DibbleCompanion planting is the practice of placing crops so they help, rather than fight, each other. Some plants deter pests, some attract pollinators, some shade or support their neighbors, and some simply compete for the same food and space. A little planning makes a bed more productive and less prone to problems.
Good pairings to start with
These pairings come straight from the crop data in Dibble.
- Tomatoes do well next to basil, carrots, onions, marigolds, and lettuce.
- Carrots like onions, lettuce, radishes, peas, and tomatoes nearby.
- Beans pair with corn, cucumbers, potatoes, marigolds, and squash.
- Cucumbers grow well with beans, corn, peas, radishes, and sunflowers.
- Lettuce is happy beside carrots, radishes, onions, and beets.
Keep these apart
Plants in the same family compete and share pests and diseases, so do not bunch them. A few classic clashes: beans do not love being next to onions and garlic, and tomatoes and potatoes, both in the nightshade family, should be kept apart. Each crop page lists its good and bad neighbors.
Think in families
The easiest way to plan companions is to think about plant families. Crops in the same family have similar needs and similar enemies. Mixing families through a bed, instead of planting one big block, spreads out pests and balances how much each plant takes from the soil. The same family thinking drives crop rotation, which protects your soil from year to year.
