Companion Plants for your Heirloom Tomatoes

Many of us took the opportunity this past weekend to plant our heirloom tomatoes.  If your tomatoes are a bigger part of a garden, below are some plants that do and don't do well with your heirlooms.

Companion Plants

Carrots: Carrots work well tomatoes because they share space well. The carrots can be planted when the tomatoes are still quite small, and can be happily growing and ready to harvest by the time the tomato plants start to take over the space.

Carrots

Onions

Onions, Chives, and Garlic: Members of the onion family are beneficial to plant with many types of crops due to the pungent odor they emit. This helps deter many insect pests.

Borage

Borage: Improves growth and flavor and is said to help deter tomato hornworm.

Asparagus: Asparagus and tomatoes are good neighbors. Asparagus puts on growth very early in the season, and the tomato plants fill in after asparagus has been harvested. Also, tomatoes help repel asparagus beetle.

Asparagus

Marigolds

Marigold: Helps deter harmful nematodes from attacking tomatoes. The pungent odor can also help confuse other insect pests. To deter nematodes, the best practice is to grow the marigolds, then chop and till them into the soil at the end of the season.

Nasturtium: Help deter whitefly and aphids.

Nasturtium

Basil: Growing tomatoes and basil together increases the vigor and flavor of both crops as well as repelling insects like mosquitos. It is said that basil may sweeten the taste of your heirlooms.

Basil

Spinach, Lettuce, Arugula: These are also "good neighbor" crops for tomatoes. They stay fairly small, and will grow better in the heat of summer when shaded by the growing tomato plants.

Parsley

Mint & Parsley: Improve the health and flavor of tomatoes. Think about container planting Mint as it can aggressively spread if left un-checked.

What Not to Plant with Tomatoes:

Brassicas:  Tomatoes and all members of the Brassicas family (Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower) repel each other and will exhibit poor growth when planted together.

Brassicas

Corn: Tomato fruit worm and corn ear worm are nearly identical, and planting these two crops together increases the possibility that you will attract one (or both) of these pests.

Potatoes: Planting tomatoes and potatoes together makes potatoes more susceptible to potato blight.

Dill & Fennel: Inhibits the growth of tomatoes.

Dill