Tomatoes They're among the most favored vegetables for home gardens due to their taste and ease of cultivation. Tomatoes are both tasty and healthy, making them ideal for growing at home provided you supply plenty of sunlight and rich soil. To get the best yield from your tomato plants, consider planting compatible species nearby.
Variety in the garden can aid in improving soil quality, lessening pest problems, and suppressing weed growth. attract beneficial pollinators . However, while clever vegetable garden companion planting Additionally referred to as interplanting or intercropping, this technique can enhance your tomato yields; however, certain combinations might decrease them.
We consulted with an expert to learn about which plant types may not be ideal as companions for tomatoes and the reasons behind this.
Meet the Expert
Susan Scheufele , Dr. PhD serves as the Production Agriculture Leader within the UMass Extension Vegetable Program.
Broccoli
Broccoli and other members of the Brassica family require substantial nutrients, hence they should be planted apart from tomatoes to avoid hindering their development.
"When thinking about interplanting or companion planting near tomatoes, we suggest avoiding plants that will compete intensely with them for sunlight, water, or nutrients," says Susan Scheufele, an educator from the UMass Extension Vegetable Program.
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Cabbage
Cabbages are significant consumers of nutrients and require ample nourishment. To prevent competition between these cruciferous vegetables and your tomatoes, think about growing them in another part of your garden.
Sweet Corn
Scheufele does not suggest planting sweet corn alongside tomatoes because the tall corn stalks may block sunlight from reaching the tomatoes.
"Corn requires many nutrients and has deep roots, which means it might deprive tomato plants of essential elements, or both types of plants could end up struggling," she explains.
Additionally, the tomato fruitworm, also referred to as the corn earworm, enjoys feeding on both types of vegetables. In case of an outbreak, this could lead to significant damage to both crop varieties.
Cucumbers
Although cucumbers have a lower profile, trail along the ground, and have shallow roots, Scheufele suggests they may not make suitable companions for tomatoes.
“They require plenty of sunlight and warmth to flourish,” she explains. Planting cucumber vines too near to robust, towering tomato plants might result in them receiving excessive shade.”
Eggplants
Scheufele advises against growing other Solanaceous plants such as peppers or eggplants close to tomatoes. He explains that these crops have comparable growth patterns and attract many of the same pests because they belong to the same plant family.
Nightshade plant species are also susceptible to infectious fungal diseases like blight. If your eggplants develop this, there’s a good chance it will spread to tomato plants growing next to them.
Fennel
Several research findings indicate that growing fennel alongside tomatoes might lead to decreased yields. This occurs because many varieties of fennel tend to be taller, thereby blocking sunlight from reaching the tomato plants which require ample light and warmth. According to Scheufele, opting for shorter, fast-maturing herbs such as parsley could be more beneficial. cilantro , instead.
Peppers
Another member of the nightshade family that can draw similar pests and diseases as tomatoes is peppers. To be safe, they should ideally be planted in a different garden bed.
Potatoes
If you're looking to avoid potato plants infected with bacterial wilt or other fungal problems spreading, Diseases can transfer onto your tomato plants. Bury them deep within the earth, ensuring these two nightshade varieties are planted in separate garden patches.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers can serve as useful and attractive border plants placed around a vegetable garden to draw in helpful pollinators and deter certain pests.
Nevertheless, these plants are not ideal choices when planting right next to tomatoes. Due to their considerable height, they might shade the tomato plants from essential sunlight.
Scheufele suggests planting low-growing, short-season flowers like sweet alyssum or nasturtium Plant the seeds simultaneously with the tomato seedlings. This ensures they'll have ample access to light to take root before the tomatoes become dense and cast shade.
Sweet alyssum provides an additional advantage by drawing in the natural predators of insect pests such as syrphid flies, lady beetles, parasitic wasps, and predatory beetles and bugs," explains Scheufele. "Moreover, certain flowers like nasturtiums emit powerful fragrances that can disorient insect pests, thereby making it more difficult for them to locate their host plants.
Sweet Potatoes
While sweet potatoes do not belong to the nightshade family as regular potatoes do, they are still not ideal companions when planted near tall, leafy tomato plants.
Scheufele notes that despite being low-growing, creeping plants with an extended growing period, these specimens might not produce numerous tubers. Additionally, the tubers could turn out small if cultivated in areas with limited sunlight.
Black Walnut Trees
Black walnut trees release a substance named juglone into the nearby soil. Plants from the nightshade family, such as tomatoes, have been found to be susceptible to this compound.
Naphthalene wilting may result in deteriorated health, unsatisfactory yields, and ultimately, the demise of the organism.
Read the initial article on The Spruce