Potato |
Spiders, Ground Beetles |
-- |
| Pyrethrum | Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium | Various Plants |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Repels Aphids, Leafhoppers, Spider Mites, Harlequin Bugs, Ticks, Pickleworms And Imported Cabbage Worms. |
| Rosemary | Rosmarinus officinalis | Sage, Cabbage, Beans, Carrots |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Repels Carrot Flies, Bean Beetles, Cabbage Moths. |
| Rue | Ruta | All, Especially Roses, Raspberries |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Repels Japanese Beetles. |
| Sage | Salvia officinalis | Rosemary, Cabbage, Beans, Carrots, Strawberries, Tomatoes |
-- |
-- |
Honeybees, Cabbage Butterfly |
Cabbage Flies, Carrot Fly, Black Flea Beetle, Cabbage Looper, Cabbage Maggot, Cabbage Moths, Ticks. |
| Savory Family | Satureja | All |
Green Beans |
-- |
-- |
Deters Bean Beetles |
| Southernwood | Artemisia abrotanum | Fruit Trees |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| Soybeans | Glycine max | Corn |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Repels Chinch Bugs And Japanese Beetels. |
| Spinach | Spinacia oleracea | -- |
Peas, Beans, Tomatoes |
Irish Potato |
-- |
-- |
| Squash | Cucurbita maxima | -- |
Onion, Radish, Nasturtium, Corn, Marigold |
Irish Potato |
-- |
-- |
| Strawberry | Fragaria | -- |
Bush Beans, Lettuce, Onion, Spinach |
Cabbage |
-- |
-- |
| Sunflower | Helianthus annuus | Corn, Tomatoes |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Aphids |
| Tansy | Tanacetum vulgare | Beans, Cucurbits (Cucumbers, Squash, Etc), Roses, Corn, Grapes, Raspberry, Blackberry. |
Cabbage And/Or Potatoes |
-- |
Honeybees |
Flying Insects (Ichneumonid Wasps), Japanese Beetles, Striped Cucumber Beetles, Squash Bugs, Ants, Mice |
| Thyme | Thymus | Tomatoes And/Or Cabbage |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Controls Flea Beetles, Cabbage Maggots, Imported Cabbageworms And White Cabbage Butterflies. |
| Walnut, Black | Juglans nigra | -- |
-- |
All |
-- |
-- |
| Wormwood | Artemisia vulgaris | Various Plants, Cabbage |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Deters Black Flea Beetles, Malaria Mosquitos, Cabbage Worm Butterflies. |
| Yarrow | Achillea millefolium | Many Plants, Especially Herbs |
-- |
-- |
Predatory Wasps, Ladybugs, Hoverflies, Damselbugs |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
||
| Toads | All |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Cutworms, Crickets, Grubs, Rose Chafers, Rose Beetles, Caterpillars, Ants, Squash Bugs, Sow Bugs, Potato Beetles, Moths, Mosquitos, Flies, Slugs And Even Moles. |