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 simple to cultivate and care for, but they may be harmed by pests, disease, poor yield, or other concerns. 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.
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What Are the Benefits of Tomato Companion Plants?
The technique of cultivating particular plants together to develop a mutually beneficial connection is known as companion planting. Make sure the companions you choose flourish in the same conditions so they’ll do well alongside 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:
Photo by: Bruno Glätsch
1. Marigolds
Marigolds’ vivid colors and powerful perfume make them an effective repellent to insects such as tomato hornworms and aphids. These similar characteristics may also attract other pests. Putting a row of marigolds around your tomatoes might help keep pests away from your produce.
Photo by: Denis Pogostin
2. Garlic
Garlic is a natural insect repellent that, by concealing the fragrance of ripening fruit, may help keep moths away from your tomatoes. It also keeps other pests like cabbage loopers and root maggots away from plants with its strong odor.
Photo by: MabelAmber
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 thrips.
4. Lavender
Lavender plants’ sweet-smelling blossoms repel mosquitoes and other flying pests while also keeping aphids away from surrounding crops such as strawberries or cucumbers (but not blueberries). Lavender also attracts bees that help pollinate your crops, which can lead to better yields and higher quality produce.
5. Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
This plant is effective against aphids, spider mites, and thrips. It is also effective in repelling mosquitoes because to the presence of eugenol oil in its leaves, which gives basil its characteristic aroma. Many gardeners believe that basil enhances the taste of tomatoes. Plus, they taste great together in recipes.
Photo by: ganatelier
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.
Photo by Africa Studio
7. Asparagus
This is a classic example of a plant-to-plant symbiotic connection. Tomatoes generate solanine, a naturally occurring substance that repels the asparagus beetle. As a result, asparagus creates a natural fungicide that aids in the prevention of early blight and botrytis. It also helps prevent root-knot nematodes in the soil.
Photo by 1195798
8. Celery
Celery is an excellent pest repellent for tomatoes. Something about the smell puts off many of the bugs that love to eat tomatoes!
Photo by deluna
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 debatable, but the general agreement is that peppers and tomatoes go well together—and you’ll be able to produce a good salsa as a result. But, there can be an increased risk of disease as they are both from the nightshade family.
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. The first step is to determine which bugs are beneficial and which are harmful. After you’ve identified the pests that are wreaking havoc on your garden, you may be able to introduce a beneficial insect to keep them at bay. For instance, ladybug and green lacewing larvae love to eat aphids, as do hoverflies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I plant with tomatoes in a pot?
A few examples are beans, amaranth, basil, and asparagus. If you have a deep enough pot, you can even try planting carrots.
Can you plant squash next to tomatoes?
Yes, they make great companion plants. Squash has big, broad leaves that assist to retain moisture in the soil.
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. This makes irrigating these two crops at the same time considerably simpler.
What flowers to plant with tomatoes?
Such examples are nasturtiums, marigolds, and borage. Sunflowers are also an excellent companion for tomatoes.
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.
