Watermelon Companion Plants: Full List of Pairings
Watermelon Companion Plants: Full List of Pairings
Watermelons are delicious but can be tricky to grow. Planning your garden so they’ll have the resources they need and a few great companion plant options nearby can help. This is a full list of the best watermelon companion plants, along with some plants to avoid growing near watermelons.
Getting Started
When planning your garden, remember that watermelons will need a lot of space. Companion planting for watermelons is only beneficial when your watermelons are still given plenty of space and access to full sun. Consult your seed packet or nursery tag to find out how much space and light your watermelon variety will need.
The best companion plants for watermelon include alliums, lettuce, radishes, marigolds, and borage, along with many more vegetables, flowers, and herbs. Read on to see the full list.
Full List of Watermelon Companion Plants
The following vegetables, flowers, and herbs all help watermelons by either deterring pests, attracting pollinators, offering ground cover, or otherwise improving soil quality.
Vegetables to Plant with Watermelons
• Beans, Peas, and Other Legumes – These nitrogen-fixing plants can improve soil quality for watermelons, but only if they’re planted in a way that won’t add too much shade to the watermelon vines once they’ve grown. Both pole beans and bush beans are good choices.
• Garlic, Leeks, Onions, and Shallots – These allium family members have anti-fungal properties and may help repel common watermelon pests like cucumber beetles and flea beetles.
• Lettuce, Spinach, and Arugula – These leafy greens are small and unobtrusive – they won’t compete with watermelons for space or light and can provide great ground cover to keep weeds at bay.
• Radishes – Radishes maximize the space around your slow-growing watermelons since they grow quickly and can help suppress weeds.
Flowers to Plant Near Watermelons
Flowers make excellent companion plants since watermelons require pollinators for fruit production. Flowers and a few flowering herbs draw in plenty of bees, butterflies, and more to help with watermelons’ short blooming season.
• Cosmos – Cosmos draw in pollinators to help pollinate watermelon flowers.
• Marigolds – Marigolds attract pollinators when planted near watermelons and may help keep aphids and other insect pests away.
• Nasturtiums – Nasturtiums are beautiful flowers that can act as a trap crop for various pests when planted a short distance away. They also attract pollinators.
Herbs to Plant Near Watermelons
The following herbs may help repel pests and/or attract pollinators.
• Basil – Basil’s strong scent can deter harmful pests and attract beneficial insects.
• Borage – Borage blossoms can draw in beneficial pollinators.
• Catnip – Catnip can repel aphid species and other harmful insects.
• Chamomile – Chamomile attracts beneficial insects and helps improve soil nutrients through its natural composting properties when it dies back.
• Chives – Chives have a strong scent that can repel insect pests such as aphids and spider mites. They also attract beneficial insects that help with pollination.
• Cilantro – Cilantro attracts predatory insects that prey on harmful pests like aphids, spider mites, and cucumber beetles.
• Dill – Dill attracts beneficial insects, including predatory wasps and ladybugs, which help control harmful pests. It also enhances the growth of watermelon plants.
• Lavender – Lavender’s strong scent can deter harmful pests and attract pollinators. It also has a compact growth habit, making it a good neighbor for watermelon plants.
• Marjoram – Marjoram attracts beneficial insects and can improve the flavor of nearby watermelon plants through its aromatic qualities.
• Mints – Mints have a strong smell that repels insect pests. Their aromatic herbs attract beneficial insects, but be careful since they can spread quickly.
• Oregano – Oregano acts as a natural pest control, repelling harmful insects with its pungent scent while attracting beneficial pollinators.
• Rosemary – Rosemary’s strong scent can deter harmful pests like aphids and beetles. It also attracts pollinators, making it an excellent companion plant.
• Sage – Sage has a strong scent that repels harmful pests and attracts beneficial insects. It also helps improve soil quality by adding organic matter as it decomposes.
• Summer Savory – Summer savory repels harmful pests like aphids. It also attracts beneficial insects that aid in pollination.
• Tansy – Tansy can deter harmful pests such as cucumber beetles and ants. Its strong smell acts as a natural insect repellent.
• Thyme – Thyme repels harmful pests with its strong scent and attracts beneficial insects that help with pollination and pest control.
What NOT to Plant Next to Watermelons
Some plants should be avoided when watermelon companion planting. Here’s the full list:
Plants to Avoid with Watermelons
• Cucumbers, Pumpkins, and Squashes – While it can be tempting to grow all your large plants together, don’t! They will compete for essential nutrients, light, and space, and even attract the same pests such as cucumber beetles and squash bugs.
• Peppers, Potatoes, and Tomatoes – These nightshade family members compete for nutrients and sunlight when planted near watermelons. They may also attract harmful pests and assist in spreading diseases like fusarium wilt to watermelons.
• Sunflowers – Sunflowers can shade watermelons too much and attract harmful insects.
Happy Planting!
You should now have a good list of watermelon companion plants. Try them and see what works best in your vegetable garden!
Want more companion planting tips? Here’s the full guide to getting started, along with a list of companions by plant.
