Dreaming of harvesting baskets of juicy, flawless tomatoes? The secret isn’t just sun and water; it’s about giving your tomato plants the right friends. If you’re wondering what to plant along with tomatoes, you’ve come to the right place. Companion planting is a simple, organic strategy where you use other plants to naturally repel pests, improve soil health, and even make your tomatoes taste better. It’s the ultimate garden teamwork that even a beginner can master for a healthier, more bountiful harvest.
The best companion plants for thriving tomatoes are basil, marigolds, and nasturtiums. Basil is known to repel tomato hornworms and whiteflies while enhancing flavor. Marigolds deter harmful nematodes in the soil and other pests like aphids with their strong scent. Nasturtiums act as a “trap crop,” luring aphids away from your tomato plants.
Why Companion Planting is a Game-Changer for Your Tomatoes
For new gardeners, the idea of which plants should be neighbors can seem complex, but the concept is beautifully simple. At its core, companion planting is about creating a diverse and balanced ecosystem in your garden. Instead of a single crop (a monoculture), which is a magnet for pests and diseases, you’re building a small community where plants help each other out.
What is Companion Planting, Really?
Think of it as strategic matchmaking for your garden. Companion planting involves placing different crops near each other to achieve a specific benefit. Some plants release chemicals from their roots or leaves that repel harmful insects. Others attract beneficial predators that prey on those pests. Some plants improve soil structure or add essential nutrients, creating a healthier environment for everyone. It’s a cornerstone of organic gardening that has been practiced for centuries.
How Your Tomatoes Benefit from Good Neighbors
Your tomato plants are heavy feeders and are, unfortunately, a favorite snack for many garden pests. Good companion plants tackle these problems head-on. They can act as a living mulch, keeping the soil cool and moist while suppressing weeds. Some, like beans and peas, fix nitrogen in the soil, providing a crucial nutrient boost for your tomatoes. This leads to stronger plants, better disease prevention, and ultimately, a more impressive yield.
Attracting Pollinators and Helpful Insects
A successful garden is buzzing with life, and not all insects are bad news! Many companion plants, especially flowering herbs and flowers, are fantastic at attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies. Proper pollination is essential for your tomato flowers to develop into fruit. Furthermore, these plants attract beneficial insects like ladybugs, lacewings, and hoverflies, which are voracious predators of common pests like aphids. This natural form of companion planting for tomato pest control reduces your need for any chemical sprays.
What You’ll Need for a Tomato Companion Garden
Getting started is easy. You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment, just a few basics to create the perfect environment for your plant community. Here at Gardening Tips with Emilie Sprout, we believe in keeping things simple and effective.
Essential Tools
- Hand Trowel: For digging small holes for your seedlings.
- Gardening Gloves: To keep your hands clean and protected.
- Watering Can or Hose with a Gentle Nozzle: For providing consistent moisture without disturbing the soil or seedlings.
- Organic Compost: To enrich your soil before planting.
- Mulch (Straw, Wood Chips, or Leaf Mold): To help retain soil moisture and suppress weeds.
A Checklist of Companion Seeds and Plants
- Tomato Seedlings: Choose your favorite varieties, whether they’re cherry tomatoes or large heirlooms.
- Herb Seeds/Seedlings: Basil, Borage, Parsley, Chives.
- Flower Seeds/Seedlings: Marigolds (French Marigolds are excellent), Nasturtiums, Calendula.
- Vegetable Seeds/Seedlings: Carrots, Lettuce, Radishes, Bush Beans.
The Best Friends for Your Tomatoes: A Detailed Guide
Now for the fun part! Let’s dive into exactly what to plant along with tomatoes. We’ve broken down the best companions into three categories: herbs, vegetables, and flowers. Each offers unique benefits to help your tomatoes flourish.
The Best Herbs to Plant with Tomatoes
Herbs are some of the most powerful companions for tomatoes. They are renowned for their pest-repelling abilities and many gardeners swear by their flavor-enhancing properties. When considering what herbs to plant with tomatoes, these should be at the top of your list.
- Basil: This is the classic, number-one companion for tomatoes. Basil is said to repel tomato hornworms and whiteflies. Many gardeners also claim that planting basil nearby improves the tomato’s flavor, making it sweeter. This is a perfect pairing for what to plant with tomatoes and basil in the same pot or bed.
- Borage: This herb is a powerhouse for attracting beneficial insects. Its beautiful blue flowers are irresistible to pollinators and predatory wasps that feast on garden pests. Borage is also thought to deter the dreaded tomato hornworm and is a fantastic addition to the soil when it decomposes.
- Chives and Garlic: Members of the onion family, chives and garlic have a strong scent that can confuse and deter pests like aphids and spider mites. Planting a border of chives around your tomato patch can create a protective barrier.
- Parsley and Dill: These herbs are magnets for beneficial insects like ladybugs, parasitic wasps, and hoverflies. They act as a nursery for these helpful bugs, which then patrol your tomato plants for pests.
- Mint and Oregano: While excellent pest deterrents, mint should always be planted in a separate container near your tomatoes. Its roots are incredibly invasive and will quickly take over your garden bed. Oregano provides good ground cover and repels some pests.
The Best Vegetables to Plant with Tomatoes
Choosing the right vegetable neighbors can lead to healthier soil and stronger plants. When planning your garden layout, think about what vegetables to plant with tomatoes to create a mutually beneficial arrangement.
- Carrots: Planting carrots near tomatoes is a great space-saving strategy. The carrots grow underground and loosen the soil, which helps the tomato plant’s root system get more air and water. You can plant them once your tomato plants are well-established.
- Lettuce and Leafy Greens: Lettuce, spinach, and arugula act as a living mulch. Their dense, low growth shades the soil, keeping it cool, retaining moisture, and preventing weeds from taking hold. This is especially useful during hot summer months.
- Radishes: Similar to carrots, radishes can be harvested before the tomato plants reach their full size, making them an efficient use of space. They also help deter cucumber beetles.
- Asparagus: This is a long-term relationship. Asparagus and tomatoes have a symbiotic bond. Tomatoes produce a chemical called solanine, which repels the asparagus beetle. In turn, asparagus produces a substance that is thought to deter harmful nematodes in the soil.
- Beans (Bush Beans): Beans are nitrogen-fixing plants, meaning they pull nitrogen from the air and make it available in the soil. Since tomatoes are heavy feeders that require plenty of nitrogen, this is a fantastic partnership. Stick to bush beans rather than pole beans, which might compete for sunlight.
The Best Flowers to Plant with Tomatoes
Flowers aren’t just for decoration; they are some of the hardest-working plants in a vegetable garden. Interplanting with the right blooms is a key strategy for gardeners wondering what flowers to plant with tomatoes for organic pest control.
- Marigolds: This is perhaps the most famous companion plant for tomatoes. French Marigolds release a substance called thiophene from their roots, which is toxic to root-knot nematodes—a microscopic pest that can devastate tomato roots. Their strong scent also deters aphids and other pests above ground.
- Nasturtiums: Nasturtiums are the ultimate team players. They work as a “trap crop,” luring aphids to feast on their leaves instead of your precious tomatoes. You can then simply remove the infested nasturtium leaves. Plus, their flowers and leaves are edible, adding a peppery kick to salads!
- Alyssum: Sweet alyssum is a low-growing flower that creates a beautiful carpet of white blooms. It’s fantastic for attracting hoverflies, whose larvae are one of the best predators of aphids. It also acts as a great living mulch.
- Calendula (Pot Marigold): Not to be confused with French Marigolds, Calendula is another excellent choice. It repels a number of pests, including tomato hornworms and asparagus beetles, and its sticky resin can trap pests like whiteflies.
What NOT to Plant With Tomatoes (The Bad Neighbors)
Just as important as knowing what to plant along with tomatoes is knowing what not to plant. Some plants can inhibit your tomatoes’ growth, compete for the same nutrients, or attract the same pests and diseases. These are the bad companion plants for tomatoes.
The Brassica Family (Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower)
Members of the cabbage family, including broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and kohlrabi, are heavy feeders just like tomatoes. Planting them together creates intense competition for soil nutrients, which can leave both plants stunted and unproductive. It’s best to keep them in separate beds.
Fennel
Fennel is a notorious garden bully. It releases an allopathic chemical from its roots that can inhibit the growth of many other plants, including tomatoes. Keep fennel in its own isolated pot or corner of the garden, far away from your tomato patch.
Corn and Potatoes
While common garden staples, both corn and potatoes are poor companions for tomatoes. Corn attracts the tomato fruitworm (also known as the corn earworm). Potatoes belong to the same nightshade family as tomatoes, making them susceptible to the same devastating diseases, particularly early and late blight. Planting them near each other creates a perfect environment for these fungal diseases to spread rapidly. In fact, studies on diseases shared by tomatoes and potatoes show how quickly pathogens can move between these related crops, making avoidance a key preventative strategy.
Pro-Tips for a Thriving Companion Planted Garden
Knowing the right plants is the first step. Applying that knowledge to your specific garden setup is how you achieve amazing results. Here are some tips for different gardening styles.
Companion Planting for Tomatoes in Raised Beds
Raised beds offer a controlled environment, which is perfect for companion planting. When considering what to plant with tomatoes in raised bed, spacing is key.
- Intensive Planting: You can plant companions closer together in a raised bed. Plant your tomatoes down the center, then interplant with low-growing companions like carrots, lettuce, and marigolds around the base.
- Vertical Growth: Use the height of your tomato plants to your advantage. The shade they provide in the afternoon can protect delicate greens like lettuce from the intense sun.
- Soil Health: Raised beds can dry out faster. Using companions like alyssum or oregano as a living mulch is an excellent strategy to conserve water.
Companion Planting for Tomatoes in Containers and Pots
You can absolutely use these principles even if you’re short on space! Companion planting tomatoes in containers is a fantastic way to maximize your harvest on a patio or balcony.
- Choose the Right Size Pot: Your main tomato plant needs a large container (at least 5 gallons). You can then add one or two smaller companions to the same pot.
- Best Pot-Mates: For what to plant with tomatoes in pots, choose compact companions that won’t compete for root space. Basil and chives are perfect. A single marigold or a trailing nasturtium can also work beautifully.
- Water and Nutrients: Container gardens require more frequent watering and feeding. Since multiple plants are sharing the same soil, be sure to use a high-quality potting mix and a balanced organic fertilizer throughout the growing season.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How close should I plant companion plants to my tomatoes?
This depends on the plant. For herbs like basil and flowers like marigolds, you can plant them as close as 6-12 inches from the base of the tomato plant. For root vegetables like carrots, give them a similar spacing so they have room to develop. The goal is to have the plants close enough to interact but not so close that they are overcrowded.
Can I plant peppers and tomatoes together?
Yes, you can. Peppers and tomatoes are both in the nightshade family and have similar growing requirements for sun, water, and soil. While they don’t offer specific companion benefits to each other, they generally grow well side-by-side. The main caution is that they can be susceptible to some of the same diseases, so ensure good air circulation.
What can I plant with tomatoes to keep bugs away?
The best choices for pest control are aromatic herbs and flowers. Marigolds are excellent for deterring nematodes in the soil. Basil helps repel tomato hornworms and whiteflies. Borage deters hornworms, and nasturtiums act as a trap crop for aphids, luring them away from your tomatoes. A combination of these is your best defense.
Does planting basil next to tomatoes really make them taste better?
This is a topic of much friendly debate among gardeners! While scientific studies are limited, generations of gardeners swear that planting basil next to tomatoes improves their flavor. The theory is that the aromatic oils from the basil are taken up by the tomato plant, resulting in a sweeter, more complex taste. We at theplatformgarden.com certainly think it does, and at the very least, it keeps pests away and gives you fresh basil for your Caprese salad!
Creating a thriving tomato patch is about building a small, diverse ecosystem. By choosing the right companions, you’re not just planting; you’re strategically creating a healthier environment for your star players. From herbs like basil to flowers like marigolds, these plant partnerships will reward you with more flavorful, pest-free tomatoes and a more vibrant, beautiful garden. Happy planting!
What are your favorite tomato companion plants? Share your successes and questions in the comments below! For more tips on creating a healthy garden, check out our complete guide to Organic Pest Control.
