×
  • Home
  • Daily
    • Buyers Guides
    • Composting
    • Container Gardening
    • Easy Healthy Recipes
    • Food Preservation
    • Garden Design
    • Garden Tools
    • Gardening LIfe
      • Animals in the Garden
      • Funny Business
      • Gardening History
      • Gardening Humor
      • Gardening Mishaps
      • Gardening Poems
      • Gardening Romance
      • Gardening Science
      • Gardening with Kids
      • Healing Gardens
      • Joy of Gardening
      • Mystical Gardens
      • Ornamental Gardening
    • Growing Fruits & Berries
    • Indoor Gardening
    • Pests & Diseases
    • Seeds & Seedlings
    • Soil & Fertilizer
    • Spice & Herb Gardening
    • Vegetable Gardening
    • Watering & Irrigation
  • Freebies
  • Videos
  • Magazines
    • Food Gardening Magazine
    • GreenPrints Magazine
    • RecipeLion Magazine
  • Books
    • GuideBooks
    • Cookbooks
      • Beverages
      • Bakery
      • Breakfast
      • Appetizers
      • Salads & Dressings
      • Soups
      • Entrées
      • Side Dishes & Sauces
      • Desserts
    • Story Collections
    • StoryBooks
    • Recipe Collections
  • Kits
    • Garden Calendars
    • Garden Plans
    • Recipe Cards
    • Greeting Cards
    • ArtPrints
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Affiliate Program
  • Sponsor Program
  • Give a Gift
  • Privacy Policy & Terms of Use
  • Authors
  • GreenPrints Writer’s Guidelines
  • Keyword Index
  • Join
Celebrating 5 Years of Food Gardening

Food Gardening Network

Growing food, fun & more

Give a GiftJoin
Mequoda Publishing Network
  • Daily
    • Buyers Guides
    • Composting
    • Container Gardening
    • Easy Healthy Recipes
    • Food Preservation
    • Garden Design
    • Garden Tools
    • Gardening Life
      • Animals in the Garden
      • Funny Business
      • Gardening History
      • Gardening Humor
      • Gardening Mishaps
      • Gardening Poems
      • Gardening Romance
      • Gardening Science
      • Gardening with Kids
      • Healing Gardens
      • Joy of Gardening
      • Mystical Gardens
      • Ornamental Gardening
    • Growing Fruits & Berries
    • Indoor Gardening
    • Pests & Diseases
    • Seeds & Seedlings
    • Soil & Fertilizer
    • Spice & Herb Gardening
    • Vegetable Gardening
    • Watering & Irrigation
  • Freebies
  • Videos
  • Magazines
    • Food Gardening Magazine
    • GreenPrints Magazine
    • RecipeLion Magazine
  • Books
    • GuideBooks
    • Cookbooks
      • Beverages
      • Bakery
      • Breakfast
      • Appetizers
      • Salads & Dressings
      • Soups
      • Entrées
      • Side Dishes & Sauces
      • Desserts
    • Story Collections
    • StoryBooks
    • Recipe Collections
  • Kits
    • Garden Calendars
    • Garden Plans
    • Recipe Cards
    • Greeting Cards
    • ArtPrints
  • Sign In
  • Search

Combinations of Vegetables that Should Not be Planted Together

Combinations of Vegetables that Should Not be Planted Together

Some vegetables make great companions in the garden. But there are some vegetables that should not be planted together.

By Amanda MacArthur | February 10, 2025

Fennel

You read that right. Even though there are lots of vegetables and herbs that complement one another in the garden, there are some vegetables that should not be planted together. Ever. They’re like the opposite of corn, beans, and squash. Or if we were to allude to popular culture, growing some of these vegetables together would be like asking Batman and the Joker to be neighbors. Or Jim Halpert and Dwight K Schrute. It wouldn’t be pretty. 

There are some excellent reasons to keep certain plants apart. For example, they compete for the same nutrients sometimes. Or taller plants might shade shorter ones from much-needed sunlight. In fact, that’s a good place to start planning your garden and thinking about vegetables that should not be planted together. 

Discover 10 top tips for growing, harvesting, and enjoying fruits, vegetables, herbs and more from your home garden—when you access the FREEBIE How to Grow a Vegetable Garden, right now!

Generally speaking, it’s best to keep plants with similar needs in the same area. So you wouldn’t want to plant leaf lettuce (which needs regular water) and black-eyed peas (which like dry conditions) too close to each other. 

At the same time, you can strategically plant vegetables with differing sunlight preferences next to one another. For example, tomatoes enjoy plenty of bright sunlight, and their height can keep spinach happy in the shade. 

Even so, some plants are out to get each other. 

Freshly grown asparagus

Vegetables that should not be planted together (and some herbs, too)

1. Tomatoes and corn. This combo is great in the kitchen. I could happily eat fresh corn and heirloom tomato salads every day in August. In the garden, however, the deep roots of these two vegetables compete with one another for the same nutrients. Add to that the tomato hornworm is also fond of corn, and you’re just asking for pest trouble. 

2. Asparagus and potatoes. Here’s another example of two vegetables that should not be planted together because they compete for the same nutrients in the same space. 

3. Beets and pole beans. While beets can grow in partial shade, they do enjoy some lovely, bright sunlight. Pole beans, however, tend to cast quite a bit of shade as they climb a trellis. 

4. Cucumber and sage. Sage and other herbs like basil and can deter many garden pests. However, many aromatic herbs are said to inhibit the growth of cucumber plants.

5. Beans and garlic? This is a common pair of vegetables that should not be planted together. Or is it? Even though there are a lot of sources stating these two don’t work well together, there is some evidence that they do, in fact, complement one another. A study published in 2018 found that beans and garlic absorbed and used more nitrogen when planted together than when planted alone. 

6. Carrots and parsnips. Because these two vegetables are in the same family, they attract the same garden pests.

7. Fennel and…. every other vegetable? Poor fennel! No one seems to enjoy growing near fennel in the garden. The only possible companion I’ve seen mentioned for fennel is dill, and even that’s up for debate. 

With so many possible beneficial combinations, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find something that works. But these combinations are a definite garden failure.

Do you have other combinations of vegetables that should not be planted together? I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments.

« Is There a Flower Love Language? I Believe There Is
I Love My Garden »

Related Posts

  • 7 Fantastically Unique Vegetable Garden Ideas
  • The 10 Worst Best Gardening Jokes of All Time 
  • Dunja Squash: The Beyoncé of My Summer Garden

Tags

aromatic herbs, asparagus, basil, beans, beets, carrots, corn, fennel, garlic, leaf lettuce, lettuce, peas, spinach, tomatoes, vegetables and herbs, vegetables that should not be planted together

Comments
  • Melissa M. May 2, 2024

    Blackberries (and maybe other climbing berries in same ‘family’) cannot be planted in proximity to any of the nightshade plants. I found this out the hard way, when my tomatoes failed next to my new blackberry. Did some deep research and found this is a no no.

    Reply
  • Donna L. November 29, 2021

    Thank you!

    Reply

Click here to cancel reply.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Give a Gift

FREEBIE!

With your FREEBIE, you’ll also receive regular email messages from the Food Gardening Network. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Your email address is private. We promise never to sell, rent or disclose your email address to third parties.

Freebies

  • Worst Best Gardening Jokes Calendar
  • 5 Easy Healthy Carrot Recipes
  • 5 Easy Healthy Lemon Recipes
  • 5 Easy Healthy Salsa Recipes
  • 5 Easy Healthy Apple Recipes
  • 5 Easy Healthy Chicken Breast Recipes
  • Top 11 Food Gardening Tools You Need to Succeed
  • A Printable Companion Planting Chart
  • Plants for Bug Control Chart
  • Printable Seed Germination Temperature Chart
  • Printable Tomato Garden-to-Table Chart
  • Planning Your Perfect Food Garden
  • Printable Butterfly Garden Planting Chart
  • The Best Way to Grow Tomatoes
  • Printable Composting 101 Charts
  • How to Master Spice and Herb Gardening at Home
  • Printable Monthly Gardening Calendar
  • 10 Best Garden Poems of All Time
  • Vegetable Garden Planting Chart Freebie
  • Printable Flower Garden Companion Planting Chart
  • 10 Things You Can Grow That Your Pet Will LOVE To Eat!
  • Rose Garden Planting Chart Freebie
  • Printable Kitchen Garden Planting Charts
  • Sunflower Garden Planting Chart Freebie
  • Seasonal ArtPrints Collection Kit Sampler
  • Sampler: Gardening Humor
  • Sampler: Wit, Wisdom, & Learning
  • Gardening in Every Season
  • How to Start a Freedom Garden
  • Recipes from Your Garden
  • Sampler: Animals in the Garden
  • Sampler: Healing Gardens
  • Sampler: Joy of Gardening
  • Growing Vegetables Indoors for Beginners
  • 15 Easiest Fruits to Grow at Home
  • How to Grow a Vegetable Garden

Browse Topics

  • Buyers Guides
  • Composting
  • Container Gardening
  • Easy Healthy Recipes
  • Food Preservation
  • Garden Design
  • Garden Tools
  • Gardening Life
  • Growing Fruits & Berries
  • Indoor Gardening
  • Ornamental Gardening
  • Pests & Diseases
  • Seeds & Seedlings
  • Soil & Fertilizer
  • Spice & Herb Gardening
  • Uncategorized
  • Vegetable Gardening
  • Watering & Irrigation

Buyers Guides:

  • 9 Automated Garden Tools for Effortless Growing
  • 12 Cool Gardening Tools and Gifts for the Plant Lover in Your Life
  • Choosing the Best Shovel for Your Gardening Needs
  • 10 Gardening Tools for Seniors That Actually Make a Difference
  • This Countertop Compost Machine Turns Scraps into Compost in a Few Hours
  • 10+ Food Gardening Gadgets We Love
  • 15 Adaptive and Accessible Gardening Tools and Raised Beds
  • 13 Canning Tools, Supplies & Equipment You Need
  • The 3 Best Gardening Shoes
  • 5+ Best Bird Deterrents for Gardens
  • Shop Our Amazon Store

Authors:

  • Bill Dugan
  • Amanda MacArthur
  • Mike McGrath
  • Don Nicholas
  • Norann Oleson
  • Christy Page
  • Becky Rupp
  • Beth Rush
  • Pat Stone
  • Diana Wells

Enter Your Log In Credentials

This setting should only be used on your home or work computer.

  • Lost your password? Create New Password
  • No account? Sign up

Need Assistance?

Call Food Gardening Network Customer Service at
(800) 777-2658

Food Gardening Network is an active member of the following industry associations:

  • American Horticultural Society
  • GardenComm Logo
  • GardenComm Laurel Media Award
  • MCMA logo
  • Join Now
  • Learn More
  • About Food Gardening Network
  • Contact Us
  • Affiliate Program
  • Sponsor Program
  • Give a Gift
  • Privacy Policy & Terms of Use

Food Gardening Network
99 Derby Street, Suite 200
Hingham, MA 02043
support@foodgardening.mequoda.com

To learn more about our Email Marketing and Broadcasting Services, Exchange Program, or to become a marketing partner with any of our publications, click here to contact us at Mequoda Publishing Network.

FREE E-Newsletter for You!

Discover how to grow, harvest, and eat good food from your own garden—with our FREE e-newsletter, delivered directly to your email inbox.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Powered by
Mequoda Publishing Network
copyright © 2025 Mequoda Systems, LLC

Food Gardening Network®, Food Gardening Magazine® and GreenPrints® are registered trademarks of Mequoda Systems, LLC.

Go to mobile version