Garden planting and transplanting is now in full swing.  If we can avoid any more cold spells pretty much everything we want to grow can be planted from now on.  But one question remains, who makes good garden companions, who do not?   Plants affect their neighbors and the soil so we should try to place compatible or non-competitive plants near each other when possible.  A similar principle applies when deciding which plant follows recently removed ones (succession).  We don’t want to re-plant the same plant or one that needs the same soil nutrients in the same place; that would risk depleting the soil and depriving the subsequent plant of what it needs to be healthy.

Here is a list of some common garden plants and recommended companions.  This doesn’t mean they are required neighbors, but we do know they are compatible, and they might even benefit from each other by repelling pests or sharing nutrients.

                                    Companions                                                   Incompatible

Bush/pole Beans:      anything (beans add Nitrogen to the soil)      Onions

Broccoli*:                   Beets, Onions, Spinach                                   Tomato, Dill

Brussel sprouts*:      Beets, Onions, Spinach                                   Tomato, Dill

Cabbage*:                 Beets, Onions, Spinach                                      Tomato, Dill

Cauliflower*:             Beets, Onions, Spinach                                     Tomato, Dill

Carrots:                      Peas, Lettuce, Tomato                                            Dill

Corn:                          Beans, Peas, Squash, Cucumbers                      Tomato

Cucumber:                Beans, Peas, Corn, Sunflowers                            Potato

Eggplant:                   Beans, Marigold                                                       ~ none ~

Lettuce:                      Carrots, Radish, Strawberry                                   ~ none ~

Onion:                        Beets, Carrots, Lettuce, Cabbage family          Beans, Peas

Peas:                          Carrots, Radish, Cucumber, Corn, Beans           Onions

Potatoes:                   Beans, Corn, Cabbage family, Marigolds            Tomato

Squashes:                 Corn, Beans, Nasturtium, Marigold                       Potatoes

Tomato:                      Onion, Carrot, Nasturtium, Marigold                  Potatoes

You can see from this list that the classic “Three Sisters” combination is made of 3 mutually beneficial plants that help each other with nutrients (pole beans), weed suppression (squash), and support (corn).  It’s an ingenious design that simply works. 

What are your favorite companions or combinations to grow?