Tomato Combinations That Shine and Those to Avoid
In the world of gardening, companion planting is a practice that can significantly enhance the health and yield of your vegetables. One vegetable that benefits greatly from this method is the humble tomato.
Tomatoes do not complement every plant, however. For instance, cabbage and tomato plants, when grown side by side, can lead to stunted growth. Similarly, walnut trees produce a chemical called juglone, which causes stunted growth in tomatoes and leads to smaller fruits.
Eggplants and tomatoes, on the other hand, are vulnerable to early and late blight. Growing them side by side can lead to blight buildup in the soil and spreading throughout the garden.
But there are plants that tomatoes get along with quite well. Carrots can improve the flavour of tomatoes, but their roots may compete for space. However, researching the right combinations of plants to grow can ensure a good yield in a vegetable garden.
Companion plants that are beneficial for tomatoes include basil, asparagus, borage, beans, carrots, celery, garlic, onions, parsley, radish, and French marigolds. These companions help by repelling pests, improving soil health, attracting beneficial insects, increasing tomato yields, or enhancing flavour.
For example, basil boosts root growth and fruit yield while repelling pests; asparagus and tomatoes repel each other's pests; borage attracts pollinators and predators of tomato pests; garlic and onions emit strong scents that deter a range of tomato pests.
On the other hand, there are plants that tomatoes should avoid. Potatoes, eggplant, kohlrabi, cauliflower, and walnut trees are plants to steer clear of when planning your tomato garden. Potatoes and eggplants, being in the same nightshade family, compete with tomatoes for nutrients and share susceptibility to diseases like blight. Kohlrabi and cauliflower compete heavily for soil nutrients, leading to stunted growth. Walnut trees release chemicals (juglone) that stunt tomato growth and can cause disease susceptibility.
To summarise key pairings:
| Best Companion Plants | Benefit | |------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------| | Basil | Increases tomato root size, repels pests | | Asparagus | Mutual pest repellence | | Borage | Attracts beneficial insects, improves flavor | | Beans (bush beans) | Fix nitrogen, reduce disease | | Carrots | Loosen soil for tomato roots | | Celery | Repels pests | | Garlic | Repels various tomato pests | | Onions | Repels various tomato pests | | Parsley | Attracts pollinators and beneficial insects | | Radish | Trap crop for flea beetles | | French marigolds | Deter nematodes and insects, attract pollinators |
| Worst Companion Plants | Reason | |-----------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------| | Potatoes | Compete for nutrients, shared diseases (blight) | | Eggplant | Same family, disease risk (blight) | | Kohlrabi | Heavy nutrient competition | | Cauliflower | Heavy nutrient competition | | Walnut trees | Toxic soil chemicals stunt growth (juglone) |
Mixing flowering plants with herbs and vegetables can deter or confuse some pests and attract beneficial insects to the garden. Subscribing to a gardening newsletter can provide access to fresh gardening articles and helpful resources.
The tomato plant is easy to grow, requiring full sun and regular watering. With the right companions, it can produce a large amount of fruit in a short period of time. So, plan your tomato garden wisely, and enjoy a bountiful harvest!
Home-and-garden enthusiasts may find it beneficial to grow tomatoes with certain companion plants, such as basil, asparagus, borage, beans, carrots, celery, garlic, onions, parsley, radish, and French marigolds, to increase yield, repel pests, enhance flavor, or improve soil health. Conversely, it's wise to avoid planting tomatoes near potatoes, eggplants, kohlrabi, cauliflower, and walnut trees, as these plants compete for nutrients, share susceptibility to diseases, or release toxic chemicals that can stunt tomato growth. To truly make the most of a home-and-garden lifestyle, subscribing to a gardening newsletter can offer valuable resources and help create a beautiful, productive, and thriving garden.
