Should green beans be planted next to tomatoes?

In numerous ways, companion plants can enhance the health and productivity of tomato plants. Find out more about tomato companion plants here, including their benefits.
Tomatoes are one of the most popular garden plants, and companion planting may help you grow more of them! We have some great companion plants that will help reduce pests, increase flavor and production, and help avoid diseases in your tomato crop.
Companion planting is an easy method to help improve your tomato harvests. Let’s get started!
What is companion planting?
Companion planting is the technique of growing plants near one other in your food garden so that they may benefit from one another. Sometimes, these beneficial relationships involve deterring pests, while other times they may enhance plant growth or vegetable production, attract beneficial insects and pollinators, or prevent disease.
For instance, basil can help mask the scent of tomatoes from thrips, a common tomato plant pest. Interplanting tomatoes with basil plants may help protect your tomato plants from thrips, which causes stunted growth and early fruit loss.
Why should I try companion planting?
Companion planting can help reduce a lot of pest pressure in your garden, plus it can increase flavor and production—even better, it’s EASY! Just place some plants in close proximity in the garden and watch the magic unfold.
What are the absolute BEST companion plants for tomatoes?
You have many options for tomato companion planting, but here are our two favorites.
- Basil. We believe basil is the MOST ideal tomato companion plant. The strong aroma of basil helps protect tomatoes against a variety of pests such as thrips, aphids, and spider mites. Basil may also be used to repel tomato hornworms and armyworms. Basil placed alongside tomatoes, according to Lore, may also aid boost tomato taste! It’s also simply good garden planning, since we use tomatoes and basil so often in summer cooking (like in Caprese Salad).
- Marigold. Not only are marigolds a beautiful addition to your garden, but their strong scent helps confuse insects so they can’t find your tomatoes. Moreover, the lovely blossoms attract useful insects such as pollinators.
What are some other good companion plants for tomatoes?
Tomatoes are one of the most popular veggies in the garden, and even the smallest home garden can benefit from companion planting with tomatoes! The following are the finest tomato companion plants we’ve discovered in the Growfully gardens:
Herbs and Flowers
- Borage
- Calendula. A fantastic plant for attracting beneficial insects, which may aid in pest control and pollination.
- Chives
- Lemon balm. This herb’s strong aroma makes it an excellent natural insect repellent, but it’s also an antibacterial, which means it may help minimize the occurrence of fungal and bacterial illnesses.
- Mint. Attracts parasitic wasps that aid in the treatment of tomato hornworms. Do note that mint can be invasive, so rather than planting it directly in your garden bed, plant mint in its own container and place it near your tomatoes.
- Nasturtium
- Sage, oregano, parsley, and thyme. Attracts parasitic wasps that aid in the treatment of tomato hornworms.
Vegetables
- Beans and peas. Beans and peas fix nitrogen in the soil, which is beneficial to heavy feeders like tomatoes. Bush beans, in particular, are a great space fit for around tomatoes—and they can help increase air circulation around tomato plants to reduce fungal diseases. If you have the room, pole beans will also suffice.
- Carrots. Attracts parasitic wasps that aid in the management of tomato hornworms and other caterpillar pests. An important caveat: some folks say that while planting tomatoes and carrots together improves the flavor of both, it can reduce the growth—especially of the carrots. If you don’t mind smaller but more tasty carrots, this combination is worth a try!
- Beets and radishes. These little root crops may fit in between tomato plants.
- Cucumber and squash. These can be grown as living mulch beneath tall plants like tomatoes—the leaves help with weed management and soil moisture retention. Just make sure you have enough room to develop!
- Lettuce. Lettuce is an excellent partner since it makes efficient use of available space. You can fill in the space between tomato plants with lettuce, and the tomato plants can help shade the lettuce from the hot summer sun.
- Onion, garlic and other alliums. The overpowering aroma of onions, garlic, and chives may conceal the fragrance of tomatoes from insects.
What are bad companion plants for tomatoes?
- Brassicas such as broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, and others. Brassicas, which include broccoli, cabbage, rutabaga, and cauliflower, will compete for resources with tomatoes, since both are heavy feeders.
- Cauliflower. See broccoli for further information on why cauliflower and other brassicas are poor tomato mates.
- Nightshades include eggplant, peppers, potatoes, and other vegetables. Tomatoes are a member of the nightshade family, which means you shouldn’t plant them with other nightshades like eggplants, peppers, or potatoes. This is due to the fact that nightshades may transmit bacterial and fungal infections.
- Fennel. Fennel is a terrible companion plant for many garden plants, even tomatoes!
- Walnut trees. This isn’t one you’ll usually plant in your garden beds, but it’s worth being aware of when placing your garden. Avoid planting your garden near walnut trees since the trees emit juglone, which causes walnut wilt and severely limits tomato growth (and many, many other plants).
Related Questions
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Is it OK to plant green beans and tomatoes together?
Beans and tomatoes have very different nutrient needs and different watering needs. If you can control those, then there is no reason why they can’t be planted and grow them together. Several gardeners have done so successfully. In terms of nutrition, tomatoes need significantly more nitrogen than beans.
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What should you not plant near tomatoes?
Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi can stunt the growth of your tomato plant because they out-compete them for the same nutrients. The brassica family includes several vegetables.
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What not to plant with green beans?
It is advisable not to grow beans near allium family members such as onions, leeks, garlic, and scallions. Growing onion plants near bean plants will inhibit the growth because the plants release a substance that kills off beneficial bacteria near the bean roots.
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What grows best with tomatoes?
Companion Plants to Grow With Tomatoes
- Basil. Basil and tomatoes are soulmates on and off the plate. …
- Parsley. …
- Garlic. …
- Borage and squash. …
- French marigolds and nasturtiums. …
- Asparagus. …
- Chives.