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companion planting plants to avoid planting together and benefits logo

Companion Plant Chart:

Use this chart to quickly see which plants thrive together
and which should be kept apart.

Vegetable Companion Plant Chart:

Arugula

  1. Companion Plant: Beans, Lettuce, Peas
  2. Avoid: Brassicas
  3. Benefits: Attracts pollinators, repels pests

Beans

  1. Companion Plant: Corn, Cucumbers, Radishes, Carrots
  2. Avoid: Onions, Garlic
  3. Benefits: Fixes nitrogen, supports climbing plants

Beets

  1. Companion Plant: Onions, Lettuce, Cabbage
  2. Avoid: Pole Beans
  3. Benefits: Improves flavour, deters pests

Broccoli

  1. Companion Plant: Onions, Potatoes, Beets, Celery
  2. Avoid: Strawberries
  3. Benefits: Repels cabbage worms, boosts growth

Cabbages

  1. Companion Plant: Celery, Dill, Onions, Potatoes
  2. Avoid: Grapes, Strawberries
  3. Benefits: Deters pests like cabbage butterfly

Carrots

  1. Companion Plant: Peas, Lettuce, Onions, Tomatoes
  2. Avoid: Dill
  3. Benefits: Loosens soil, deters root fly

Celery

  1. Beans - Cucumbers, Leeks, Onions, Garlic - Cabbage family
  2. Avoid: Tomatoes - Carrots - Corn
  3. Benefits: Pest Repellent - Moisture Retention - Its dense foliage shades soil and reduces evaporation.

Corn

  1. Companion Plant: Beans, Cucumbers, Squash
  2. Avoid: Tomatoes
  3. Benefits: Supports beans

Cucumbers

  1. Companion Plant: Beans, Corn, Radishes, Peas
  2. Avoid: Potatoes
  3. Benefits: Improves yield, repels cucumber beetles

Eggplant

  1. Companion Plant: Beans, Peppers, Spinach
  2. Avoid: Corn
  3. Benefits: Attracts beneficial insects

Garlic

  1. Companion Plant: Tomatoes, Carrots, Cabbage family, Beets, Peppers, Fruit Trees
  2. Avoid: Beans, Peas, Asparagus, Sage
  3. Benefits: Japanese beetles, Aphids, Spider mites, Cabbage worms, Carrot fly

Kale

  1. Companion Plant: Beets, Celery, Onions
  2. Avoid: Strawberries
  3. Benefits: Attracts pest-eating insects

Kohlrabi

  1. Companion Plant: Beets, Celery, Onions
  2. Avoid: Pole Beans
  3. Benefits: Deters cabbage worms

Lettuce

  1. Companion Plant: Carrots, Radishes, Cucumbers, Strawberries
  2. Avoid: Parsley
  3. Benefits: Provides shade, conserves moisture

Onions

  1. Companion Plant: cabbage family, beets, lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries
  2. Avoid: peas, beans, asparagus, sage
  3. Benefits: deters carrot fly, cabbage worms, aphids

Peas

  1. Companion Plant: Carrots, corn, cucumbers, beans, turnips, radishes
  2. Avoid: Onions, garlic, leeks, shallots (all alliums)
  3. Benefits: Fixes nitrogen in soil, supports growth of neighbouring plants, improves soil fertility

Peppers

  1. Companion Plant: Basil, Onions, Carrots, Spinach, Marigolds
  2. Avoid: Fennel, Kohlrabi
  3. Benefits: Enhances flavour, repels pests like aphids and spider mites, improves growth

Potatoes

  1. Companion Plant: Beans, Cabbage, Corn, Marigolds
  2. Avoid: Tomatoes, Cucumbers
  3. Benefits: Repels insects, increases disease resistance

Radishes

  1. Companion Plant: Beans, Cucumbers, Lettuce
  2. Avoid: Hyssop
  3. Benefits: Deters cucumber beetles and aphids

Spinach

  1. Companion Plant: Strawberries, Peas, Radishes
  2. Avoid: Potatoes
  3. Benefits: Suppresses weeds

Squash

  1. Companion Plant: Corn, Beans, Nasturtiums
  2. Avoid: Potatoes
  3. Benefits: Pest control

Sweet Potatoes

  1. Companion Plant: Beans, Spinach, Radishes, Marigolds, Thyme, Yarrow
  2. Avoid: Squash & Pumpkins, Sunflowers, Tomatoes, Potatoes
  3. Benefits: Attract pollinators & beneficial insects

Swiss Chard

  1. Companion Plant: Beans, Cabbage, Onions
  2. Avoid: Pole Beans
  3. Benefits: Repels harmful insects

Tomatoes

  1. Companion Plant: Basil, Carrots, Onions, Marigolds
  2. Avoid: Corn, Potatoes
  3. Benefits: Repels nematodes, attracts pollinators

Zucchini

  1. Companion Plant: Beans, Corn, Nasturtiums
  2. Avoid: Potatoes
  3. Benefits: Attracts pollinators, repels squash bugs
fruit companion plants to avoid planting together and benefits logo

Fruit Companion Plant Chart:

Apples

  1. Companion Plant: Garlic, chives, parsley
  2. Avoid: Walnuts (due to juglone toxin)
  3. Benefits: Garlic and chives help repel aphids and caterpillars. Parsley attracts beneficial insects that pollinate apple trees.

Apricots

  1. Companion Plant: Basil, lavender, nasturtium
  2. Avoid: Tomatoes and potatoes (high risk of fungal infections)
  3. Benefits: Lavender and basil deter insects; nasturtium acts as a trap crop for aphids.

Blackberries

  1. Companion Plant: Marigold, mint, chives
  2. Avoid: Nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes — disease risk)
  3. Benefits: Mint and marigolds repel harmful insects; chives improve overall plant vigour.

Blueberries

  1. Companion Plant: Rhododendron, azalea, heather (all acid-loving plants)
  2. Avoid: Tomatoes, peppers (different soil needs — blueberries need very acidic soil)
  3. Benefits: Acid-loving companions help maintain the right soil pH; dense ground cover protects roots.

Cherries

  1. Companion Plant: Garlic, marigold, dandelion
  2. Avoid: Tomatoes (can spread fungal diseases)
  3. Benefits: Garlic and marigolds help repel nematodes and beetles; dandelions attract pollinators.

Currants (Red, Black, White)

  1. Companion Plant: Chives, garlic, tansy
  2. Avoid: Gooseberries (may attract similar pests like sawflies)
  3. Benefits: Gooseberries (may attract similar pests like sawflies)

Gogi Berries

  1. Companion Plant: Garlic, chives, comfrey
  2. Avoid: Potatoes (can share fungal diseases)
  3. Benefits: Garlic and chives repel pests; comfrey enriches the soil and retains moisture.

Grapes

  1. Companion Plant: Garlic, beans, radishes
  2. Avoid: Cabbage, broccoli
  3. Benefits: Garlic repels aphids and mildew. Beans enrich the soil with nitrogen, helping grapevines thrive.

Melons

  1. Companion Plant: Beans, onions, lettuce, radishes, marigolds, nasturtiums, dill, oregano
  2. Avoid: Potatoes, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, pumpkins, sage
  3. Benefits: Improves pollination, repels pests (aphids, beetles), enhances soil nitrogen, reduces competition and attracts beneficial insects

Peach Trees

  1. Companion Plant: Chives, garlic, marigolds
  2. Avoid: Fennel
  3. Benefits: Marigolds help deter pests and chives/garlic repels insects like aphids that may harm peach trees.

Pears

  1. Companion Plant: Chives, nasturtium, garlic
  2. Avoid: Mustard plants (may attract pests harmful to pears)
  3. Benefits: Chives and garlic repel pear pests; nasturtium traps aphids.

Plums

  1. Companion Plant: Comfrey, daffodils, garlic
  2. Avoid: Strawberry (competes for nutrients and moisture)
  3. Benefits: Comfrey acts as a dynamic accumulator improving soil nutrients; daffodils deter borers.

Raspberries

  1. Companion Plant: Beans, cabbage, lettuce
  2. Avoid: Strawberries (due to potential disease sharing)
  3. Benefits: Beans help enrich the soil with nitrogen, while lettuce provides shade to raspberry roots.

Strawberries

  1. Companion Plant: Beans, onions, spinach, lettuce
  2. Avoid: Cabbage, broccoli
  3. Benefits: Beans fix nitrogen for strawberries, while onions repel pests like aphids and slugs.

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About Companion Planting

Companion planting is a time-tested method where certain plants can help each other thrive — boosting growth, repelling pests, and sometimes even improving flavour. Not every combination works in every garden, so think of this as a helpful tool rather than a strict rulebook.

General Tips

  • Nutrient Balance: Some plants, like beans, fix nitrogen in the soil, which can benefit neighbouring plants.
  • Pest Control I Use: Plants like marigolds, calendula, nasturtiums, thyme, chives, dill, fennel, sage, and garlic act as natural pest repellents — these are the combinations I’ve actually tested and found reliable.
  • Space Management: Companion plants should complement each other in terms of space, with some providing shade or support for others.

What Companion Planting Won’t Do

  • It won’t guarantee bigger harvests or stronger flavours every time — climate, soil, and plant variety all affect results.
  • It’s not a replacement for good garden hygiene — pests and diseases can still appear even with companion planting.
  • Some claimed benefits are anecdotal — not every “classic pairing” is scientifically proven to work everywhere.

Quick Takeaways

  • Try companion planting in small patches to see what works in your garden.
  • Observe and take notes each season — your soil and pests will change over time.
  • Use this chart as a guide, but trust your own experience — your results may vary.
  • I don't have to think as hard as where to to plant what. - the lazy gardener? :)