Knowing which plants make good neighbors in the vegetable patch brings numerous benefits. This not only ensures a rich harvest, but also harmful insects avoid your vegetable patch and you have to do far less against these unwanted guests. In addition, a mixed culture looks great, because bright orange-colored marigolds or marigolds planted between onions and carrots, surrounded by herbs, become the highlight of the garden.

Vegetables thrive even better with the right neighbors

How do good neighbors benefit from each other?

There are a variety of reasons that speak for certain plant neighborhoods:

  • Pests do not like the smell of the neighboring plant and therefore stay away.
  • Beneficial creatures are attracted.
  • Neighboring plants attract insects and thus ensure good pollination and a richer harvest.
  • Sensitive plants are shaded by tall, sun-loving plants.
  • The space in the bed is used optimally.
  • Better nutrient utilization of the soil.

Which plants should be placed next to each other?

"Even the strongest plant cannot thrive if the neighbor doesn't like it." One could modify Schiller's quote something like this, it's about the vegetable patch. The following table provides information on which vegetable plants thrive next to each other:

plant good neighbors bad neighbors
beans Savory, strawberries, cucumber, potato, cabbage, lettuce, celery, beetroot, tomato Peas, fennel, garlic, leeks, onions
strawberries French beans, garlic, lettuce, leeks, radishes, chives, spinach, onions cabbage
potatoes Broad beans, chamomile, nasturtium, cabbage, cumin, corn, horseradish, mint, spinach, marigold Pumpkin, tomato, celery, sunflower
leek Endives, strawberries, chamomile, cabbage, lettuce, carrots, salsify, celery, tomatoes Beans, Peas, Beetroot
Corn Beans, cucumbers, potatoes, lettuce, squash, melons, tomatoes, zucchini Beetroot, celery
carrots Dill, peas, garlic, leeks, chard, radishes, radishes, rosemary, sage, chives, lettuce, salsify, tomatoes, onions
radish and radish Beans, peas, nasturtium, cabbage, lettuce, chard, carrots, spinach, tomatoes cucumbers
celery Bush beans, cucumbers, chamomile, cabbage, leeks, tomatoes Potatoes, Lettuce, Corn
asparagus Cucumber, Lettuce, Parsley, Lettuce, Tomato garlic, onions
spinach Strawberries, Potatoes, Cabbage, Radishes, Radish, Celery, Runner Beans, Tomatoes
tomatoes French beans, nasturtium, garlic, cabbage, lettuce, leeks, corn, carrots, parsley, lettuce, radish, radish, beetroot, celery, spinach Peas, fennel, potatoes
zucchini Nasturtium, Corn, Beetroot, Runner Beans, Onions
onions Savory, dill, strawberries, cucumber, chamomile, lettuce, carrots, beetroot, salsify Beans, peas, cabbage

Many other plants could be found that harmonize very well. More comprehensive tables can be found in specialist garden shops.

Which neighbors are particularly unfavourable?

There are some plants that you should absolutely not put next to each other:

  • lettuce and parsley
  • fennel and tomatoes
  • French beans and onions
  • cabbage and onions
  • tomatoes and peas
  • peas and beans
  • potatoes and sunflowers
  • potatoes and tomatoes

tips

If you look at different sources, the information about good and bad neighbors does not always match. This depends on the soil and location, but also on the choice of variety. Therefore, write down your own observations and include your own experiences in the planting plan for the next garden year.

Category:

Vegetable garden