Whether you enjoy sweet or spicy peppers, we have the best companion plants to boost your harvest. We'll also discuss three plants that can harm your peppers and why they should stay out of your garden. Ready for better peppers and some bonus veggies for your fridge and pantry? Let’s get planting.
What is Companion Planting?
Companion planting involves planting crops together to benefit growth, health, and yield. These plants are selected because of their complementary characteristics, which can improve pest control, enhance soil fertility, attract beneficial insects, and maximize garden space.
What is the purpose of this extra work? To create a more balanced environment that not only benefits your plants but also you! You can skip the harsh pesticides, double your harvests, and get the added benefits of extra crops! It’s a win-win for all. Now, let’s take a look at the top 12 companion plants for peppers.
The Top 12 Companion Plants for Peppers
Basil is a complete workhorse in the garden. Not only does it reduce annoying pests like whiteflies, flies, and mosquitos from snacking on your peppers, but it enhances their flavors. Basil has similar growing conditions to peppers and won't compete for nutrients.
Peppers and onions are fantastic companions because they co-exist without competing for resources or soil nutrients. Because of their scent, onions act as a repellent for aphids and spider mites while helping aerate the soil and create a better growing environment.
Radishes help your peppers by breaking up any compacted soil near the roots, allowing better water and nutrient retention. They also prevent flea beetles from grabbing hold of your beloved peppers, working as a natural pest deterrent.
Because of cilantros' strong scent, pests like aphids that usually attack pepper plants will surely stay away. Planting cilantro doesn't just protect your peppers—they benefit from their shade, which will help cilantro thrive in those warmer months. As a bonus, flowering cilantro attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies, in turn boosting your pepper production!
These edible beauties bring brightness and fun to a garden while greatly benefiting your pepper plants. Nasturtiums are considered a “trap crop.” This means it attracts all the common garden pests, such as aphids, white flies, and spider mites, away from your plants. The peppery smell of nasturtiums fends off other pests like slugs and hornworms, which benefits every plant in your garden.
Peppers and tomatoes are both members of the nightshade family, which means they thrive off similar growing conditions like soil type, water, and light—allowing you to maximize your garden space. Tomatoes also fend off pests attracted to pepper plants, such as aphids and spider mites, because they prefer the tomatoes over the peppers, acting as a “trap crop.”
Marigolds are common companions to most plants. Their sweet-smelling fragrance is beautiful to us but drives away aphids, whiteflies, root-knot nematodes, and squash bugs. Although some insects steer clear, marigold's bold colors attract bees and butterflies that will bring an even better harvest.
Lettuce enjoys being shaded by the height of pepper plants, especially if you’re growing in a warmer environment or USDA hardiness zones 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. Lettuce has very shallow roots, so it never competes with your pepper plants for nutrients. That being said, you can grow both close together as the ultimate space-saving gardening hack.
Are you tired of picking those pesky weeds that grow around your pepper plants? Try adding spinach to the mix. Like lettuce, spinach has shallow roots and won't interfere with the pepper's nutrients. Spinach will also keep the ground moist in warmer weather, benefiting peppers by keeping the soil from drying out.
Carrots aerate the soil with their deep roots—this helps keep the soil from getting compacted and helps bring more nutrients to your pepper plant roots. Carrots and peppers don't share the same pests either, so the chance of infestation is minimal, making for two very healthy, happy plants.
Beans fix the nitrogen levels in the soil, which pepper plants thrive on. So, instead of purchasing expensive chemical fertilizers, plant some beans! The thick roots of bean plants also help aerate the soil, allowing for better nutrient absorption and shading the ground to help keep the moisture levels just right.
Parsley's strong scent acts as an organic pest repellent. It grows low and greatly benefits from the pepper's constant shade, which means you can enjoy growing some well-loved herbs alongside your peppers this season. Once the parsley flowers, it will attract even more bees and butterflies to your garden, helping boost your season's harvest.
Benefits of Companion Planting For Peppers
One of the main benefits of planting pepper companions is pest control. These plant pals help you keep your gardens organic and natural without spending your hard-earned paycheck on chemicals.
The second benefit is improved soil health and conditions. Instead of having to aerate your garden on a warm afternoon, let the carrots do it for you! Not into synthetic fertilizers? Plant some beans and watch those peppers flourish.
Lastly, space management. If you have limited space, planting some pepper companions will not only help your pepper harvest but also allow you to grow even more food, which means saving more money and making fewer trips to the grocery store!
3 Plants to Avoid Planting Near Peppers
1. Fennel
Fennel releases a chemical compound into the soil that inhibits the growth of surrounding plants, including pepper plants. This process is called allelopathy. In addition, fennel roots dig deep alongside pepper plants, causing them to compete for nutrients.
Both fennel and peppers attract aphids, cutworms, and spider mites. So, before long, you may have an infestation that could take out both crops. It’s best to let the fennel hang out in a different spot in your garden.
2. Broccoli and Cabbage
Broccoli and cabbage, like peppers, are heavy feeders. They require a lot of nutrients to thrive and grow. This is where you can run into issues of nutrient competition, where one plant will suffer and not be able to mature.
Peppers, broccoli, and cabbage attract flea beetles, aphids, and thrips, meaning fighting off these insects will be more of a challenge. These garden crops require plenty of space to grow and spread out. If planted too closely, one plant may become shaded or crowded, preventing it from receiving the essential sunlight it needs to thrive.
3. Fruit Trees
Although fruit trees can be amazing on your property, they can be a bad companion for pepper plants. First, their large canopy allows minimal light to pass through, shading your peppers from the much-needed sun.
Fruit trees have an extensive root system that depletes the ground of most nutrients. This leaves little left for your peppers to flourish and bear fruit.
Peppers and fruit trees are both susceptible to verticillium wilt, a soil-borne fungal disease. When planted near one another, the possibility of this happening to both plants is high. So, it’s best to separate them so you can enjoy both fruits without nutrient competition or disease risk.
Maximize Your Garden Space
Growing peppers with companions is the best way to utilize all that empty space in your garden beds. If you have a small yard or are limited to containers or raised garden beds, companion planting with your peppers gives you the flexibility to grow the maximum amount of produce.
If you have a large enough container, try planting:
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Peppers and Lettuce: Place the pepper plant in the middle of the pot and surround it with a leafy green lettuce like red leaf.
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Peppers and Radish: Like a match made in heaven, peppers and radishes will add flavor to any summer dish.
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Peppers and Marigolds: Did you know marigolds are an edible flower? Not only will they bring in some bees and butterflies for pollination, but they will also add some beauty to that flourishing container.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right companion plants for your peppers will keep pests at bay, improve growth, and provide a larger harvest! These simple plants really are so beneficial to you and your garden spaces, so why not give them a go? You may find your new favorite herb while creating this new tiny ecosystem. Just be sure to avoid plants like fennel and broccoli, as these can have adverse effects.
