Companion planting is the practice of growing certain plants near each other because they help one another — deterring pests, improving flavor, attracting pollinators, or making better use of space. You don't need to memorize a giant chart; a few reliable pairings go a long way.
Classic pairings that work
- ›Tomatoes + basil — basil may help deter pests, and they're kitchen partners too.
- ›Carrots + onions — onions help mask carrots from carrot flies.
- ›The Three Sisters — corn, beans, and squash support each other classically.
- ›Lettuce + taller crops — tuck greens in the shade of trellised beans or tomatoes.
- ›Flowers (marigolds, nasturtiums) + vegetables — attract pollinators and lure pests away.
Keep some things apart
A few plants compete or share diseases — for example, keep beans away from onions and garlic, and don't crowd heavy feeders like tomatoes and peppers together without enough nutrients.
The real magic: diversity and flowers
The biggest, most reliable benefit isn't any single pairing — it's mixing crops and adding flowers so the garden hosts more pollinators and beneficial insects. Read our pollinator garden guide to go further.
Plan it with your beds
Companion planting works beautifully in raised beds, where you can plant intensively and rotate each season.
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