Tomatoes are among the most widely grown vegetables in home gardens, valued for their productivity, flavor, and the sheer number of varieties available to gardeners, from tiny currant tomatoes to massive beefsteaks. Because tomato plants are heavy feeders with fairly specific needs around sun, water, and soil fertility, many gardeners look for ways to support their tomato crop beyond fertilizer and staking alone. This is where companion plants for tomatoes come in: a well-chosen mix of neighboring plants can help repel pests, attract pollinators and beneficial insects, improve soil health, and make more efficient use of garden space, all without competing directly with the tomato plant for resources.
The logic behind companion planting is rooted in the idea that certain plant combinations create mutual benefit. Some companions, like aromatic herbs, are thought to mask the scent of tomato foliage from pests that hunt by smell, while others, such as flowering plants, draw in pollinators and predatory insects that keep aphid and hornworm populations in check. Low-growing companions can also act as a living mulch, shading the soil around a tomato’s root zone to conserve moisture and suppress weeds, while taller companions can provide light structural support or a windbreak. Not every plant makes a good companion, however, and part of the skill in companion planting is knowing which pairings genuinely help and which ones simply take up space without offering much in return.
Beyond the practical benefits, companion planting also makes for a more efficient and visually interesting garden layout. Combining tomatoes with herbs, flowers, and other vegetables that have different root depths and growth habits allows a gardener to use vertical and horizontal space more fully, since not every plant is competing for the same nutrients at the same soil depth. The fifty companions listed below represent a broad range of options, spanning herbs, flowers, vegetables, and alliums, each bringing its own set of advantages to a tomato bed.
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Plants That Grow Well With Tomatoes
Basil
Basil is perhaps the most iconic tomato companion, prized both for its culinary pairing with tomatoes in the kitchen and for its reputed ability to repel aphids, whiteflies, and hornworms in the garden. Its bushy, aromatic foliage fits neatly around the base of tomato plants without competing heavily for space. Many gardeners also believe that basil planted near tomatoes can improve the flavor of the fruit, though this claim is more folklore than proven science.
Marigolds
Marigolds are widely planted alongside tomatoes for their root exudates, which are believed to suppress harmful soil-dwelling nematodes that can damage tomato roots. Their bright orange and yellow blooms also attract pollinators and can serve as a trap crop for certain pests, drawing them away from tomato foliage. Easy to grow from seed, marigolds require little more than sun and average soil to thrive alongside tomatoes.
Borage
Borage is often planted near tomatoes for its ability to attract pollinators and predatory insects such as parasitic wasps that prey on tomato hornworms. Its star-shaped blue flowers are also edible and add ornamental interest to a vegetable bed. Borage tends to self-seed readily, so once established it often returns on its own in subsequent seasons.
Nasturtium
Nasturtiums function as a classic trap crop for aphids, luring the pests toward their own leaves and away from tender tomato growth. Their trailing habit and bright red, orange, and yellow flowers also add a splash of color at the base of tomato plants. Because they thrive in poor soil, nasturtiums require very little extra care or fertility to perform well.
Chives
Chives are commonly planted near tomatoes for their mild pest-repellent properties, with their pungent scent thought to deter aphids and some beetles. Their grass-like foliage and round lavender-pink flowerheads take up minimal space, making them easy to tuck along the edges of a tomato bed. As a perennial herb, chives can remain in place year after year with little maintenance.
Garlic
Garlic is planted near tomatoes largely for its sulfur compounds, which many gardeners believe help repel aphids and other soft-bodied pests. It is typically planted in fall and harvested the following summer, meaning it occupies the bed during a different part of the season than tomatoes are actively fruiting. Its narrow, upright growth habit allows it to be tucked between tomato plants without crowding them.
Parsley
Parsley is a low-growing herb that pairs well with tomatoes both in the garden and on the plate, and it is known to attract beneficial insects such as hoverflies and parasitic wasps when allowed to flower. Its dense, ferny foliage helps shade the soil around tomato roots, conserving moisture. Parsley is biennial, so it may need to be replanted or allowed to self-seed to remain a consistent companion.
Oregano
Oregano’s low, spreading growth habit makes it an effective living mulch beneath taller tomato plants, helping to retain soil moisture and suppress weeds. Its aromatic foliage is thought to help confuse pests seeking out tomato plants by scent. As a perennial, oregano can be left in place from year to year with minimal upkeep.
Thyme
Creeping thyme forms a low, fragrant mat that works well as groundcover beneath tomato plants, helping to keep weeds down and the soil surface protected from moisture loss. Its small pink or purple flowers are highly attractive to pollinating bees, which supports overall fruit set on nearby tomato plants. Because it stays close to the ground, thyme never competes with tomatoes for light.
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Sage
Sage’s woody, aromatic foliage is believed to help repel certain pests, including some beetles and moths, when grown near tomatoes. It prefers similar well-draining soil conditions to tomatoes, making the two compatible in terms of care. Sage also attracts pollinators when in bloom, contributing to a more productive garden overall.
Mint
Mint is valued near tomatoes for its strong scent, which is thought to deter aphids and certain moths, though it is best grown in a container even within the tomato bed since its roots spread aggressively and can quickly overtake neighboring plants. Its flowers, when allowed to bloom, attract a range of beneficial pollinators. Careful containment is the key to using mint successfully as a tomato companion.
Dill
Dill is often planted near tomatoes in its early growth stages, since it attracts beneficial predatory insects such as ladybugs and lacewings that help control aphid populations. However, dill can inhibit tomato growth if allowed to mature and flower too close to the plants, so many gardeners keep it at a slight distance or remove it once it begins to bolt. Its feathery foliage adds a soft textural contrast to a tomato bed.
Cilantro
Cilantro attracts a range of beneficial insects when allowed to flower, including hoverflies and small parasitic wasps that prey on common tomato pests. It has a short growing season and tends to bolt quickly in warm weather, so it is often used as an early or late-season companion rather than a season-long one. Its feathery white flower clusters add airy texture near tomato plants.
Petunia
Petunias are frequently interplanted with tomatoes for their reputed ability to deter certain beetles and aphids, along with their long season of colorful blooms. Their trailing, mounding habit fills in bare soil around the base of tomato plants, helping to suppress weeds. They also attract pollinators, which supports better fruit set on nearby tomato flowers.
Zinnia
Zinnias bring strong, long-lasting color to a tomato bed and are highly attractive to pollinators and beneficial insects such as ladybugs, which help control aphid populations. Their upright, sturdy stems provide structural variety without shading out tomato plants excessively. Zinnias are easy to grow from seed and bloom reliably through the heat of summer.
Calendula
Calendula, also called pot marigold, is planted near tomatoes both for its cheerful orange and yellow blooms and for its ability to attract predatory insects that help manage aphid populations. It also serves as something of a trap crop for aphids, drawing them toward its own foliage. Calendula tolerates cooler temperatures well, making it useful for extending color into the shoulder seasons of the tomato growing period.
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Cosmos
Cosmos plants add height and airy, feathery foliage to a tomato bed, along with daisy-like flowers that draw in pollinators and beneficial insects. Their tall, slender stems rarely compete significantly with tomato plants for light or root space. Cosmos are drought-tolerant once established, requiring little additional water beyond what tomatoes already receive.
Sunflower
Sunflowers can provide a natural trellis or windbreak for sprawling tomato varieties, particularly indeterminate types that benefit from extra support. Their large flower heads attract pollinators and can also serve as a trap crop for certain stink bugs, drawing them away from tomato fruit. Care should be taken to space sunflowers so their extensive root systems don’t compete too heavily with tomato roots.
Asparagus
Asparagus and tomatoes are often grown together based on the belief that tomatoes help repel asparagus beetles, while a compound produced by asparagus roots may help suppress certain nematodes that affect tomatoes. Because asparagus is a perennial that occupies the same bed for many years, it is typically planted at the edge of a tomato patch rather than intermixed. This pairing works especially well in permanent raised bed systems.
Carrots
Carrots grow well beneath tomato plants since their root systems occupy a different soil depth, allowing the two crops to share space efficiently without significant competition. The loose, sandy soil carrots prefer is generally compatible with tomato growing conditions as well. Carrots also benefit from the light shade cast by taller tomato foliage during the hottest part of summer.
Onions
Onions are commonly planted alongside tomatoes for their believed ability to deter aphids, spider mites, and certain beetles through their strong scent. Their narrow, upright growth habit means they take up little lateral space, allowing them to be tucked between tomato plants. Onions are typically harvested before tomatoes reach their peak fruiting stage, making efficient use of the same bed across a season.
Leeks
Leeks function similarly to onions and garlic as tomato companions, their pungent scent believed to help mask tomato plants from pests that locate hosts by smell. Their tall, narrow form allows them to be planted in tight rows between tomato plants without much competition for light. Leeks also have a long growing season, so they often remain in the ground well after early tomato harvests begin.
Celery
Celery’s dense, upright growth pairs well with tomatoes in terms of spacing, and its presence is thought to help deter cabbage worms that occasionally stray into a tomato bed. It requires consistently moist soil, which aligns reasonably well with a tomato’s own watering needs. Celery’s tall, ribbed stalks also add textural contrast to the bed.
Lettuce
Lettuce makes an efficient early-season companion for tomatoes, since it can be harvested and cleared out before tomato plants grow large enough to shade it out completely. Its shallow root system means it draws moisture and nutrients from a different soil layer than tomatoes, minimizing competition. Lettuce also helps cover bare soil early in the season, reducing weed pressure around young tomato transplants.
Spinach
Like lettuce, spinach is a cool-season crop that can be grown in the same bed as tomatoes during the early part of the year, before the tomato plants fully mature and shade the ground. Its low, spreading rosettes of leaves help retain soil moisture and suppress early weeds. Spinach is typically finished and harvested well before tomatoes reach peak production.
Radish
Radishes grow quickly and can be harvested within a few weeks, making them a useful early companion planted around the base of young tomato transplants. Some gardeners also use radishes as a trap crop for flea beetles, which may prefer the radish foliage over tender young tomato leaves. Their compact size means they don’t interfere with tomato root development.
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Beets
Beets share similar soil preferences with tomatoes, favoring loose, well-draining soil rich in organic matter. Their relatively shallow root systems allow them to be planted between tomato rows without major competition for deeper soil resources. Beet greens also help cover bare soil, reducing moisture loss and weed growth.
Green Beans
Bush beans are frequently grown near tomatoes for their ability to fix nitrogen in the soil through bacteria in their root nodules, which can benefit the heavy-feeding tomato plants nearby. Their compact, bushy growth habit fits well into the lower layer of a tomato bed. Beans are typically planted with enough spacing to avoid excessive shading of young tomato seedlings.
Peas
Like beans, peas are nitrogen-fixing legumes that can improve soil fertility for the benefit of neighboring tomato plants. Because peas are a cool-season crop, they are usually grown and harvested earlier in spring, finishing before tomatoes require the bulk of the bed’s space and nutrients. Their vining habit can also be trained onto simple supports at the edge of a tomato patch.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers share similar warm-season growing requirements with tomatoes, including full sun and consistently moist, fertile soil, making the two easy to grow side by side. Vertical trellising for cucumbers can help maximize space in a bed that also includes staked or caged tomato plants. Care should be taken to give both crops enough airflow, since both are somewhat prone to fungal disease in humid conditions.
Peppers
Peppers are one of the most common companions for tomatoes, both being members of the nightshade family with similar sun, soil, and water requirements. Growing them together simplifies garden care, since both benefit from the same general fertilization and watering schedule. However, gardeners should rotate the location of both crops from year to year to avoid a buildup of shared soilborne diseases.
Eggplant
Eggplant, another nightshade relative of tomatoes, shares similar cultural requirements and can be grown in the same bed with relatively little adjustment in care. Its broad leaves and upright form provide some visual variety among tomato plants. As with peppers, crop rotation is recommended to reduce the risk of diseases that affect the wider nightshade family.
Squash
Squash plants, particularly bush varieties, can be grown near tomatoes to make efficient use of ground space, with their broad leaves helping to shade out weeds around the base of the bed. Both crops require full sun and consistent moisture, so their care needs align reasonably well. Adequate spacing is important, since squash vines can spread significantly and compete for light if left unchecked.
Corn
Corn’s tall, upright form can provide light afternoon shade for tomatoes in particularly hot climates, helping to reduce heat stress during the peak of summer. The two crops occupy different vertical layers of the garden, which can make efficient use of space in a mixed vegetable bed. However, corn is a heavy feeder as well, so soil fertility should be monitored closely when the two are grown together.
Amaranth
Amaranth is sometimes used as a trap crop near tomatoes, since certain pests are drawn to its foliage over that of nearby vegetables. Its tall, colorful seed heads also add ornamental interest to a vegetable garden. Amaranth is drought-tolerant and undemanding, requiring little special care to grow alongside tomatoes.
Lovage
Lovage is a tall, celery-like herb that is sometimes planted near tomatoes for its believed ability to improve the overall health and flavor of nearby vegetables, along with attracting beneficial insects when in flower. Its substantial size means it’s best placed toward the back or edge of a tomato bed rather than directly among the plants. As a hardy perennial, lovage can remain in place for years once established.
Chamomile
Chamomile is often grown near tomatoes for its delicate white and yellow flowers, which attract hoverflies and other beneficial insects that help control aphid populations. It is also thought to improve the health of nearby plants by contributing beneficial compounds to the soil as it decomposes. Chamomile’s low, mounding habit keeps it from competing significantly with taller tomato plants.
Yarrow
Yarrow’s flat clusters of tiny flowers attract ladybugs, lacewings, and other predatory insects that help keep aphid populations in check around tomato plants. Its fine, ferny foliage and drought tolerance make it a low-maintenance addition to the edges of a tomato bed. Yarrow also tends to improve the soil somewhat as its leaves break down, adding organic matter over time.
Alyssum
Sweet alyssum forms a low, dense carpet of tiny fragrant flowers that attract a wide range of pollinators and beneficial insects, including hoverflies whose larvae feed on aphids. Its shallow roots make it compatible with tomatoes, since it draws moisture and nutrients from a different soil layer. Alyssum’s spreading habit also helps shade the soil surface, conserving moisture around tomato roots.
Geraniums
Geraniums, particularly scented types, are sometimes planted near tomatoes for their believed ability to deter Japanese beetles and certain other pests. Their compact, mounding form fits easily along the edges of a tomato bed without crowding the vegetables. Their long bloom season also provides steady color throughout the growing period.
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm’s strong citrus scent is thought to help mask tomato plants from pests that locate host plants by smell, while its small white flowers attract pollinators when allowed to bloom. It spreads readily, however, so many gardeners keep it somewhat contained to prevent it from overtaking a tomato bed. As a member of the mint family, it shares that group’s vigorous growth habit.
Bee Balm
Bee balm’s showy, tubular flowers are a strong draw for pollinators, particularly bees and hummingbirds, which can improve pollination rates for nearby tomato flowers. Its aromatic foliage may also help deter some pests. Bee balm prefers slightly more consistent moisture than tomatoes, so it works best at the moister edges of a bed.
Sweet William
Sweet William offers clusters of fragrant, colorful flowers in shades of pink, red, and white that attract pollinators to a tomato bed. As a biennial, it typically blooms in its second year, providing a different bloom cycle than many annual companions. Its compact size allows it to be tucked along the front edge of a tomato planting without shading the vegetables.
Amaryllis Belladonna
Belladonna amaryllis, sometimes grown at the margins of vegetable beds, contributes late-summer color with its tall stems of pink trumpet-shaped flowers, appearing after its foliage has died back earlier in the season. It requires minimal care once established and occupies little space at ground level during the height of tomato growth. Its bloom time often coincides with peak tomato harvest, adding ornamental interest to a productive bed.
Daisies
Shasta daisies and other daisy-type flowers attract a wide range of pollinators and beneficial insects to a tomato bed, supporting better fruit set overall. Their cheerful white and yellow blooms provide a simple, classic contrast to the deep green of tomato foliage. Most daisies are low-maintenance and tolerate the same well-draining soil conditions tomatoes prefer.
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Verbena
Verbena’s clusters of small, colorful flowers create a low, spreading groundcover beneath taller tomato plants, helping to fill in bare soil and suppress weeds. It blooms nearly continuously through the warm season and is highly attractive to pollinators. Its trailing habit makes it useful along bed edges or in front of staked tomato rows.
Marjoram
Marjoram, closely related to oregano, offers a similarly low, spreading habit that works well as groundcover beneath tomato plants. Its aromatic foliage is thought to help confuse pests that rely on scent to locate host plants. As a perennial in mild climates, marjoram can remain part of the same bed for multiple seasons.
Horehound
Horehound is an old-fashioned herb sometimes planted near tomatoes for its believed ability to attract beneficial insects and improve the general health of nearby plants. Its fuzzy, gray-green foliage adds textural contrast to a tomato bed. It is quite drought-tolerant and undemanding, requiring little supplemental care once established.
Tansy
Tansy’s button-like yellow flower clusters are thought to help repel certain beetles and ants when grown near tomatoes, and its foliage attracts some beneficial insects as well. It can spread aggressively, so it is often planted with some form of root barrier or kept at the margins of a tomato bed. Tansy is quite hardy and tolerates a range of soil conditions.
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Horseradish
Horseradish is sometimes planted at the corners of a tomato bed for its reputed ability to help protect nearby plants from certain fungal diseases and pests, thanks to compounds in its roots and leaves. Because it spreads via deep, persistent roots, it is generally planted in a contained area rather than directly among tomato plants. Once established, horseradish requires very little maintenance and can remain in place for years.