Good & Bad Tomato Companion Plants
You want to grow tomatoes in your garden or on your balcony and want to know what you should plant with tomatoes? Great!
Stick with me since I will show you the best and worst tomato companion plants in this article so that you know what to grow with tomatoes and what plants you should avoid at all costs.
Why do I need Companion Plants to grow Tomatoes?
While you could grow tomatoes alone, I would not recommend it since you will lose efficiency and also miss out on various benefits good companion plants can have on the growth behavior and on the yields of tomatoes.
For instance, good companion plants can loosen the soil, keep it moist, attract pollinators, deter pests and provide shade to your tomatoes.
While good companion plants can have those beneficial effects on tomatoes, bad companion plants often do more harm than good to them.
Thus, it is crucial for you to check out the following tables to learn about all the good and bad tomato companion plants and also what effects they can have on your tomatoes.
Good Tomato Companion Plants
| Companion Plant | Why is it good? |
|---|---|
| Chives | Keeps away pests. |
| Onions | Deter pests and loosen the soil. |
| Garlic | Keep away pests. |
| Shallots | Deter pests and loosen the soil. |
| Mint | Deter pests and improve flavor of tomatoes. |
| Oregano | Keeps away pests and attracts beneficial insects. |
| Marjoram | Keeps away pests and attracts beneficial insects. |
| Parsley | Deters pests. |
| Basil | Keeps away pests and attracts beneficial insects. |
| Borage | Keeps away pests. |
| Asparagus | Loosens the soil. |
| Marigolds | Attract pollinators. |
| Petunias | Attract pollinators. |
| Nasturtiums | Attract pollinators. |
| Radishes | Loosen the soil. |
Bad Tomato Companion Plants
| Companion Plant | Why is it bad? |
|---|---|
| Cabbage | Attract harmful insects. |
| Kale | Attract pests. |
| Brussels Sprouts | Attract pests. |
| Cauliflower | Attract harmful insects and bugs. |
| Mustard Greens | Attract harmful insects and bugs. |
| Corn | Takes away too much sun from tomatoes. |
| Squash | Takes away too many nutrients. |
| Melon | Takes away too many nutrients. |
| Zucchinis | Take away nutrients from the soil. |
| Sunflowers | Take away too much sun from tomatoes. |
Best & Worst Tomato Companion Plants – Summary List
| Best Companion Plants | Worst Companion Plants |
|---|---|
| Basil | Sunflowers |
| Chives | Melon |
| Borage | Squash |
| Mint | Zucchini |
| Marigold | Kale |
| Nasturtium | Cabbage |
| Petunias | Cauliflowers |
| Parsley | Mustard |
| Asparagus | Sprouts |
| Radish | Corn |
| Marjoram | |
| Oregano | |
| Onions | |
| Garlic | |
| Shallots |
What should you grow with Tomatoes?
You should grow tomatoes with oregano, mint, marjoram, basil, borage, chives, onions, shallots, basil, radish, asparagus, parsley, nasturtiums, petunias and marigolds.
You should not grow tomatoes with corn, sunflowers, brassicas (kale, cabbage, …), mustard, melons, zucchinis and squash.
If you want to learn more about growing tomatoes in general, make sure to also have a look at my tomato grower’s guide where I show you how to grow tomatoes 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.
