FACT SHEET: Companion Planting
Companion planting uses planting patterns as a natural method to
attract and deter certain insects from crops, improve growth and
garden health by increasing biodiversity in the garden.
Companions
Benefits
Crop
Parsley
Distracts natural enemies
Encourages growth in asparagus
Attracts beneficial insects
Distracts natural enemies, such as
white fly
Attracts pollinators
Can make a repellent spray
Attract aphids away plant crops
Attracts pollinators
Asparagus, roses, tomatoes,
rocket and artichokes
Pyrethrum
Nasturtium
Fruit trees, passionfruit, kiwi
fruit, pumpkin, zucchini,
cucumber and artichokes
Potatoes, pumpkin, radish,
rocket. tomatoes, turnips,
Swedes and artichokes
Carrots, eggplant, beans,
tomatoes, radish, turnips,
cucumbers, spinach,
potatoes, turnips, Swedes,
artichokes and bok choy
Carrots, eggplant, potatoes,
artichokes and bok choy
Peas
Inter-planting will help increase
nitrogen levels
Helps to deter carrot fly
Beans
Inter-planting will help increase
nitrogen levels
Helps to deter carrot fly
Reduce beetle damage
Growing broad beans before another
crop can reduce some fungal
diseases
Attract aphids away plant crops
Kiwi fruit, pumpkin and
zucchini
Distract cabbage white butterflies
Attracts wasps which control
Pumpkin, zucchini,
cabbage white butterflies
cucumber, broccoli and
Attracts pollinators
rocket
Distract cabbage white butterflies
Broccoli, cauliflower, kale
Repels pests
cabbage, chillies, capsicum,
rocket and shallots
Repels cabbage white butterflies
Carrots, rocket, rosemary
Helps to deter carrot fly
and cabbage
Distract cabbage white butterflies
Cabbages, broccoli,
Improves flavour of shallots and
cauliflowers, kale, brussel
spring onions
sprouts, shallots, spring
onion, strawberries and
zucchini
Helps to distract snails
Zucchini
Calendula
Clover or land cress
Dill
Mints
Sage
Chamomile
Comfrey
Bad Neighbours
Gardens for Harvest – Knox City Council – Workshop Summaries
Garlic, onion,
kohlrabi,
beetroot,
sunflower
Cucumber, onion,
wormwood
Companions
Benefits
Crop
Bad Neighbours
Basil
Tomato, eggplant, chillies,
capsicum and rocket
Raspberries
Lettuce
Repels pests including flies and
mosquitoes
Improves taste tomatoes and
capsicum
Attracts pollinators
Deters tomato worm
Improves flavour of tomatoes and
strawberries
Deters pests including cabbage
moth, bean beetles and carrot fly
Attracts beneficial insects
Attract ladybugs which protect the
crops
Helps to deter carrot fly
Leeks
Helps to deter carrot fly
Chives
Onion
Helps to deter aphids, carrot fly and
apple scab on apple trees
Helps to deter carrot fly
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Works to reduce the growth of nearby plants through releasing growth
inhibiting substances, the process is
referred to as allelopathy
Helps to deter carrot fly
Helps to deter carrot fly
Borage
Rosemary
Zinnia
Chervil
Corn
Garlic
Coriander
Squash/pumpkin
Deters aphids, snails and slugs when
planting with lettuce
Helps to shade plants, including
chives and coriander
Acts as a living climbing structure
Deters aphids and borer
Repels fruit fly
Make a repellent spray
Works to reduce the growth of nearby plants through releasing growth
inhibiting substances, the process is
referred to as allelopathy
Can repel aphids
Can be used as a live mulch as the
base of plants
Fruit trees, pumpkins,
zucchini, cucumber,
passionfruit, strawberries,
zucchini and tomatoes
Rocket, cabbages, beans,
carrots and sage
Carrots, cucumber, radishes,
beetroot, strawberries,
rocket, sorrel, turnips and
swedes
Carrots, onions, celery and
celeriac
Carrots, rocket and
strawberries
Carrots, radish, silver beet,
spinach and tomatoes
Carrots
Carrots, asparagus, basil,
onion, garlic, carrots,
parsley, marigolds and
nasturtiums
Lettuce and rocket
Cabbages, lettuce, pumpkin,
potatoes, peas, beans, silver
beet, turnips and swedes
Tomatoes, roses, fruit, silver
beet and strawberries
Plant with potatoes,
spinach, radishes, chillies,
capsicum and rocket
Corn or fruit trees
Gardens for Harvest – Knox City Council – Workshop Summaries
Corn, cabbages,
beans, potatoes
Sage, peas, beans
Fennel, potatoes
or stone fruit
Peas, beans,
brassicas
Rose, fennel
Companions
Benefits
Crop
Bad Neighbours
Amaranth
Works as a trap or bait plant for
pests
Can stimulate the growth of grapes
Strawberries, eggplant and
corn
Grapes
Beetroot
Hyssop
Jerusalem
artichokes
Lavender
Marigolds
Will deter stink bugs
Attracts pollinators
Insect repellent
Deters nematodes
Deters pests
Attracts pollinators
Spring onions
Deter aphids from crops
Tansy
Repel fruit fly
Nettles
Oregano
Provide nutrients to plants nearby
Attracts beneficial insects: ladybugs
Can make a liquid fertiliser
Distracts pests
Foxgloves
Attract bees
Thyme
Deters pests
Protects cabbages
Rhubarb
Sorrel
Carrots
Confuse onion fly
Tarragon
Comfrey
Native flowering
plants
Kiwi fruit, fruit trees,
potatoes and silver beet
Kiwi fruit, chillies, capsicum,
potatoes, pumpkin, rocket,
tomatoes and zucchini
Kohlrabi, tomatoes, broccoli
and carrots
Potatoes, horseradish,
tomatoes and rocket
Cucumber, zucchini,
pumpkin, cabbage, beans
and rocket
Kiwi fruit, pumpkins,
zucchini, cucumber, fruit
trees and passionfruit
Chillies, capsicum, rocket
and cabbage
Cauliflower, broccoli,
cabbage, kale and brussel
sprouts
Onions, lettuce, spinach
Spring onion, shallots,
onions and tomatoes
Everything
Plant among strawberries for shade
and living mulch
Help to increase the number of
native pollinators in the garden.
Planting to ensure blooms all yearround will help to attract these
beneficial insects all year-round as
well.
Gardens for Harvest – Knox City Council – Workshop Summaries
Peas, beans, sage,
corn, cabbages,
potatoes