Companion Planting Table
| Good Companions | Bad Companions | |
| Apples | Chives, Horsetail (Equisetum), Foxgloves, Wallflowers Nasturtiums, Garlic, Onions |
Grass, Potatoes |
| Apricots | Basil, Tansy, Southernwood | Tomatoes, Sage |
| Asparagus | Tomatoes, Parsley, Basil | |
| Basil | Tomatoes, Asparagus, Parsley, Apricots | |
| Beans | Carrots. Cucumbers, Cabbages, Lettuce, Peas, Parsley Cauliflower, Spinach, Summer Savory |
Onions, Garlic, Fennel, Gladioli, Sunflowers, Kohlrabi |
| Beans, broad | Potatoes, Sweetcorn | |
| Beans. Dwarf | Beetroot, Potatoes | |
| Beetroot | Onions, Silverbeet, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Cabbage Dwarf Beans |
Tall beans |
| Borage | Strawberries | |
| Brussels Sprouts | Nasturtiums | |
| Broccoli | Strawberries | |
| Cabbages | Beans, Beetroot. Celery, Mint, Thyme, Sage, Onions Rosemary, Dill, Potatoes, Chamomile, Oregano Hyssop, Southernwood, Nasturtiums, Tansy, Coriander |
Rue, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Garlic |
| Carrots | Peas, Radishes. Lettuce, Chives, Sage, Onions, Leeks | |
| Carnations | Hyacinths | |
| Cauliflowers | Celery. Beans, Tansy, Nasturtiums | Strawberries |
| Celery | Tomatoes, Dill. Beans, Leeks, Cabbage, Cauliflowers | |
| Chamomile | Mint, Cabbages, Onions | |
| Chervil | Dill, Coriander, Radish | |
| Chives | Parsley, Apples, Carrots, Tomatoes | |
| Citrus | Guava | |
| Coriander | Dill, Chervil, Anise, Cabbages, Carrots | Fennel |
| Cucumbers | Potatoes (early crop only), Beans, Celery, Lettuce Sweet Corn, Savoy Cabbages, Sunflowers, Nasturtiums |
|
| Dill | Carrots, Tomatoes, Cabbage, Fennel, Coriander | |
| Fennel | Dill, Coriander | Beans, Tomatoes, Kohlrabi, Coriander, Wormwood |
| Foxgloves | Apples, Potatoes, Tomatoes | |
| Fuchsias | Basil, Gooseberries, Tomatoes | |
| Garlic | Roses, Apples, Peaches | Peas, Beans, Cabbages, Strawberries |
| Geraniums | Grapevines | |
| Gladioli | Strawberries, Beans, Peas | |
| Grapevines | Geraniums, Mulberries, Hyssop, Basil, Tansy | |
| Guava | Citrus | |
| Horseradish | Fruit trees, Potatoes | |
| Hyacinth | Carnations | |
| Hyssop | Grapevines, Cabbages | Radishes |
| Kohlrabi | Beetroot, Onions | Tomatoes, Beans, Fennel |
| Leeks | Carrots, Celery | |
| Lettuce | Carrots, Onions, Strawberries, Beetroot, Cabbages Radishes, Marigolds |
|
| Marigolds | Lettuce, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Roses, Beans | |
| Melons | Sweet Corn | |
| Mint | Cabbages, Chamomile | Parsley |
| Nasturtiums | Apples, Cabbages, Cauliflowers, Broccoli Brussels Sprouts, Kohlrabi, Turnips, Radishes Cucumbers, Zucchini |
|
| Onions | Carrots, Beetroot, Silverbeet, Lettuce, Chamomile Kohlrabi, Summer Savory |
|
| Oregano | Cabbages | |
| Parsley | Tomatoes, Asparagus, Roses, Chives | |
| Parsnips | Peas, Potatoes, Peppers, Beans, Radishes, Garlic | Carrots, Celery, Caraway |
| Peaches | Tansy, Garlic, Basil, Southernwood | |
| Pears | Grass | |
| Peas | Potatoes, Radishes, Carrots, Turnips | Onions, Shallots, Garlic, Gladioli |
| Potatoes | Peas, Beans, Cabbage, Sweetcorn, Broad Beans Green Beans, Nasturtiums, Marigolds, Foxgloves Horse Radish, Egg Plant |
Apples, Cherries, Cucumbers (with any but early crops) Pumpkins, Sunflowers, Tomatoes, Raspberries, Rosemary |
| Pumpkins | Sweetcorn | Potatoes |
| Radishes | Lettuces, Peas, Chervil, Nasturtiums | Hyssop |
| Raspberries | Tansy | Blackberries, Potatoes |
| Potatoes | ||
| Roses | Garlic, Parsley, Onions, Mignonette, Marigolds | |
| Rue | Sage, Basil | |
| Sage | Carrots, Cabbages, Strawberries | Basil, Rue, Wormwood |
| Savory | Beans, Onions | |
| Silverbeet | Onions, Beetroot, Lavender | |
| Spinach | Strawberries | |
| Squash | Sunflowers | |
| Strawberries | Borage, Lettuce, Spinach, Sage, Pyrethrum | Cabbages, Cauliflowers, Brussels Sprouts Gladioli, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Garlic |
| Sunflowers | Squash, Cucumber | Potatoes |
| Sweetcorn | Broad Beans, Potatoes, Melons, Tomatoes Cucumber, Squash, Tansy |
|
| Tansy | Cabbage, Roses, Raspberries, Grapes, Peaches | |
| Thyme | Cabbage family | |
| Tomatoes | Asparagus, Celery, Parsley, Basil, Carrots, Chives Marigolds, Foxgloves, Garlic, Sweetcorn |
Rosemary, Potatoes, Kohlrabi, Fennel Apricots, Strawberries, Dill |
| Turnips | Nasturtiums, Peas | |
| Wallflowers | Apples | |
| Wormwood | All other plants | |
| Zucchini | Nasturtiums |
Source: Companion Planting in Australia – Brenda Little
October 3, 2009 at 10:00 pm |
Woohoo, this is very useful! thank you so much!
April 2, 2010 at 11:22 pm |
Wonderful reference. Companion planting makes organic growing so much easier!
December 4, 2010 at 8:19 am |
Thanks for this .. I am reading through all your posts…again. Thank you for all the effort you have put in.
February 13, 2011 at 5:41 pm |
Brilliantly useful table. Thank you so much for sharing….
April 15, 2011 at 6:04 pm |
Extremely useful, even though I’m round the other side of the world – and your garden is an inspiration. Thank you!
April 18, 2011 at 1:43 pm |
Very useful as I begin redesigning my gardens. Thank you
April 21, 2011 at 6:17 am |
Love your site. Very informative. I’m setting up a small garden right now. Planned on using companion plants, and your references to good matches really helps so much. I’ve got two ultra-dwarf apples, (Fuji and Golden Delicious), two ultra dwarf bing cherries, and an ultra dwarf apricot. I wouldn’t have thought to plant onions, chives, or garlic beneath them. Now, I will, as that will free up space in my 4 ft by 4 ft planter for carrots, lettuces, spinach , some strawberries, and sage , separate from other herbs that might not go so well with sage. I’m also going to plant strawberries as grpound cover underneath my grape vines. I would never have thought to do that until I found your site. And I’m also going to acquire some Desiree’ and Russet potatoes , as well, and grow peas and beans above them. What a great use of space and companion plants. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
April 21, 2011 at 10:11 am |
You’re welcome John, sounds like you have a great small garden with a really good variety! Regards
April 30, 2011 at 5:51 pm |
Thank you for this chart. You have more information in this chart than some books on the subject. As I read thru it I kept going out to the garden to add stuff. Like basil beneath my tomatoes.
June 3, 2011 at 1:09 pm |
Do you have any hints regarding growing/companion planting for Sweet Potatoes? I’m in Newcastle NSW.
June 6, 2011 at 1:12 pm |
Hi Edwina,
In Jackie French’s book ‘Jackie French’s Guide to Companion Planting in Australia and New Zealand’ - a great book which I highly recommend, she suggests growing corn nearby to atttract parastic wasps, whuch prey on leaf beetles. They don’t normally have much trouble with pests and diseases though.
Plant sweet potatoes about 45cm apart, and beyond that, they’re a fairly vigorous vine that grows pretty well on its owm.
Don’t give them too much nitrogenous fertilizer as you’ll just get lots of green growth (top growth) at the expense of the tuber below.
Regards
August 4, 2011 at 2:11 am |
How do you know that these companion plants function well together?
August 4, 2011 at 9:23 am |
Because I’ve tried them, and I know from experience! ( :
Read all about my experience here if you would like to know more, especially the ‘Pests and Diseases’ section, I wrote an article for the Permaculture Research Institute on the findings of my ‘experiment’ – http://permaculture.org.au/2011/04/13/lessons-from-an-urban-back-yard-food-forest-experiment/
August 28, 2011 at 4:19 pm |
Thank you for this easy to read and use table! I wrote a blog post of incorporating companion planting in permaculture and biodynamic gardening and encouraged readers to see your site. happy planting!
October 7, 2011 at 12:05 am |
Thanks for this table. In the books I have on Organic Fruit Growing, they also list Southernwood as beneficial for Apples. Has this changed? If so, what are the reasons for not using it? It is a natural insecticide, which doesn’t appear to harm the Apple trees i have them planted around.
October 7, 2011 at 9:26 am |
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for raising this question. Southernwood is a great companion plant, it is a fantastic insect repellant, and from my understanding, is beneficial to many fruit trees, definitely recommended!
The issue with companion tables is that some plants are beneficial to so many things, that you’d almost have to list them against everything.
I have two southernwood plants in my garden, one growing near a dwarf peach tree, and also alongside a lemon guava (yellow guava).
Regards
June 6, 2012 at 4:51 pm |
Why are strawberries and garlic bad companions?
June 7, 2012 at 1:11 pm |
My guess it it may have something to do with some substance exuded by the garlic roots that strawberries find disagreeable. Sometimes the interactions between plants are simple to explain scientifically, some, such as this, are more complex. Remember that a lot of companion relationships have been determined through practical experience and have been confirmed and validated by many people over a long period of time, even though the machanisms by which they work may still not be clear.
July 7, 2012 at 10:15 pm |
Thanks to Ted and your response. The question is, do I now need to dig up my strawberries and plant elsewhere, or do I persist with the current planting and know that I won’t have a hug crop on either plant? My strawberries are planted between leeks and brussel sprouts, I’m in Adelaide, South Australia.
July 8, 2012 at 8:14 am |
Hi Alexandra, leeks are OK with strawberries, it’s just the brassicas that are a problem, so you don’t have to remove the perennial plants -the strawberries, you just need to wait till the annual brassicas die down and the problem is solved.
May 10, 2013 at 8:52 pm |
I have always read that fennel and dill were very bad companions as they cross with each other and ruin the distinctive taste of each of them. Many people advise to keep fennel separate from everything and most of all away from dill…