Potato Companion Plants: (Best & Worst Plants)

Are you searching for companion plants for potatoes? Yes.

Then you have reached the right place. Here, I described all the companion plants of potatoes.

Growing potatoes along with these plants will improve their flavor and deter varieties of pests that can destroy your crop. 

Some herbs, flowers, and vegetables are the best companion to potatoes and help them grow. You should choose a companion according to your need.

If you face pest problems in the garden, choose plants that deter pests. If you want better potatoes in size and flavor, plant completion helps your potatoes achieve that. 

After reading this post you’ll get a clear idea of what to plant with potatoes or what to avoid.

So, let’s get started: 

Benefits of companion planting

Companion plants are those that either promote the growth of a certain crop or provide better results when grown in close proximity to a particular crop. These plants are useful for a variety of purposes in the garden, including the following:

Protect from pests. There are many different types of pests that may cause damage to vegetable plants, including cabbage worms, flea beetles, cabbage moths, carrot flies, and many others. A wide variety of companion plants, such as marigolds, nasturtium, rue, and catnip act as natural insect deterrents and should be planted in close proximity to particular crops as a kind of organic pest management. Other companion plants, such as calendula and nasturtiums, are known to attract certain pests. These plants, which should be placed a short distance away from your vegetable garden, may be used to divert pests away from your veggies.

Helps in pollination. Pollinators such as honey bees and ladybugs need a little nudge in the right direction in order to make their way into vegetable gardens and pollinate the crops. In order to entice pollinators to their gardens, gardeners often cultivate visually appealing plants like borage blooms.

Increase nitrogen in the soil. As plants develop, they extract useful nutrients from the soil, leaving the gardener with a lot of work to perform at the conclusion of the growing season in order to replenish the earth’s supply of those nutrients. However, there are several types of companion plants, such as bush beans and pole beans, that may assist maintain the health of other plants in the garden by returning nutrients, such as nitrogen, to the soil.

Improve taste. When planted in close proximity to one another, some plants have the ability to improve the taste of other plants that are edible. By growing particular herbs, such as basil, alongside those foods.

Growth companion. It may be simpler to take care of various plants if they have comparable requirements for the amount of fertilizer, water, or sunlight they get. It is possible to make watering more efficient and guarantee that all plants get the appropriate quantity of water by, for example, grouping together plants that have high water requirements.

Companion plants for Better harvest

Below are the companion plants that have lots of benefits including improved flavor and better growth. It’s important to plant crops that do not compete with each other for nutrients.

Beans 

Beans are a great companion plant. They do not compete with potatoes for nitrogen in the soil. Instead, they fix nitrogen in the soil that helps in potatoes’ growth. Planting them together will yield a good harvest. Bush bean variety is a better choice. The farming of beans and potatoes has been the subject of research recently, and those findings suggest that under certain conditions, the total yield that can be obtained from a given amount of land by growing the two crops together may be enhanced.

Lettuce

Lettuce is a swollen-rooted plant that grows well with potatoes. Just like beans, lettuce also does not compete with potatoes for nitrogen in the soil. In the hot summer, big potato plants provide shade to lettuce.  

Corns

Planting a potato companion with corn will improve the taste of the potato. Growing corn in a warm environment on the sunny southern side of your potato patch may provide shade for your potatoes, which are a crop that thrives in cooler climates. This can be beneficial to both crops.

Because the shade will assist to minimise the amount of water that evaporates from the soil, it will be easier to ensure that the potatoes have sufficient water, which will allow them to develop properly and have a pleasant flavor after they are harvested.

Herbs

Herbs like basil, parsley, thyme, chamomile, and yarrow are the best companions to improve the flavor of potatoes. These herbs also attract beneficial pollinators and insects like ladybugs that help to control pests by eating them.

Related Post: 14 Perennial Herbs You Can Grow Easily

Horseradish

The horseradish root vegetable is a perennial plant that is cultivated for its spicy taste. However, another reason to cultivate it is so that potatoes might benefit from its presence.

It is stated that planting horseradish near the margins of your potato growing area would boost the potato plants’ resistance to disease.

Aphids, whiteflies, the potato bug, potato beetle, and maybe even certain caterpillars are said to be repelled by it.

Despite the fact that these claims do not have much support from scientific research, there is a large amount of personal testimony from gardeners and producers who swear by its effectiveness.

In addition, there is some evidence to indicate that integrating the organic material from horseradish plants into the soil surrounding potatoes may, in some scenarios, have pest-controlling properties. These scenarios include:

It is believed that the molecule known as allyl isothiocyanate, which may be found in the plant, is responsible for the plant’s ability to ward against pests. (The peppery flavor of the plant is also attributed to the presence of this oil.)

Note: horseradish should not be planted in close proximity to cabbages, kale, broccoli, or any other plants that belong to the brassica plant family because of common brassica pests.

Companion plants for Pest control 

Pest can be a major problem in organic gardens. But luckily some companion plants deter insects and pests naturally. Some of the best companions are below:

Marigold

Planting marigolds throughout your garden will protect your crop from various pests. Marigolds are deterred by all sorts of harmful insects that can destroy your potatoes.

Nasturtium

Just like marigolds, Many gardeners prefer growing nasturtium throughout the garden bed to protect potatoes from pests like Colorado potato beetles.

Tansy

The biggest problem in growing potatoes is potato beetles. You can grow tansy around potato plants to deter any pests.

Sage

Planting one or two sages around your potato plant will help to repel flea beetles and also attract pollinators like bees.

Bush beans

Green beans are another crop that helps to deter pests like the Colorado potato beetle. As I mentioned above, beans fix nitrogen in the soil which helps potatoes to grow healthier. Bush beans also repel Mexican bean beetles that can destroy your bean crop.

Plants Should Not Plant Near Potatoes

Potatoes are a little picky about companion plants. Some plants can have a negative on the growth and development of potato tubers, but potatoes can also harm them. Here are plants that you should not plant along with potatoes.

Brassicas

Brassicas family is not a good suggestion for cultivation alongside potatoes. Because potatoes and brassicas do not thrive in the same environments.

Despite the fact that they have identical water and nutritional requirements. Brassicas need a climate that is considerably more alkaline than others,

On the other hand, potatoes do best when grown on soil that is somewhat acidic. When they are grown together, it will be considerably more difficult to satisfy their own requirements.

Carrots

Another crop that cannot be grown successfully in close proximity to potatoes is carrots.

To provide just one example, the environmental requirements for growing carrots and potatoes are not the same. When compared to potatoes, carrots are far better able to withstand very dry circumstances.

It’s possible that carrots will slow down the growth and development of potato tubers as well.

The primary issue, however, is that the harvesting of potatoes may be irritating to the surrounding carrot crop, which can result in damage to the crop and more disturbance. (The same may be said for a number of other types of root crops like onions and turnips)

Squash and pumpkins 

Squash and pumpkins can make potatoes more susceptible to blight. And potatoes have the same effect on them. It’s recommended to plant them in separate garden beds.

Related Post: 10 Vegetables That You Can Grow Easily In the Garden

Cucumbers

Just like Melons, squash, and cucumbers are being to the Cucurbit family. Plant them at least a few feet away from your potatoes, since these vegetables may make your potatoes more sensitive to blight.

Related Post: 10 Best & Worst Companion Plants For Cucumbers

Asparagus

It is also not a good idea to cultivate potatoes and asparagus in the same area.

Some people believe that the potatoes’ growth and development will be negatively affected since the asparagus will compete with them.

The most significant obstacle, however, is that asparagus, which is a perennial product, has a wide root system that will be harmed by the soil movement that is necessary for the cultivation and harvesting of potatoes.

Tomatoes

Planting tomatoes and potatoes together is a bad idea. They have the same nutrient requirement that makes them compete, this isn’t good for both of them. Planting them together also makes them susceptible to blight.

• Gardeners’ tip: Do not plant potatoes with any nightshade vegetables. Keep at least 2 years of the gap if you’re planting nightshade in the same spot.

Related Post: 10 Best Companion Plants For Tomatoes

Sunflowers

Sunflowers have the potential to have an allelopathic impact, which means that they may produce chemicals that can prevent seed germination and hinder the development of some other crops that are cultivated in close proximity to them.

When grown in close proximity to potatoes, sunflowers may cause the tubers of the potato plant to become deformed and undersized.

Therefore, keep sunflowers away from your potatoes, even if they make excellent companion plants for maize and other types of crops.

Fennel

Fennel also has allelopathic properties. It has the potential to stunt the development of a broad variety of crops that are widely farmed.

Therefore, you should place the fennel in a separate location from any other plants that might be harmed by the toxins that it excretes.

Put it in a location where it won’t have a negative impact but will still attract insects that are good for the garden.

Madhuresh

Hey! I’m Madhuresh, a passionate content creator, and a Plant lover. I created Shiny Plant to explore and learn about new plants. The purpose is to provide simple and effective Gardening Tips. Hope you’ll find this informative.