GL Planters • Organic Gardening • Raised Bed Planning
Companion planting, made simple for raised beds
Use smart plant pairings to boost yields, reduce pest pressure, and keep your raised bed garden healthier—without overcomplicating your layout. This guide includes a clear companion planting chart for raised garden beds, plus layout tips you can copy.
What is companion planting?
Companion planting is growing certain plants near each other so they naturally help with pest control, pollination, soil health, and yields. In raised garden beds, the biggest wins come from pairing plants with compatible spacing, sunlight, and watering needs.
Quick answer: Companion planting is pairing crops that help each other (pest control, pollination, soil health). In raised beds, the biggest win is spacing + airflow—then add simple helpers like basil, marigolds, and onions.
Want help choosing bed size for your layout? Save this: Best elevated raised garden beds (2026 comparison guide).
Companion planting chart for beginners (easy pairings)
Simple + high-success combosStart with these “safe” pairings when learning companion planting in raised beds. They work well together without creating crowding problems.
Need help picking the right footprint? Use our sizing guide: Best elevated raised garden beds.
| Plant | Good companions | Avoid | Raised-bed tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Basil, marigolds, carrots, onions, lettuce | Potatoes, fennel, cabbage family | Airflow first: prune and space for mature size. |
| Cucumbers | Radishes, nasturtiums, beans, lettuce, dill (light) | Potatoes, fennel, sage | Trellis if possible to reduce mildew pressure. |
| Carrots | Onions, leeks, chives, lettuce, radish | Dill, fennel | Keep moisture steady; avoid heavy shade + crowding. |
| Peppers | Basil, onions, cilantro, marigolds | Fennel, cabbage family | Even spacing prevents disease and improves fruiting. |
| Lettuce | Carrots, cucumbers, onions, radishes, strawberries | Overcrowding with large brassicas | Use as an edge crop around taller plants. |
| Beans | Corn, cucumbers, radishes, potatoes, strawberries | Onions/garlic (alliums), fennel | Great rotation crop—adds nitrogen for heavy feeders. |
| Onions | Carrots, beets, lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries | Beans, peas | Use as a perimeter plant for scent + spacing. |
| Squash | Corn, beans, nasturtium, radish | Potatoes | Give vines room; avoid trapping humidity in the bed. |
| Corn | Beans, squash/pumpkin, cucumbers | Tomatoes (tight beds), brassicas | Works best in bigger footprints with good spacing. |
| Strawberries | Borage, chives, lettuce, thyme | Cabbage family, tomatoes, potatoes | Keep airflow and avoid heavy competition nearby. |
Detailed companion planting chart (better for planning)
Swipe table on mobileUse this when planning mixed beds. It’s the “why” + “avoid list” version that helps prevent common raised-bed crowding and disease issues.
| Vegetable | Good companions | Bad companions | Notes (raised-bed focused) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asparagus | Basil, carrot, coriander, dill, marigold, parsley, tomato | Garlic, onion, potato | Herbs/flowers can help with beetle pressure; avoid heavy competitors. |
| Beans (Bush) | Beet, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chard, corn, cucumber, eggplant, pea, potato, radish, strawberry, squash, summer savory, marigold, nasturtium, rosemary | Alliums (onion/garlic/leek/chive), fennel | Fixes nitrogen; alliums can stunt growth in tight beds. |
| Beans (Pole) | Beet, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chard, corn, cucumber, eggplant, pea, potato, radish, strawberry, squash, summer savory, marigold, nasturtium, rosemary | Alliums, beet, fennel | Corn can act like a trellis; avoid competing root zones (like beets). |
| Beet | Bush bean, broccoli, cabbage, chard, garlic, lettuce, onion | Pole bean | Does well with alliums + leafy greens; keep moisture steady. |
| Brassicas (Cabbage family) | Celery, chamomile, cucumber, dill, garlic, lettuce, mint, nasturtium, onion, potato, radish, rosemary, sage, spinach, swiss chard, thyme | Pole bean, strawberry, tomato, mustard | Use herbs + trap flowers; avoid crowding with tomatoes. |
| Carrot | Bean, chive, lettuce, leek, onion, pea, pepper, radish, rosemary, sage, tomato | Dill, fennel | Alliums can deter pests; fennel often inhibits neighbors. |
| Corn | Climbing bean, cucumber, melon, pea, potato, pumpkin, squash, sunflower, zucchini, marigold, nasturtium, parsley | Tomato, celery, brassicas | “Three Sisters” works best with space; avoid tight tomato pairing. |
| Cucumber | Bean, corn, dill, lettuce, marigold, nasturtium, pea, radish, sunflower | Potato, fennel | Trellis + airflow reduces mildew; flowers help deter beetles/aphids. |
| Eggplant | Bean, marigold, pea, pepper | — | Marigolds can help with nematodes; keep spacing consistent. |
| Garlic | Beet, carrot, brassicas, eggplant, lettuce, pepper, potato, tomato | Bean, pea | Strong scent can deter pests; avoid legumes nearby. |
| Lettuce | Beet, carrot, chard, chive, cucumber, garlic, onion, pea, radish, strawberry | Overcrowding with big brassicas | Great “edge crop” around taller plants; avoid humid crowding. |
| Onion | Beet, brassicas, carrot, chard, chamomile, dill, lettuce, pepper, strawberry, tomato | Bean, pea, asparagus | Scent can deter pests; keep away from legumes. |
| Pea | Bean, carrot, corn, cucumber, radish, mint (contained), chive | Alliums, potato | Cool-season crop; avoid inhibitors like onions/garlic. |
| Pepper | Basil, carrot, eggplant, garlic, onion, radish, spinach, tomato, marigold, nasturtium, cilantro | Brassicas, fennel | Match sun + water needs; stable spacing improves fruit set. |
| Potato | Bean, brassicas, corn, eggplant, horseradish, marigold, nasturtium, thyme | Cucumber, melon, pumpkin/squash, sunflower, turnip, tomato | Avoid shared blight and pest pressure in the same bed zone. |
| Radish | Beet, brassicas, carrot, chive, cucumber, kale, lettuce, nasturtium, pea, spinach, squash | Hyssop | Often used as a trap crop for flea beetles. |
| Spinach | Brassicas, strawberry | — | Prefers steady moisture; partial shade helps in warm weather. |
| Squash / Pumpkin | Bean, borage, corn, dill, marigold, mint (contained), nasturtium, pea, radish, sunflower | Potato | Give vines room; avoid trapping humidity. |
| Strawberries | Bush bean, borage, chive, lettuce, onion, sage, spinach, thyme | Brassicas, eggplant, pepper, potato, tomato | Keep airflow and avoid heavy competition nearby. |
| Tomato | Asparagus, basil, borage, carrot, celery, chive, cucumber, garlic, lettuce, marigold, mint, onion, parsley, pepper, spinach, thyme | Brassicas, corn, fennel, potato, mature dill | Biggest wins: airflow + spacing; basil and flowers are easy companions. |
Companion planting reference A–Z (raised bed friendly)
Quick search tip
Want to find a crop fast? Press Ctrl + F (Windows) or Cmd + F (Mac) and type a plant name like “tomato” or “cucumber”.
Quick Picks (most used)
Tomato
Good: basil, marigold, onion, garlic, carrot, lettuce, parsley, pepper
Avoid: potato, fennel, brassicas, corn, mature dill
Tip: spacing + airflow is the #1 tomato companion planting win in raised beds.
Cucumber
Good: radish, dill (light), nasturtium, bean, corn, lettuce, sunflower
Avoid: potato, fennel
Tip: trellis cucumbers to reduce mildew and free up bed space.
Pepper
Good: basil, onion, garlic, spinach, tomato, marigold, cilantro
Avoid: fennel, cabbage family
Tip: keep peppers evenly spaced for better fruiting and fewer disease issues.
Raised bed companion planting layout tips (best practices)
Companion planting works best when your raised bed layout protects airflow, avoids overcrowding, and makes harvesting easy. For better spacing and seasonal planning, compare our raised cedar garden beds for vegetables before mapping out your companion planting layout.
Spacing (the #1 win)
Plan for mature size. Crowding is the fastest way to invite mildew, blight, and weak yields.
Airflow (disease prevention)
Trellis vines and prune where needed. Keep leaves from touching across rows.
Harvest access (weekly routine)
Put frequent-pick crops on edges. Keep reach zones clear for easy maintenance.
Shop by bed type
Elevated planters
Great for patios, herbs, compact companion planting, and easy harvesting.
Ground planters
Best for deep-root crops and larger mixed-bed companion planting plans.
U-shaped beds
Maximum planting area with easy reach—ideal for multi-crop layouts.
All products
Browse every raised bed and planter style in one place.
Explore raised bed collections (helpful for planning)
Planning multiple beds or comparing footprints? These links help you decide between cedar planter boxes and larger bed sizes—without interrupting the guide.
Raised garden beds collection
Compare styles and plan a long-term raised bed setup.
Cedar planter boxes
Great for herbs, flowers, greens, and compact companion layouts.
Large & XL raised beds
For bigger planting plans, better spacing, and higher yields.
Tomatoes in raised beds (spacing help)
See how spacing and airflow support healthier plants and better harvests.
FAQs
What is companion planting in raised garden beds?
It’s planting compatible crops close together so they help with pests, pollination, and growth—especially effective when spacing and airflow are planned well.
What are the best companion plants for tomatoes?
Basil, marigolds, onions, carrots, lettuce, and parsley are easy high-success pairings. Avoid potatoes and fennel nearby.
What should not be planted together?
Common avoid pairs include tomatoes + potatoes, beans + onions/garlic, and fennel near many vegetables.
How do I prevent disease when companion planting in raised beds?
Use spacing for mature size, trellis where possible, prune for airflow, and avoid pairing crops with shared disease pressure in the same tight bed zone.
Ready to build a cleaner, easier raised bed garden? Shop GL Planters.
