Companion Planting: Plants That Can & Can Not Be Grown with Tomatoes

Companion planting in a vegetable garden is all about attracting beneficial insects, which function as natural predators of garden pests like aphids and caterpillars, and promoting growth and production. Making the most of a growing season and creating the ideal environment for insects like beetles and ladybugs need careful balancing.

Companion Plants to Grow with Tomatoes

There are several potential drawbacks when planting tomatoes, including blossom end rot, fungal diseases, insect pests including tomato hornworms, aphids, and whiteflies, as well as early and late blight. The finest tomato companion plants may perform a lot of the work naturally, but pruning, careful weeding, and mulching can all assist in protecting and managing plants until it is time to harvest.

The majority of information on companion planting is unreliable, however, the following are some tried-and-true plants to grow with tomatoes:

Borage and squash

Tomatoes, borage, and squash are frequent triangles in companion planting. The blue star-shaped blooms of the flowering plant borage are a huge favorite of pollinators, and it also deters tomato hornworms. In addition to safeguarding tomatoes and enhancing their development and flavor, it also serves as a beautiful, striking garnish. Then, the groundwork has already been done when late-summer squash, which needs pollinators to ripen, is prepared to bloom.

Basil

On and off the plate, basil and tomatoes are best friends. This colorful, fragrant plant is said to increase production and repel insects, particularly flies and hornworms.

Garlic

It is believed that garlic repels spider mites and that a spray prepared from garlic helps shield soil and plants against blight.

Parsley

Another traditional combination includes parsley and mint. Parsley promotes the development and draws ladybugs, a predator of the tomato hornworm.

French marigolds and nasturtiums

Nasturtiums and marigolds, which should not be confused with calendula, or Pot Marigold is particularly good companion plants for tomatoes. Nasturtium's peppery, bitter oils serve as a general pest deterrent, while marigolds have been found to drive away root-knot nematodes, parasites that feed on the nutrients in a tomato's root system. However, don't allow them to get too close. If not controlled, nasturtium spreads quickly and has the potential to Overtake nearby plants.

Asparagus

Asparagus demonstrates the give and take of good companion planting with the help of a substance called solanine, tomatoes repel asparagus beetles, and asparagus aids in removing root-knot nematodes that are drawn to tomatoes from the soil.

Chives

In addition to being a crucial allium in every herb garden, chives also act as a mite, nematode, and aphid repellent.

Plants that are not suitable for companion Planting with tomatoes

In general, if laying out a vegetable garden, it's a good idea to consult a companion planting guide: Additionally, it will show what not to plant next to tomatoes, as the growth of the plant will be vulnerable to cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi (all members of the Brassicaceae family).

The correlations aren't always logical: Carrots are beneficial to tomatoes, whereas fennel, a related of the carrot, does not benefit tomatoes. Similar to tomatoes, eggplant is a member of the nightshade family and is susceptible to early and late blight. This will take a peal on the soil, making it harder to avoid the next year.