The Top 10 Companion Plants for Cucumbers (& 5 Foes)

September 3, 2025

Whether you love a good crunchy slice of cucumber in your salads or you want to make your own pickles, cucumbers are a must-have addition to any garden. Not only do cucumbers yield a significant harvest from a small space, but they may help deter common pests and attract pollinators to your garden.

When it comes to growing cucumbers (or any other plant), a little forethought goes a long way. Think about where you’ll plant your cucumbers and consider what else you’ll plant around them. Keep reading for our top 10 recommended companion plants for cucumbers (and five problematic pairings to avoid).

1. Beans

Beans are nitrogen fixers which makes them a strong companion for heavy feeders like cucumbers. Nitrogen-fixing plants form a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobia bacteria in the soil which enables them to convert nitrogen from the air into a form that’s usable by plants. Planting beans and cucumbers together could help reduce the need for fertilization throughout the growing season.

2. Catnip

Not only does catnip produce flowers that pollinators find attractive but a chemical compound concentrated in the plant’s essential oils deters common pests. The essential oils in catnip contain a chemical compound called nepetalactone. It’s the chemical that gives cats a euphoric feeling but it’s also one that cucumber-loving pests like aphids, flea beetles, and cucumber beetles find particularly repellant.

3. Corn

Corn and cucumbers have similar growing requirements—they both need full sun and fertile, well-draining soil. It makes sense to pair these plants together for this reason alone but corn provides a unique benefit to vining plants like cucumbers. As the corn stalks grow, they can be used as trellises to support your cucumbers.

Tip: Train your cucumbers to grow on cornstalks by gently wrapping the vines around the stalks as they grow, using twine or clips to secure them. Keeping your cucumbers off the ground can improve air circulation and reduce their susceptibility to fungal diseases like powdery mildew.

4. Dill

While dill’s pest-deterrent properties aren’t as strong as some aromatic herbs, it can help protect your cucumbers from pests by attracting beneficial insects. Dill flowers are particularly appealing to ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps which prey on cucumber-loving pests like spider mites, aphids, and cucumber beetles. Letting your dill flower can also attract pollinators to your garden which may increase the yield of your cucumber plants.

5. Garlic

Plants that keep most of their growth beneath the ground are a good pairing for cucumbers, especially if you grow your cucumbers on a trellis. Growing garlic directly beneath your cucumbers gives the above-ground part of the plant space to grow—the garlic will also benefit from the shade provided from your cucumbers. In return, garlic can protect your cucumber plants by deterring pests with its strong aroma.

Tip: Garlic contains sulfuric compounds which have natural fungicidal properties. If you don’t plan to trellis-train your cucumbers, planting garlic nearby may help reduce incidence of fungal diseases cucumbers are susceptible to like powdery mildew.

6. Lettuce

Lettuce is a fast-producing plant that has similar growing requirements to cucumbers, so it’s a practical pairing. It’s also well suited to growing under vertical-growing cucumbers. The cucumber plant provides shade for the lettuce while the lettuce shades the soil, helping retain soil moisture and suppress weed growth.

7. Marjoram

A popular companion plant for vegetables, marjoram is thought to have a positive effect on the growth and flavorful of nearby plants. Marjoram in itself is a low-maintenance plant and it works well as a border plant—you can even grow it in small pots near your cucumbers if you’re worried about it spreading. As your marjoram matures and flowers, it will attract pollinators and deter insect pests that might target your cucumbers.

8. Nasturtium

Rather than repelling insect pests, nasturtium acts as a trap crop. It attracts a number of cucumber-loving pests like aphids and cucumber beetles but also attracts the predatory insects that feed on them. Nasturtium flowers add a beautiful pop of color to your garden and can draw pollinators as well. Planting them near cucumbers may even enhance the flavor of the fruit.

9. Radishes

Root vegetables like radishes often make good companion plants for cucumbers because they don’t compete for space, especially if you grow your cucumbers vertically. Radishes are only light to moderate feeders, so they won’t compete heavily for nutrients with your cucumbers either.

As they grow underground, radishes can help break up the soil to improve aeration and drainage for your cucumbers. They also act as a trap crop for pests and help deter cucumber beetles.

10. Sunflowers

Like corn stalks, sunflowers make excellent natural trellises for cucumber plants. They’re also very attractive to pollinators, so pairing them with vegetable plants could lead to a stronger yield. The trick is to choose a smaller cucumber variety so the fruit doesn’t weigh down your sunflower stalks.

Avoiding Pairing Cucumbers with These 5 Plants

As a vining plant, cucumbers have the benefit of being a space-efficient addition to your garden. Staking them enables you to make use of the area below and around them, but be wary of planting certain crops too close to your cucumbers. Here are five problematic pairings for cucumbers to avoid:

1. Aromatic Herbs

Herbs known for their strong aroma (like basil, rosemary, and sage) get their scent from a high concentration of essential oils. When planted too close to cucumbers, these aromatic herbs can stunt the growth of cucumbers and even affect their flavor.

2. Brassicas

Brassicas like broccoli, cabbage, and kale are notoriously heavy feeders which makes them poor companions for many plants. Planting brassicas too close to your cucumbers could cause them to compete for the same nutrients, leading to less robust growth and a weaker yield. Some brassicas also attract pests that can be damaging to cucumbers, like flea beetles and cabbage loopers.

3. Melons

Cucumbers and melons may belong to the same family but they don’t make strong companions. Not only do these plants compete for the same nutrients, but they’re susceptible to many of the same diseases which means one plant could spread disease to the other. Some examples of diseases that commonly affect both plants include powdery mildew, bacterial wilt, and gummy stem blight.

4. Potatoes

Like melons, potatoes make poor companions for cucumbers because they’re susceptible to similar diseases. Another problem is that potatoes and cucumbers compete for similar nutrients and both need a lot of water. Competition between these two plants could lead to a weaker yield for both.

5. Tomatoes

Similar to potatoes, tomatoes have high water needs that could clash with the water consumption of your cucumber plants. On another note, tomatoes may attract pests that cucumbers are susceptible to, such as aphids and whiteflies. Depending on whether you let your cucumbers vine on the ground or stake them up, your tomato plants could also compete for space in your garden.

Tips & Tricks to Manage Cucumber Beetles

Final Thoughts

While cucumbers may be perfectly happy growing along the ground, this vining plant is an excellent choice for staking or trellising. By training your cucumbers to grow vertically, you can maximize space in your garden and improve airflow to protect your plants from fungal diseases like powdery mildew. Growing your cucumbers on a trellis could even increase their yield and make it easier for you to harvest the fruit.

At Park Seed, we carry a wide variety of plant supports including stakes, cucumber trellises, growing towers, and more.