Good & Bad Sunflower Companion Plants
You want to grow sunflowers but are not sure what plants to grow with sunflowers? Good news!
I show you the best and worst sunflower companion plants in this article so that you get a better idea of what to grow with sunflowers and what plants you should avoid.
Why do I need Companion Plants for growing Sunflowers?
The truth is that you don’t necessarily have to grow sunflowers with other plants.
Yet, if you grow sunflowers alone, you will still miss out on many benefits good companion plants can provide for your sunflowers.
For instance, good companion plants can loosen the soil, keep it moist, deter pests, attract pollinators and can therefore improve the overall growth behavior of your sunflowers.
While good companion plants have those beneficial characteristics, bad companion plants will often do more harm than good.
Hence, make sure to have a look at the following tables to figure out what plants to grow with sunflowers and why.
Good Sunflower Companion Plants
| Companion Plant | Why is it good? |
|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Attract pollinators. |
| Peppers | Improve soil conditions and deter pests. |
| Cucumbers | Provide shade. |
| Onions | Deter pests. |
| Garlic | Keeps away pests. |
| Shallots | Keep away pests. |
| Chives | Keeps away pests and harmful bugs. |
| Kale | Feeds on different nutrients. |
| Cabbage | Feeds on different nutrients. |
| Broccoli | Makes space use more efficient. |
| Cauliflowers | Makes space use more efficient. |
| Brussels Sprouts | Makes space use more efficient. |
| Lettuce | Good ground cover. |
| Peas | Provide shade. |
| Lavender | Keeps away pests. |
| Mint | Deters pests. |
| Rosemary | Keeps away pests. |
| Basil | Attracts pollinators and keeps away pests. |
Bad Sunflower Companion Plants
| Companion Plant | Why is it bad? |
|---|---|
| Potatoes | Attract bugs. |
| Corn | Take away too much sunlight. |
| Fennel | Inhibits the growth of sunflowers. |
| Hyssop | Inhibits the growth of sunflowers. |
| Pumpkins | Heavy feeders that take away too many nutrients. |
| Melons | Heavy feeders that take away too many nutrients. |
| Zucchini | Heavy feeders that take away too many nutrients. |
Best & Worst Sunflower Companion Plants – Summary List
| Best Companion Plants | Worst Companion Plants |
|---|---|
| Kale | Corn |
| Cauliflower | Fennel |
| Cabbage | Potatoes |
| Brussels Sprouts | Hyssop |
| Broccoli | Zucchinis |
| Lavender | Pumpkin |
| Rosemary | Melon |
| Basil | |
| Mint | |
| Lettuce | |
| Peas | |
| Garlic | |
| Shallots | |
| Onions | |
| Chives | |
| Tomatoes | |
| Cucumbers | |
| Peppers |
What should you plant with Sunflowers?
You should plant sunflowers with tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, chives, garlic, shallots, peas, mint, basil, rosemary, lavender, broccoli, cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts and cauliflower.
Never grow sunflowers with zucchinis, melons, pumpkins, corn, hyssop, fennel or potatoes.
If you want to get more information on growing sunflowers in general, also make sure to check out my grower’s guide on how to grow sunflowers from seed to harvest.
About the Author
My name is Andreas and I’m really passionate about our environment and also about growing plants. In fact, I have grown several different plants over many years. I love to see my plants grow and also always try new things to improve my overall conditions at home.
In my blog posts, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can become successful in growing various different plants and improving your home as well, even though you might still be a beginner right now.
