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What is the best combination of plants with tomato?

Tomatoes grow in a bed with peppers, strawberries and basil, as well as flowers that attract pollinators.

Tomatoes are a common ingredient in both vegetable gardens and home cuisine. Many gardeners plant them in their backyards and in containers because they are rich in nutrients, delicious and productive.

Tomato plants are easy to grow and maintain, but are sometimes impacted by pests, disease, low production or other issues. Fortunately, there are several vegetables, herbs, and flowers that make excellent tomato companion plants. Following is a list of ten plants that may be grown near your tomatoes to help them flourish.

What Are the Benefits of Tomato Companion Plants?

Companion planting is the practice of growing certain plants together to create a mutually beneficial relationship. Be certain that the friends you chose thrive under the same circumstances as your tomatoes.

Some advantages of producing tomatoes with companion plants include:

  • They attract helpful insects, which pollinate your tomatoes.
  • They repel pests that may eat your tomato plants
  • They keep infections at bay by serving as natural fungicides.
  • They establish an eco-system that benefits everything that grows in your yard.
  • They enhance the flavor of your tomatoes
  • They boost output while also improving fruit quality.
  • They partner well with tomatoes in recipes

Top 10 Companion Plants for Tomatoes

You may wish to include any of the following typical companion plants into your garden:

marigolds

1. Marigolds

The bright colors and strong scent of marigolds make them an excellent deterrent against insects like tomato hornworms and aphids. These similar characteristics may also attract other pests. Planting a row of marigolds around your tomatoes can help ensure that the bugs feed on the marigolds and not on your fruit.

garlic

2. Garlic

Garlic is a natural pest repellent that can help keep moths away from your tomatoes by masking the smell of ripening fruit. With its powerful stink, it also prevents other pests like cabbage loopers and root maggots away from plants.

onions

3. Onions

Because of their strong stench, onions, like garlic, are recognized as natural insect repellents. They are great companion plants for tomatoes. But, if you have thrips in your garden, avoid growing onions, leeks, or garlic near your tomatoes. Although these root vegetables are typically excellent companions, they are also prone to thrip

4. Lavender

The sweet-smelling flowers of lavender plants repel mosquitoes and other flying pests while also keeping aphids away from nearby crops such as strawberries or cucumbers (but not blueberries). Lavender also attracts bees, which help pollinate your crops, resulting in larger harvests and higher quality products.

5. Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

This herb helps control aphids, spider mites, and thrips. It’s also good for repelling mosquitoes because it contains eugenol oil in its leaves, which gives basil its distinctive smell. Many gardeners believe that basil enhances the taste of tomatoes. Also, they pair well in recipes.

chives

6. Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)

Chives, like basil, will defend itself against predators such as aphids and spider mites by creating natural oils in its leaves that emit an onion-like stench when crushed or brushed against—a scent that most bugs dislike.

asparagus

7. Asparagus

This is a classic example of a plant-to-plant symbiotic connection. Tomatoes produce a natural chemical called solanine, which is a repellant for the asparagus beetle. In turn, asparagus produces a natural fungicide that helps prevent early blight and botrytis. It also aids in the prevention of root-knot nematodes in the soil.

celery

8. Celery

Celery is a great bug-deterring companion for tomatoes. Many of the pests that love to eat tomatoes are turned off by the fragrance!

parsley

9. Parsley

If you have aphids killing your tomato plants, you should absolutely install a parsley barrier. Hoverflies are drawn to parsley, and their favorite diet is aphids! Nevertheless, not every tomato type gets along with parsley, so do your homework before planting parsley near your tomato plants.

10. Peppers

This is up for debate, but the general consensus is that peppers and tomatoes are okay together—and you’ll be able to make a mean salsa. Yet, since they are both members of the nightshade family, there may be an elevated risk of illness.

What Not to Plant with Your Tomatoes

Now that you know the best 10 plants to grow with tomatoes, here’s a list of plants that don’t mix well with them. These plants may actually impede tomato development by raising the likelihood of disease and competing for resources in the soil.

  • Dill
  • Eggplant
  • Brussel Sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Corn
  • Cucumber
  • Potatoes
  • Strawberries
  • Cauliflower
  • Broccoli

With this excellent companion planting guide, you may learn more about why some plants don’t get along with tomatoes.

A Note on Beneficial Insects

Helpful insects are beneficial bugs that help keep pests out of your garden. Identifying which bugs are good and which are bad is the first step. Once you identify pests that are damaging your garden, you may be able to introduce a beneficial insect to help keep them away. Ladybug and green lacewing larvae, for example, like eating aphids, as do hoverflies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I plant with tomatoes in a pot?

Beans, amaranth, basil, and asparagus are a few options. You may even try growing carrots if you have a large enough container.

Can you plant squash next to tomatoes?

They do make excellent companion plants. Squash have large, broad leaves which help to keep the moisture in the ground.

What family does the tomato belong to?

Tomatoes belong to the nightshade family. Potatoes, eggplants, and tobacco are also part of the nightshade family.

Can you plant zucchini and tomatoes together?

You certainly can! Squash plants and tomato plants prefer not to have their leaves wet. That makes irrigating these two crops together much easier.

What flowers to plant with tomatoes?

Nasturtiums, marigolds, and borage are a few. Sunflowers are also a wonderful tomato companion.

There are several methods to include some of your favorite companion plants into your tomato harvest. Most of the buddy plants suggested here are edible, so you will be rewarded with an abundance of home-grown and healthy produce.

RELATED READING

Related Questions

  • What plants go well with tomatoes?

    Most knowledge about companion planting is anecdotal, however here are some tried and proven tomato partners:

    1. Basil. On and off the plate, basil and tomatoes are soulmates.
    2. Parsley. …
    3. Garlic. …
    4. Borage and squash. …
    5. French marigolds and nasturtiums. …
    6. Asparagus. …
    7. Chives.
  • What should you not plant tomatoes next to?

    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.

  • Can you plant tomatoes with other vegetables?

    Herbs like basil, thyme, and chives, veggies like asparagus and peppers, and flowers like marigolds and sunflowers are some of the finest companion plants for tomatoes.

  • What is the best cover crop for tomatoes?

    Oats and winter rye make great cover crops for the tomato garden. Let their mowed stems alone and plant transplants through them.

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