Companion planting might sound a bit old-fashioned, but it’s actually a brilliant, time-tested way to grow healthier, more productive veggies without needing chemicals or complicated tricks.

At Wild Roots Gardening, we like to think of it as letting your plants be good neighbours to each other.

Some combinations help repel pests, others improve flavour or growth, and some simply make the most of your growing space. It’s all about balance and working with nature, not against it.

What is companion planting?

It’s the idea that certain plants grow better when planted next to specific others. These ‘companions’ might:

Attract beneficial insects (like ladybirds and hoverflies)

Repel pests (like aphids and slugs)

Improve soil health or structure

Give shade or support

Boost flavour or growth

And sometimes, it’s just about avoiding bad pairings that compete or encourage disease.

Tried-and-true companion pairings

🥕 Carrots & Onions

Carrots can attract carrot root fly but onions help confuse the pests with their strong scent. Bonus: carrots return the favour by helping deter onion fly.

🍅 Tomatoes & Basil

This classic pair isn’t just for the kitchen. Basil is said to improve tomato flavour and helps repel aphids, whitefly, and even mosquitoes.

🥔 Potatoes & Horseradish

Planting a bit of horseradish at the edge of your potato patch can help deter pests like Colorado beetle (rare in the UK, but worth noting).

🥬 Cabbage & Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums act as a "trap crop" they attract cabbage white butterflies away from your brassicas. Plus, they’re edible and pretty.

🥒 Cucumbers & Marigolds

Marigolds help repel aphids, whitefly, and even nematodes in the soil. They’re great scattered throughout veg beds.

Other companion planting tips

🌻 Sunflowers make great supports

Let your sunflowers grow tall and strong they can act as natural supports for climbing beans or squash vines.

🌱 Legumes feed the soil

Beans and peas add nitrogen to the soil, which is great for leafy greens planted nearby.

🐝 Herbs attract pollinators

Plant herbs like thyme, mint, and dill throughout your garden to attract beneficial insects and pollinators.

What to avoid – bad neighbours

Not all plants get along. Here are a few pairings to steer clear of:

Carrots & Dill – Dill can stunt carrot growth.

Potatoes & Tomatoes – Both are in the nightshade family and prone to similar diseases, like blight.

Beans & Onions – Onions can inhibit the growth of beans and peas.

A natural way to garden

Companion planting isn’t a strict science it’s more of an art. What works brilliantly in one garden might be less effective in another, so have fun experimenting. You’ll learn heaps just by observing what thrives together in your own space.

It’s another gentle way to garden more naturally with fewer chemicals, more diversity, and a lot more life buzzing around.