Eggplant Companion Plants: Full List of Pairings
Eggplants are known to be one of the fussier plants in a garden. They need a great deal of sun, water, and nitrogen to produce properly. Because of this, you may be hesitant to plant anything close to them – but don’t be! There are many eggplant companion plants that will improve the quality of your eggplant harvest.
Full List of Eggplant Companion Plants
The following vegetables, herbs, and flowers all work well with eggplants. They may improve soil quality, discourage bugs and diseases, or otherwise help your eggplants grow large and tasty.
Make sure you plan how you’ll arrange your eggplants and their companions ahead of time. Large companion plants will need to go behind the eggplants in relation to the sun, since eggplants need full sun to grow properly.
Vegetables to Plant with Eggplants
• Beans, Peas, and Other Legumes – Beans, peas, and their kin are some of the best companion plants for eggplants. Eggplants require plenty of nitrogen, and legumes are known for taking nitrogen from the air and converting it into the soil. Plant your legumes behind the eggplants, so that the eggplants continue to get plenty of light.
• Broccoli, Cabbage, and Kohlrabi – Broccoli, cabbage, and kohlrabi, along with other brassicas family members, may help with an eggplant’s nutrient needs and defend against pests.
• Lettuce and Spinach – Lettuce and spinach both provide great ground cover for your eggplants. In return, the eggplant will shade the cool-weather-loving leafy greens.
Flowers to Plant Near Eggplants
• Marigolds – Planting marigolds near your eggplants can prevent harmful pests from devouring your crop.
• Nasturtiums – Nasturtiums can attract beneficial insects to your eggplant patch. Give them a little space, though – the plants grow large and can quickly take over the garden.
• Petunias – Petunias can attract beneficial insects to your eggplants when planted nearby.
• Snapdragons – Charming snapdragons can be planted near your eggplants for a colorful pop. But don’t worry, they’re functional too: they defend against pests.
• Sunflowers – Like the other flowers, sunflowers will keep bad bugs at bay. Make sure you plant them in such a way that they don’t shade your eggplants, though.
Herbs to Plant Near Eggplants
The following herbs can all keep away pests, and some may improve eggplant flavor.
• Basil
• Chamomile
• Lavender
• Marjoram
• Mint, Any Variety
• Oregano
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Tarragon
• Thyme
What NOT to Plant Next to Eggplants
You should place some plants far away from eggplants. Common reasons are because they can share diseases, will compete for nutrients and sunshine, or will otherwise stunt your eggplant’s growth.
Plants to Avoid with Eggplants
• Corn – In addition to requiring lots of sun and space, corn also uses up a number of nutrients in the ground vital to an eggplant’s growth.
• Fennel – Fennel can hurt the growth of many fruits and vegetables, including eggplants.
• Geraniums – If you plant your vegetables and flowers near each other, be sure to keep geraniums far away from eggplants. They can share diseases like root rot and leaf blight.
Possible Companion Plants: Tomatoes and Peppers
I’ve added tomatoes and peppers to a third section here, which I’m labelling a possible or “proceed with caution” companion plant. Tomatoes and peppers are often touted as being good companion plants for eggplants due to all three being in the nightshade family.
However, that can also be a problem: the tomatoes and peppers can share diseases, pests, and require the same nutrients as eggplants since they’re in the same family.
If you choose to plant a pepper or tomato with your eggplants, make sure you rotate your crops frequently, and plant the nightshades in an area where diseases haven’t accumulated.
Happy Planting!
You should now have a good list of options for companion plants for your eggplants. Try them and see what works best!
Looking for more companion planting guides? Here are some tips for onion and potato companion planting.
Leave a Reply