Did you know you can task your plants to look out for each other?
That’s right! You don’t have to do as much when your garden can work as a team.
Companion planting is like creating a little plant community where each one brings something to the table—literally!
By matching certain plants in your raised bed garden, you can improve growth, keep pests at bay, and make the most of your space.
Want to know more? Dig in!
Using Companion Planting to Grow Your Own Food
Certain plants get along swimmingly when planted side by side. That’s the essence of companion planting—growing different crops near each other to improve your harvests.
Basically, you plant crops with proven positive relationships within 2–3 rows of each other. Then those known to be “toxic” to each other should be planted farther apart.
This practice helps your garden flourish by making the most of plant partnerships!
For instance, you can plant quick-growing veggies like lettuce between slower growers like tomatoes, so you’re always harvesting something.
Tomatoes and basil are perfect together, both in your Caprese salad and garden bed.
Benefits of Companion Planting in Raised Garden Beds
Mixing fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers can bring a slew of benefits to your raised garden.
1 – Space Maximization
Companion plating makes every inch of your garden count. One neat trick is planting climbing plants under taller ones—like growing pole beans beneath corn.
This way, you’re using space that would otherwise be empty or filled with pesky weeds. And it’s great if you can’t be bothered to make a trellis.
Another trick is to pair up fast and slow growers! I love tucking in radishes and carrots in my raised bed because they don’t fight over resources.
Radishes grow fast and don’t dig deep. Meanwhile, carrots take their sweet time and have long roots that reach down for nutrients.
2 – Natural Pest Control
Some plants can trap or repel pests, protecting their next-door neighbors from hungry critters. If you want to ditch chemical pesticides, go for smelly plants!
These plant partners confuse pests with their scents and use their natural compounds to keep pests away.
3 – Weed Barrier
When your garden beds are lush with plants, there’s less room for pesky weeds to sprout and cause havoc.
Small perennials make perfect ground covers for mid-height and tall plants. They keep the soil cool while robbing weed seedlings of sunlight.
Plus, the roots of these plants outcompete weeds for water and nutrients, all while naturally improving the soil as they grow!
4 – Better Soil
Plant pairings can work in harmony for the soil’s health and fertility.
For example, nitrogen-fixing legumes like beans and peas pull nitrogen from the air and convert it into a form other plants can use.
And they’re great companions for various crops, including broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts.
The Best Companion Plants
One of my go-to combos is the classic “three sisters”—corn, beans, and squash.
The corn provides a sturdy stalk for the beans to climb, while the beans fix nitrogen in the soil for the other two. The squash is a living mulch, keeping the soil moist and weed-free for everyone.
Here are more dynamite duos to try in your raised beds:
- Carrots and Chives: The scent of chives deters carrot flies.
- Carrots and Onions: Onions deter carrot flies, while carrots help suppress weeds around onions.
- Tomatoes and Basil: Basil keeps tomatoes safe from thrips and tomato hornworms.
- Cucumbers and Nasturtiums: Nasturtiums can lure pests away from your cucumbers.
- Marigolds and Vegetables: Marigolds protect different veggie crops from nematodes and other pests.
Companion Planting With Herbs
Not enough garden space for full companion planting? Try interplanting with herbs!
Herbs are multi-taskers, not to mention super tasty in soups and summer dishes. Their fragrant aroma can repel pests like aphids, tomato hornworms, carrot flies, and cabbage moths.
Let some of those herb flowers bloom, and they’ll roll out the welcome mat for all kinds of good insects.
More pollinators equals more crops and more helpers for pest control!
Here are some of the best companion herbs:
- Thyme
- Sage
- Rosemary
- Mint
- Lavender
- Chives
- Borage
- Basil
Plant Combinations to Avoid
Just like some plants are BFFs, others are frenemies. So, avoid planting:
- Crops prone to the same diseases near each other (like tomatoes and potatoes for blight)
- Plants that compete for the same resources (like tall corn shading sun-loving tomatoes)
- Anything too close to fennel, which can inhibit the growth of its neighbors
Final Thoughts
Plants are just like people. They thrive when surrounded by the right companions!
With smart plant matchmaking, your raised garden bed can become a bountiful, low-maintenance oasis.
Give companion planting a go, and let your plants work together to grow your food!
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.