Any Amazon links below are affiliate links, which means I earn a commission at no cost to you if you click and finalize an order. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Tomato Companion Plants: Full List of Pairings
Tomatoes are a garden favorite – and can be pretty fussy if they aren’t cared for! A few good companion plants for tomatoes can make a big difference in their health and yields.
Some of the best tomato companion plants include marigolds, basil, alliums, and legumes. Many other vegetables, flowers, and herbs help tomatoes as well!
Full List of Tomato Companion Plants
The following vegetables, herbs, and flowers all work well with tomatoes. They may deter pests, bring in beneficial insects, improve soil quality, or otherwise assist with tomato growth.
Make sure you plan how you’ll arrange your tomatoes and their companions. Anything taller than the tomatoes should be planted on the north side of them so that the tomatoes won’t lose out on sunlight.
Vegetables to Plant with Tomatoes
• Arugula, Lettuce, and Spinach – Leafy greens grow well with tomatoes and benefit from the taller plants’ shade.
• Asparagus – Asparagus and tomatoes repel each other’s pests – asparagus repels nematodes, while tomatoes keep the asparagus beetle at bay.
• Beans, Peas, and Other Legumes – Legumes fix nitrogen in the soil, which gives tomatoes a boost. Beans also improve air circulation around the tomatoes.
• Beets, Carrots, Parsnips, and Radishes – These root vegetables fit nicely next to tomatoes. Carrots may draw in beneficial insects for the tomatoes, especially if they’re overwintered. Radishes make a good flea beetle trap crop as well.
• Collards – Collards are good sacrificial plants for trapping harlequin bugs. Plant them on the perimeter of your tomato bed so they won’t compete for nutrients.
• Cucumbers, Summer Squashes, and Winter Squashes – Tomatoes having these cucurbit family members as company, since they offer tomatoes ground cover. Just make sure they’re spaced appropriately, or the tomatoes could be choked out.
• Garlic, Leeks, Onions, Shallots, and Other Alliums – Strongly scented allium family members keep many tomato pests away.
Flowers to Plant Near Tomatoes
• Alyssum – Sweet alyssum brings in many beneficial insects, like pollinators.
• Amaranth – Amaranth can attract helpful predatory bugs that eat common tomato pests.
• Calendula – Pretty calendula attracts many beneficial insects, like pollinators, and may be a good trap crop for pests if planted a short distance away from tomatoes.
• Coneflowers – Coneflowers attract pollinators.
• Cosmos – Cosmos make a great aphid trap crop when planted on the border of your garden. They also draw in pollinators.
• Marigolds – Marigolds and tomatoes are one of the best companion pairings – the strong scent of marigolds helps repel many tomato pests, and marigold roots can deter nematodes. Here’s a full post on this pairing.
• Nasturtiums – Nasturtiums repel whiteflies and make an excellent aphid trap crop when planted on the perimeter of a tomato bed.
• Petunias – Petunias can help repel a variety of tomato pests.
• Roses – Tomatoes can benefit roses by preventing a disease called black spot.
• Sunflowers – Sunflowers attract beneficial insects, like pollinators.
Herbs to Plant Near Tomatoes
The following herbs all make excellent companion plants for tomatoes, as they may keep bad bugs away, bring in beneficial ones, and even improve your tomatoes’ flavor.
• Basil
• Bee Balm
• Borage
• Chives
• Cilantro
• Echinacea
• Hyssop
• Lavender
• Lemon Balm
• Marjoram
• Mints
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Sage
• Thyme
What NOT to Plant Next to Tomatoes
You should place some plants far away from tomatoes. Common reasons are because they can share diseases, will compete for nutrients, or will otherwise stunt your tomato plants’ growth.
Plants to Avoid with Tomatoes
• Brassicas – All members of the brassicas family drain the area of nutrients that tomatoes need to thrive. Kohlrabi can increase the chance of potato blight.
• Corn – Tomatoes and corn get many of the same pests, so planting them together can be disastrous for both.
• Fennel – Fennel can inhibit tomato growth.
• Potatoes – Fellow nightshades potatoes and tomatoes compete for nutrients and space and share diseases.
• Walnut Trees – Avoid planting tomatoes anywhere near walnut trees, as they can release a chemical that harms tomato growth.
Possible Companion Plants: Eggplants and Peppers
Eggplants and peppers count toward a third section here, which I’m labelling a possible or “proceed with caution” companion plant for tomatoes. Since they’re all in the same family (nightshade), they have similar requirements and can grow well together.
However, that can also be a problem: both peppers and eggplants can share diseases and pests with tomatoes.
If you choose to plant a tomato with your peppers or eggplants, make sure you rotate your crops frequently, and plant the nightshades in an area where diseases haven’t accumulated.
Happy Planting!
With this list, you should have plenty of options for tomato companion plants. Try a few and see what works best!
Wondering how to keep your tomatoes healthy? Check out how to prevent (or fix) overwatering.
Leave a Reply