Dreaming Dove's Companion Planting Guide

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Companion Planting
from A to Z

Control insects and grow better plants by planting types of plants that have a mutually beneficial relationship together. This method has been practised for years and often one plant will add nutrients to another plant, ward off certain insects and attract useful ones. Companion planting is simply placing plants together which like each other's company and provide mutual benefits and protection.

Interplanting makes good sense - not only because this gives you the maximum use from the space you have available - but because it also helps keep weeds down and makes the garden a very pleasant place in which to be. Planting herbs and vegetables together repels insect attacks and promotes the growth and flavour of your vegetables.

Some plants are better left in a solitary state. Trees, such as willows, poplars and Ficus (fig), will not grow well with any other plants - they are not good companion plants.

Alfalfa reduces corn wireworms.
anise

Anise deters aphids, fleas, reduces cabbage worms. Good companion with beans and coriander. Poor with carrots.

Basil wards off insects. It is good for keeping disease and pests from tomatoes. Control for aphids and asparagus beetles. Good companion with beans, cabbage and tomatoes. Poor with rue.

Borage attracts bees, reduces Japanese beetles on potatoes and deters tomato hornworms. Good companion with strawberry and tomato.

Carraway is a good companion with peas but poor with fennel.

Catnip deters ants, aphids, chewing beetles, darkling beetles, flea beetles, Japanese beetles, squash bugs and weevils.

Chamomile is a good companion with cucumber, mint and onion.

Chervil is a good companion with carrot and radish.

Chives cures blackspot on roses, deters greenfly and Japanese beetles and grow strongly when planted between the bushes, making an attractive semi-groundcover with rosy-pink flowers. Chives discourage insects climbing fruit trees and mildew on cucumbers. Good companion with carrot, grape, parsley and tomato.

Comfrey is very good to pick and add to your compost heap, as well as helping to fill up a salad bowl if you run short of lettuce. It is a good companion plant because it keeps the surrounding soil rich and moist.

Coriander helps control aphids and spider mites. Good companion with anise and potato. Poor companion with fennel.

Dill is a good companion with cabbage, lettuce and onion.
Poor with carrot and tomato.
Herbs

Fennel dislikes beans, caraway, coriander, dill and tomatoes.

FRUIT TREES benefit from having chives and tansy planted underneath them.

apple

Apple grows well with chives and nasturtium but poorly with potatoes.

Apricot grows well with asparagus, grape, onion, strawberry and sweetcorn.

Citrus Fruit grows well with coffee and peppers.

Fig does not grow well with rue.

Grape grows well with blackberry, hyssop and legumes.
Poor companions include cabbage and radish.

Mulberry grows well with grape.

Nectarine grows well with asparagus, grape, onion, strawberry, sweetcorn.

Peach grows well with asparagus, grape, onion, strawberry and sweetcorn.
Poor companions are old and new peach trees.

Pear grows well with currant.

Quince grows well with garlic.

Raspberry grows well with tansy but poorly with blackberry and potatoes.

Strawberry grows well with beans, borage, lettuce, nectarine, peach and spinach.
Poor companions are cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprout.

garlic

Garlic has a pungent aroma which is useful in deterring many insects. Rabbits do not like the aroma so keep this in mind if they are a problem for you. Garlic also has the effect of cleaning up the soil and disinfecting it. Garlic hates strawberry, beans and peas but is a good companion with carrots, roses and tomatoes.

Garlic chives grown close to apple trees will help prevent them from apple scab.

Horseradish planted under fruit trees and near potatoes will help protect them from fungus diseases. Deters chewing beetles.

Hyssop is good with cabbage, grape, plants in general except radish.

INSECTS – wormwood, tansy, lavender, basil and mint – in fact any strongly perfumed herb – planted anywhere in the garden will ward off insects as well as adding interest to the garden. Plant under windows and near doorways, either in the ground or in pots to help protect your house from flying nasties.

Lavender wards off insects. Deters corn wireworms and southern rootworms.

Lemon Balm is a good companion with tomatoes.
calendula

Marigolds are a first rate insect repellant and planted near any vegetable, herb or plant will ward off insects as well as adding much colour to the garden and attracting bees. The roots of the French marigold secrete a substance which kills root-eating nematodes. The nematode, or eelworm, is a minutely small creature that can do tremendous damage to the plants in your garden. Marigolds among tomatoes will repel the white fly.

Marjoram is a good companion with all plants in general.

Mint wards off insects. When grown close to cabbage, will help to protect them from the white cabbage fly. Good companion with all plants in general with the exception of parsley. As mints are invasive plants, spreading runners underground, planting containers of mint (or placing pots of mint amongst plants) can help eliminate this problem.

Nasturtiums , very colourful, annual herbs, when planted amongst your vegetables will reduce aphids, cabbage worms and will help control chewing insects. Nasturtiums keep away cucumber beetles and, when planted near radishes, will give them a good hot taste. They will also add colour and can be eaten in salads and sandwiches. Nasturtium seeds are sometimes pickled and served as a substitute for capers.

Oregano is a good companion with cabbage and cucumber.

parsley

Parsley is excellent planted near tomatoes, carrots, chives and roses. Parsley likes asparagus also and is a control for asparagus beetles.

Pennyroyal set on a path will exude a strong tangy aroma when walked upon and if near a door, or preferably on the step, will help to keep insects out of the house.

Petunias repel bean beetles, potato bugs and squash bugs.

Pyrethrum daisies planted by the side of strawberries will help prevent pests
nibbling the berries before you do.

Rosemary repels carrot fly to some extent, however, onion has a stronger effect.
Deters bean beetles, cabbage moths and many other insects. Good companion with beans, cabbage and carrots but a poor companion with potatoes.

Rue is a good companion with roses but poor with basil, cabbage and sage. It is another herb that insects won't go near and slugs avoid. It makes a useful edging hedge, less than a metre high, and is easily grown from seed.
Herbs

Sage when grown close to cabbage, will help to protect them from the white cabbage fly, cabbage worms, cabbage moths and root maggots. Good companion with carrots (protecting against carrot fly as do alternate rows of leeks), marjoram, strawberry and tomato. Poor companion with cucumber and rue.

Summer Savory planted between rows of beans will inhibit the bean beetle. Onions appreciate summer savory too.

Tansy wards off insects and will help to keep flies out of the house. The aroma wafting into rooms makes them smell much sweeter than any commercially made air fresheners. Deters many insects including ants, aphids, cabbage worms, chewing beetles, Japanese beetles and squash bugs. Good companion with blackberry, peppers, potatoes and raspberry.

Tarragon is a good companion with all plants in general.

Thyme is said to help repel the cabbage root fly, cabbage worms, cabbage loopers and whiteflies. Good companion with all plants in general.

Wormwood wards off insects. General insecticide; deters mice and other rodents, slugs and snails.

Yarrow is excellent for edging along paths around vegetable beds as it will keep insects away and doesn't mind being trodden on. Good companion with all plants in general.

VEGETABLES :

Beans reduce corn armyworms. French or dwarf beans seem to grow better in company with cucumbers, cabbages and strawberry plants.

Beetroot is good with cabbage, onions and kohlrabi. Although French beans are good company, beetroot dislikes runner beans.

Broad Beans like carrots and cauliflower, red beet, cucumber, cabbage, potatoes, leeks and celery. They don't like members of the onion family.

Broccoli is good with beans, celery, chamomile, dill, mint, nasturtium, onion, oregano, potatoes, sage and rosemary. Dislikes lettuce, strawberry and tomatoes. Broccoli reduces striped cucumber beetles.

Brussels Sprout likes beans, celery, dill, hyssop, mint, nasturtium, potato, sage and rosemary. Dislikes strawberries.

Cabbage likes beans, beetroot, celery, chamomile, dill, hyssop, mint, nasturtium, onion, oregano, potatoes, tomatoes, sage and rosemary (which also helps to repel pests). Dislikes grape, strawberry and tomato.

Carrots grow well with onions, leeks and shallots. They also like beans, chives, peas, radish, rosemary, sage, scorzonera, tomato, wormwood. Dislikes dill. After lifting, carrots should not be stored next to apples.

Cauliflower seems to grow particularly well next to celery. Their mutual love of soil which has been recently limed may explain this. Cauliflower also likes bean, beetroot, celery, chamomile, dill, hyssop, mint, nasturtium, onion, oregano, potato, sage radish and rosemary. Dislikes strawberry and tomatoes.

Celeriac and Celery like beans, peas, dill, cabbage, leek, onion, tomato. Deters cabbage butterflies.

Corn thrives next to peas, pumpkins, zucchini, beans, lupin, melon, early planted potatoes and squash. Climbing beans and "burpless" cucumbers can actually be trained to grow up the developing corn-stalks, where they will continue to bear long after the corn has been harvested.

Cucumber likes beans, broccoli, celery, Chinese cabbage, chives, lettuce, peas, radish, potatoes, kohlrabi and tomatoes. Dislikes rue and sage.

Dwarf and Climbing Peas like sweet corn and very much dislike onions, shallots and garlic.

Eggplant goes well with peas, tarragon and thyme.

Horseradish and potatoes grow well together.

Garlic hates beans and peas.

Kohlrabi likes onions and beet, but doesn't like beans, peppers and tomato.

Leafy vegetables , such as spinach, silver beet and lettuce, should follow peas and beans (rotation of crops) in order to take advantage of the soil enrichment that has been provided by the legumes.

Leeks like celery, celeriac and carrots. Deters carrot flies. Leeks dislike broad beans and broccoli.

Lettuce planted next to parsley and strawberry plants seem to do very well, producing crisp, tight hearts. Other good companions include carrots, beetroot, cabbage, clover, peas, and radishes.

Marrow like beans, mint, nasturtium, radish and sweetcorn. Dislikes potatoes.

Melon is a good companion with corn, peanuts and sunflowers.

Onions like the influence of carrots (especially) and are good companions with beetroot, cabbage, summer savory, chamomile, lettuce, potatoes, strawberry and tomato. Nevery happy when planted next to beans and peas.

Parsley likes asparagus and tomatoes.

Parsnips - germinate slowly from seed, so many growers plant radish seed in the same drill. They are up within a week, break the crust and can be harvested and eaten while the parsnips are still following through. Parsnips like cabbage, silverbeet and cauliflower to keep them company.

Peas like aubergine, lettuce, spinach, sweetcorn, tomatoes, turnips, beans, sweet corn, radishes, carrots, cucumbers, but hate the onion family (onions, garlic or shallots). They will, however, tolerate potatoes.

Potatoes like beans, peas, sweet corn, lettuce, onion, petunias, marigolds, cabbage but dislikes tomatoes, apple, pumpkin and sunflowers. Deters bean beetles.

Pumpkin dislikes potatoes but does enjoy the company of sweet corn, beans, mint, nasturtium and radish.

Radishes like most plants in the garden except hyssop and grape. Deters cucumber beetles, root flies, vine borers and many other pests. They are ready to pull within a month after the seed has been sown, so they rarely have much of a chance to become picky about their company.

Silverbeet grows strongly next to French beans, cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, kohlrabi and to a limited extent, onions, which grow smallish, strongly-flavoured bulbs. Silverbeet, however, is intolerant of mustard and climbing beans.

Spinach likes cabbage, celery, onion, peas, strawberries.

Squash likes beans, mint, nasturtiums, radish, sweetcorn.

Tomatoes like carrot, onions peas, sage, parsley, cabbage, cauliflower, sprouts, asparagus and basil (their favourite) but dislike kohlrabi, fennel and potatoes.

Turnips and Swedes like peas.

Zucchini like beans, mint, nasturtium, radish, sweetcorn. Dislike potatoes.

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