Companion Planting - Sow, Lets Grow, United Kingdom

1. Companion Planting
The thinking behind companion planting is that some plants have tangible benefits, for a
variety of reasons , from being grown together.
These reasons can include:
 one plant deterring pests of another eg the smell of onions is supposed to confuse
and deter carrotfly, thereby benefitting carrots
 intercropping – eg growing a quick run of lettuce in between potato ridges – the
lettuce will be picked long before the potatoes need earthing up.
 Making best use of space, eg courgettes growing at the base of sweetcorn.
 The micronutrients released by one plant, benefit others, eg beans fixing nitrogen in
the soil to be used by following crops.
 one plant attracting ‘predatory’ insects which then attack the pests on another – eg
nastursium attract hoverflies, which eat aphids on broad beans.
The converse is also true – some plants inhibit each others progress eg walnut trees release
a chemical (juglone) which inhibits many veg, especially potatoes and tomatoes to the
extent that their leaves shouldn’t even be composted.
As with much in gardening, you will find many, often conflicting , opinions on what does or
does not goes together. My advice is see what works for you.
Plant Companion Doesn’t like
Broad Beans Potatoes, Strawberries, Onions
Cucumbers
Brassica (cabbage etc) Rosemary, Lavender, Strawberries, runner beans,
Beetroot, Onions, Chard tomatoes
Carrots Pea, Lettuce, Sage, Tomatoes
Cucumber Beans, Peas, Radish Potato, Rosemary
Lettuce Carrots, Radish, Cucumber
Onion Beetroot, Carrot, Lettuce etc Beans, Peas
Potato Beans, Cabbage, Marigold Pumpkin, Squash, Cucumber,
Tomato
Pumpkins / Squash Marigold Potato
Spinach Cauliflower
Strawberry Broad beans, lettuce, Cabbage
spinach
Tomato Basil, Onions, Nasturtium, Potato, Cabbage etc
Marigold, Asparagus, Carrot,
Parsley, Cucumber, Mint