Companion Planting in Raised Beds: What to Grow Together (Chart)

Raised beds turn gardening into a sandbox where you control the soil, the layout, and the vibe. Pair the right plants together, and you boost growth, block pests, and harvest more from every square inch. Pair the wrong ones… and you basically host a garden reality show with drama, stunted growth, and aphids running the place. Let’s stack your raised bed with plant combos that play nice and deliver big.

Why Companion Planting Rocks in Raised Beds

Raised beds give you better soil, tighter spacing, and faster warm-up in spring. That combo makes companions even more powerful. Plants share nutrients, shade each other, and confuse pests when you mix them thoughtfully.

You also create microclimates in a small footprint. Tall trellised crops cast afternoon shade for heat-sensitive greens. Flowers pull pollinators into tight quarters where they actually do their job. It’s garden matchmaking, but with fewer awkward first dates.

Bottom line: plant neighbors affect yield, flavor, and pest pressure. Choose neighbors that boost each other, not the ones that steal their lunch.

Plan Your Bed Like a Pro

Companion planting works best when you plan by sun, roots, timing, and support. You don’t need a fancy map—just sketch squares and think like a plant.

Sun Mapping

Place tall crops (tomatoes, pole beans, cucumbers on trellises) on the north side so they don’t shade shorter plants all day. Use afternoon shade for lettuce, spinach, and cilantro. Want a cool pocket in midsummer? Let trellised cucumbers cast dappled shade over greens.

Root Zones

Mix deep roots with shallow roots to reduce competition. Carrots and parsnips drill deep, while lettuces sip near the surface. Onions spread shallow, so tuck them along bed edges without cramping your main crop.

Timing

Pair fast growers with slow ones. Radishes harvest before squash even takes off. Lettuce finishes before peppers hit their stride. You keep the bed full and avoid bare soil.

Support

Use trellises, cages, and obelisks to add vertical real estate. Climbing plants share space with low growers without fighting. Sneak basil and marigolds around tomato cages and call it a win.

The Companion Planting Chart (Raised Bed Edition)

Use these combos to fill your bed smartly. Think of each plant as a neighbor with preferences—some bring cookies, some borrow your mower and never return it.

Tomatoes

Good companions: Basil, marigold, onion, garlic, carrot, lettuce, nasturtium
Avoid: Corn (shared pests), potatoes (disease), fennel (root exudates), brassicas (compete hard)
Notes: Basil may improve flavor and repel pests. Marigolds deter nematodes. Keep airflow strong; don’t crowd stems.

Peppers (sweet or hot)

Good companions: Basil, cilantro, onions, spinach, carrots, marigolds
Avoid: Kohlrabi and fennel
Notes: Peppers love warmth. Use low companions that don’t shade. Tuck cilantro in spring and fall for a pest-deterring edge.

Cucumbers

Good companions: Dill, nasturtium, marigold, beans (nitrogen boost), lettuce (under trellis shade)
Avoid: Strong aromatics like sage; potatoes (disease risk)
Notes: Trellis cucumbers on the north side. Let dill attract beneficial insects and improve cucumber health.

Squash and Zucchini

Good companions: Nasturtium, marigold, beans, oregano, borage
Avoid: Potatoes
Notes: Borage helps pollinators and can deter pests. Nasturtiums act as living mulch and trap aphids away from squash leaves.

Beans (bush and pole)

Good companions: Corn (for pole beans), cucumbers, strawberries, marigolds
Avoid: Onions and garlic (they inhibit beans)
Notes: Beans fix nitrogen—great for leafy neighbors. Keep onions on the other side of the bed or in a separate bed.

Peas

Good companions: Lettuce, spinach, carrots, radishes, dill
Avoid: Onions, garlic
Notes: Spring peas climb early. Underplant with greens for shade and quick harvests before heat hits.

Brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower)

Good companions: Dill, chamomile, nasturtium, onions/garlic, thyme
Avoid: Strawberries (competition), tomatoes (different needs)
Notes: Aromatic herbs deter cabbage moths. Nasturtium traps aphids. Keep brassicas together for netting if needed.

Lettuce and Leafy Greens

Good companions: Carrots, radishes, peas, beans, chives, dill
Avoid: Nothing dramatic, but don’t bury them under giant squash leaves
Notes: Use greens as filler around bigger crops. They appreciate light shade in summer.

Carrots (and root friends like parsnips, beets)

Good companions: Onions, leeks, chives, peas, lettuce
Avoid: Dill (can stunt carrots), parsnips right next to carrots (shared pests)
Notes: Alliums deter carrot flies. Thin early and mulch well.

Onions, Garlic, Leeks (Alliums)

Good companions: Carrots, beets, lettuce, brassicas, strawberries
Avoid: Beans and peas
Notes: Alliums repel pests across the bed. Use them as a protective perimeter.

Herbs

Basil: Loves tomatoes and peppers; repel flies; improve flavor. Avoid shading.
Dill: Great with cucumbers and brassicas. Let it flower to attract beneficial insects.
Parsley: Good near tomatoes and peppers. Hosts swallowtail caterpillars—don’t panic; they’re cool.
Thyme/oregano: Companion for brassicas and squash. Deters pests; acts like living mulch.
Cilantro: Short season. Plant spring and fall around peppers and brassicas for pest control.

Flowers

Marigold: Repels soil nematodes and some bugs. Edge beds and tuck between crops.
Nasturtium: Trap aphids; ramble under squash and cucumbers; edible flowers as a bonus.
Calendula: Draw pollinators; bloom long; resow easily.
Borage: Attract bees; help squash and tomatoes; self-seeds (you’ll either thank me or curse me, IMO).

Smart Spacing and Layering: Make Every Square Inch Work

Raised beds reward tight spacing, but you still need breathing room. Layer crops vertically to avoid a jungle that smothers itself.

Trellis + Understory

Grow cucumbers or pole beans up a trellis, then plant lettuce or spinach under the trellis’s shade. Those greens enjoy cooler soil and filtered light. You harvest greens before the vines get too wild.

Edge Planting

Use bed edges for onions, scallions, and parsley. They don’t mind the border life and won’t block main crops. Edge flowers like marigolds give color and pest protection without hogging space.

Living Mulch

Plant low, dense herbs like thyme under tomatoes or alongside peppers. They cover soil, reduce weeds, and bring in pollinators. Just keep air space around stems—good vibes only.

Square-Foot Clusters

Cluster companions within a square foot. Example: 1 tomato in a cage, with basil and marigold around it. Or 9 bush beans with a nasturtium tucked at the corner. You create mini ecosystems, not random plant soup.

Soil Health and Fertility: The Secret Sauce

Companions help soil, but you still need to feed and protect it. Raised beds lose nutrients fast because roots run dense and you water more often.

Legume Boost

Beans and peas fix nitrogen with helpful bacteria. Follow them with leafy crops like kale and spinach. FYI: you still need compost; legumes aren’t magic wands.

Dynamic Accumulators

Grow borage or comfrey nearby (in a pot for comfrey, unless you want to start a comfrey empire). Chop and drop to add minerals and organic matter. Your soil stays springy and dark.

Mulch Matters

Mulch with straw, shredded leaves, or compost. Mulch keeps moisture, feeds microbes, and prevents splash-back that spreads disease. Don’t pile mulch against stems unless you enjoy rot.

Compost Rhythm

Top-dress compost each season. Mix a little in when you plant heavy feeders like tomatoes and squash. Your plants will thank you with actual fruit, not just leaves flexing on Instagram.

Pest Control the Chill Way

You don’t need to wage war. You just invite the right allies and make life inconvenient for pests.

Attract Beneficials

Flower power works. Dill, cilantro, alyssum, calendula, and borage bring ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps. Those guys munch aphids and caterpillars like it’s a free buffet.

Trap and Distract

Nasturtium pulls aphids away from tomatoes and brassicas. Radishes can lure flea beetles away from your arugula. You sacrifice a little to save a lot—garden chess, but nicer.

Scents That Confuse

Strong-smelling herbs like basil, thyme, and rosemary throw pests off the trail. Scatter them between crops, not in one clump. Variety breaks up scent signals and makes your bed look fancy.

Clean Habits

Remove yellow leaves, water at soil level, and space plants for airflow. You prevent mildew and blight with those boring basics. IMO, the boring stuff wins more garden battles than any spray.

Seasonal Swaps: Succession Planting Pairings

Keep your bed hustling from spring to fall. Swap crops as seasons shift, and pair successors that share space well.

Spring Combos

Peas + lettuce + radish: peas climb, lettuce and radish harvest fast.
Broccoli + dill + onion: aromatic allies support brassicas and confuse pests.
Carrots + chives + spinach: deep roots with shallow greens; harvest spinach early.

Summer Combos

Tomato + basil + marigold: flavor boost, pest control, and color.
Cucumber (trellis) + dill + lettuce (understory): shade for greens, dill for beneficials.
Peppers + cilantro (spring/fall) + onions: spicy crew, minus the pests.

Fall Combos

Kale + thyme + garlic: hardy greens with herb groundcover and next season’s bulbs.
Carrots + parsley + scallions: roots and edges thrive in cool weather.
Cauliflower + nasturtium + chamomile: brassica protection with pollinator draws.

Companion Chart Quick Picks

Need the cheat sheet? Here’s the speed-run version you can actually use when you’re standing in the garden with muddy knees.

Tomatoes: Plant with basil, marigold, onion. Keep away from potatoes and fennel.
Peppers: Pair with basil, cilantro, onions. Don’t buddy them with kohlrabi or fennel.
Cucumbers: Add dill, nasturtium, beans. Skip sage and potatoes.
Squash/Zucchini: Mix with borage, nasturtium, beans. Avoid potatoes.
Beans: Good with corn, cucumbers, strawberries. Keep separate from onions/garlic.
Peas: Happy with lettuce, carrots, radishes. Avoid onions/garlic.
Brassicas: Surround with dill, thyme, onions. Don’t mix with strawberries.
Lettuce/Greens: Fill spaces around carrots, peas, herbs. Keep out from squash shade later.
Carrots: Plant with onions, lettuce, peas. Avoid dill close by.
Alliums: Edge with carrots, beets, brassicas. Keep away from beans/peas.

Raised Bed Layout Example

Let’s put it together. Say you have a 4×8 bed with a trellis on the north side. Here’s a tight, friendly layout that works:

North Trellis Row

Two cucumber vines (left), one pole bean teepee (right)
Dill between them for beneficials
Lettuce under the trellis for shade

Middle Section

Two tomato cages with basil and marigolds tucked around each
Carrots sown in a band between tomatoes

South Edge

Onions and scallions as a protective border
Nasturtiums trailing over the edge

This layout layers roots, balances sun, and keeps enemies apart. It also looks good—because yes, aesthetics count.

FAQ

Can I plant tomatoes and peppers together in the same raised bed?

Yes, you can. They share similar needs and actually pair well with basil and marigolds. Just give each plant its own space and strong airflow so disease doesn’t hop from one to the other.

Do marigolds really keep pests away?

Marigolds help, especially with soil nematodes and some flying pests. They don’t solve everything, but they add protection and attract beneficial insects. Use them as part of a bigger plan with herbs and good spacing.

Why should I separate beans from onions and garlic?

Alliums can inhibit legumes. Beans and peas grow stronger when you keep onions and garlic at a distance. Put alliums on the bed edge and beans on the opposite side for harmony.

Is fennel a bad neighbor for most veggies?

Fennel throws chemical shade via root exudates. Many veggies stall next to it. Grow fennel in a separate pot or in its own corner where it can be fabulous by itself, IMO.

Will companion planting fix poor soil?

Companions help, but they don’t replace good soil. Feed beds with compost, mulch consistently, and rotate crops. Then companions amplify the good stuff you already set up.

How close is too close in a raised bed?

Follow recommended spacing, but cheat a little when plants complement each other. Pair shallow-rooted greens around deep-rooted crops. Keep stems clear and let air move; you’ll avoid disease and drama.

Conclusion

Companion planting in raised beds isn’t mystical—it’s practical, fun, and wildly effective. Mix crops that share space well, recruit herbs and flowers as your tiny bodyguards, and keep the bed full with smart successions. The result? Bigger harvests, fewer pests, and a garden that basically runs itself while you sip something cold nearby. FYI: your plants will still need you, but they’ll act like capable roommates, not chaos gremlins.