Try interplanting these companion plants for peppers in your vegetable garden this growing season and see how beneficial companion planting with peppers can be!
Companion planting is a method of gardening that has both anecdotal precedence and scientific proof! But trying to figure out exactly what to plant where can be a challenge and can quickly get overwhelming!
I have created these companion planting posts specific to certain crops to not only provide a list of crops to plant, but to help you understand why you want to plant certain crops alongside others in your garden!
In this article, you’ll learn about great companion plants for peppers as well as crops to avoid! I’ll also share why you would even want to consider companion planting for your pepper patch!
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Benefits of companion planting for peppers
Companion planting, particularly for pepper crops, offers a multitude of benefits that can significantly enhance the productivity and health of your garden. By understanding these benefits and identifying which ones align with your gardening priorities, you can simplify the companion planting process and maximize its advantages.
Here are several key benefits of integrating companion planting into your garden space:
- Attracts beneficial insects such as honeybees, which are crucial for pollination. This ensures your plants can reproduce and bear fruit.
- Lures other beneficial insects like parasitic wasps or ladybugs, which naturally control pest populations through organic pest management strategies, reducing the need for chemical pesticides.
- Enhances soil fertility and health by partnering with plants that either fix nitrogen in the soil or have deep roots that bring up nutrients from below the surface layer, benefiting neighboring plants.
- Repels or traps pests through the strategic placement of plants that pests find unattractive or that serve as bait, keeping them away from your peppers.
- Suppresses weed growth by using companion plants that provide ground cover or outcompete weeds for resources, thus reducing the labor and time spent on weeding.
- Controls the spread of diseases by improving air circulation around plants or by employing disease-resistant companion plants that help shield peppers from being infected.
Choosing the right companion plants for your peppers is crucial; it can significantly boost your garden’s productivity and lead to a more fruitful pepper crop. For example, basil not only repels pests but can also enhance the flavor of your peppers, while marigolds attract beneficial insects and deter nematodes and other pests from attacking your pepper plants.
By investing a little time in planning and incorporating companion planting into your gardening strategy, you can enjoy a healthier, more vibrant, and productive garden that is in harmony with nature’s own pest management and fertilization systems.
Common garden pests of peppers
One of the main reasons why most gardeners get into companion planting is to manage pest damage in the garden! Recognizing common garden pests in your own garden can help you better plan and choose good companion plants for your garden beds in the current and next season!
Here are a few common insect pests of peppers to look out for:
- Aphids
- Flea beetles
- Spider mites
- Slugs and snails
Best companion plants for peppers
Now that we know why we want to use companion plants in our garden with our pepper plants, its time to look at the best pepper plant companions! This list includes several crops along with the reason/benefit that each covers!
Remember, you do not need to plant every companion near your crops! You simply want to have the list available to enjoy the benefits you need in your garden!
Onions
Onions as well as other crops in the allium family are great companions to most crops in our garden due to their strong aroma which can mask the scent of your more vulnerable crops! Its a great idea to line your garden beds with onions as a barrier to your pepper plants in the garden!
Nasturtium
Nasturtium is another great companion plant for peppers! It is known to act as a trap crop for pests like aphids! As a trap crop it is the preferred meal to pests in the garden! This has two purposes. On one end its a way to attract beneficial insects like predatory wasps into the garden, on the other end, its a way to localize the pests to a single plant that can then be sacrificed!
Basil
Basil plants make excellent companions for peppers as they helps repel pests like thrips and whiteflies while also enhancing the flavor of your peppers! Planting basil near pepper plants can result in larger and more flavorful peppers!
Legumes
Another great idea for companions when growing peppers is to plant them alongside legumes like bush beans, pole beans, and peas! These crops help to improve the fertility of peppers through a process called nitrogen fixation!
Carrots
Carrots are a cool weather crop that often are planted in the spring and ready to harvest in the late spring when the weather can make the taste less sweet! You can plant peppers near your carrots to keep the soil cool in the heat of the summer!
Marigold
Marigolds are not only beautiful and colorful additions to your garden, but they also have a strong scent that repels many pests! Planting marigolds around your pepper plants can help protect them from pest damage while adding a pop of color to your garden!
Remember if you are planting marigolds for companion planting purposes make sure you are planting a variety of french marigolds.
Sweet Alyssum
Sweet alyssum is a beautiful low growing flower that acts as a living mulch and ground cover which can help you manage weed growth in your garden.
Dill
Dill is another good choice for companion planting with peppers as it attracts beneficial insects such as predatory wasps and lacewings, which are natural predators of pests like aphids and spider mites.
Cilantro
Cilantro is another herb that makes a great companion for peppers! It attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps and hoverflies while also repelling pests like aphids and spider mites. Plus, you’ll have fresh cilantro to use in your cooking as well! Creating a salsa garden that includes peppers onions and cilantro can mean enjoying fresh salsa all summer long!
*For those in warmer climates where cilantro bolts, consider Culantro!
Radish
Radish is a fast-growing crop that can be interplanted with peppers to make the most out of your garden space. It also helps deter pests like flea beetles and can help improve soil health.
Bad Companion Plants for Peppers
While there are many great companion plants for peppers, there are also some plants that should be avoided when planning your garden layout. These crops should be avoided if you have the space!
Brassicas
Brassicas such as brussels sprouts and cabbage are heavy feeders and should not be planted near your pepper plants! However, I am a practical garden teacher and understand that sometimes we do not have enough space. When that is the case you want to make sure that your garden soil is full of organic matter and you are fertilizing your space regularly!
Fennel
Fennel isn’t a good friend to many plants. It releases chemicals that can affect the growth of peppers, tomatoes and many other crops. Fennel can attract beneficial insects, but if you are using to companion plant with other crops, consider planting it in it’s own container.
Potatoes
Members of the nightshade family including tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant should be planted near peppers with caution, they do require similar growing conditions but also are subject to the same diseases and pests.
In general there are two lines of thinking when considering growing these crops together. If you have a decent sized garden consider crop rotation before planting these crops back to back in the same space! For those with small spaces to grow in consider turning over your garden soil significantly before planting these crops in the same space.
Additional Companion Planting Resources
Successful companion planting doesn’t have to be hard especially when you understand why you are doing it, but I do understand that as a beginner it can be quite confusing! That is why we created the Companion Planting series on our Podcast: Garden Things with Friends!
In this series, instead of simply learning lists of crops you can plant together, you’ll get a better understanding of why certain plants work well together and others do not in this gardening technique. You’ll also learn about other factors that can affect companion planting, such as soil quality and garden layout. You can check out each of the videos in this three part series below:
Ep. 11 – What is Companion Planting + FREE Printable Companion Planting Chart
Ep. 12 – 12 Best Herbs for Companion Planting in the Vegetable Garden
Ep 13 – 10 Best Flowers for Companion Planting with Your Vegetables
Don’t be afraid to experiment with companion planting in your garden. It’s a fascinating way to enhance plant growth and overall garden health. Remember, research is key! By studying which plants complement each other, you can create a harmonious garden ecosystem. With the right information and a bit of trial and error, you’ll discover the perfect companions for your onion plants and all the main crops in your garden. Happy planting!
