Which species are tomatoes' foes and which are their friends?
Key Takeaways
Tomatoes are one of the most rewarding plants to have in the garden.
Companion Plants To Avoid Growing Near Tomatoes
1.
Credit: Jed Share / Kaoru Share / Getty
In this case, tomatoes may not produce buds, resulting in no fruit and a wasted harvest.
Corn
Cornand tomatoes may be great when combined in the kitchen, but not when planted together.
This is because they both attract the same sort of pests and fungal infections.
Credit: Caiaimage/Martin Barraud / Getty Images
Moth larvae feed on both corn and tomato crops, which can destroy any possibility for growth.
Broccoli
Broccoli, another vegetable in the brassica family, isn’t a good choice for planting alongside tomatoes.
Fennel
Like brassicas, fennel will inhibit the growth of tomatoes.
This licorice-scented plant may work well with other vegetables in your recipes, but not in the garden.
However, when dill matures and is ready to seed, the herbs can inhibit tomato plant growth.
The mature plants can easily damage the roots of the tomatoes and stunt their future development.
These diseases can spread through the soil and ruin both plants if one is affected.
Also, the proximity of these two plants matters as tomato roots can be damaged when harvesting.
Eggplant
Like potatoes, eggplant is in the nightshade family, which making them a competitor to tomatoes.
Planting them together makes any tomatoes planted nearby more vulnerable to blight.
Walnuts
Choosing to plant tomatoes near a walnut tree may also negatively affect your crop.
Walnut trees release chemicals in the soil that stunt the growth of surrounding plants.
Cauliflower
This is another brassica to avoid when seeking out companion plants for your tomatoes.
Cauliflower and tomatoes both feed heavily on the soil’s nutrients.
Keep them separate to ensure more opportunities for plant growth and produce development.
Plants That Thrive As Tomato Growing Companions
1.
Asparagus
Asparagus and tomatoes are the dynamic duos of the garden.
An infestation of nematodes can harm the plants by attacking tomato roots and inhibiting their growth.
Their grass-like hollow leaves have a mild onion flavor and are common in salads and dips."
These helpful plants also help keep the soil healthy for tomatoes.
Basil
Basil and tomatoes are friends in the kitchen, and they can be chums in the garden too.
It may be too late to spray if you wait until the disease shows up on the tomatoes."
