We Discovered 20 Tomato Companion Plants That Will Help Your Summer Crop THRIVE

Garlic releases sulfur compounds that act as a natural insect repellent, helping to protect tomato plants from red spider mites and other pests.

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: 1 to 3 feet tall x 6 to 12 inches wide
• Care: Full sun; rich, well-draining soil

Chives deter aphids and are great at repelling Japanese beetles. They’re also easy to grow alongside tomatoes in containers or garden beds.

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: 12 to 18 inches tall x 12 inches wide
• Care: Full sun to partial shade; well-draining soil

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This colorful flower attracts aphids away from tomatoes and entices pollinators. It's also edible and looks beautiful in the garden.

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 1 to 2 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
• Care: Full sun; well-draining soil

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Carrots help loosen the soil around tomato roots and grow well in the shade of taller tomato plants. They're also easy to grow in pots, if that's how you're cultivating your tomatoes.

• Zones: 3 to 10
• Size: 12 to 18 inches tall
• Care: Full sun; loose, well-draining soil

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Beautiful blue borage deters tomato hornworms and attracts bees, which can lead to more pollination on your tomato plant and a larger crop. It also improves soil by accumulating trace minerals.

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 18 to 36 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wide
• Care: Full sun; well-draining soil

Onions deter aphids, a common tomato plant pest, as well as slugs, and make good use of space beneath taller tomato plants.

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: 12 to 24 inches tall x 4 to 6 inches wide
• Care: Full sun; loose, fertile soil

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Another easy-to-grow (and useful!) herb, parsley attracts hoverflies and parasitic wasps, both natural enemies of tomato pests like aphids.

• Zones: 4 to 9
• Size: 12 to 18 inches tall x 9 to 12 inches wide
• Care: Full sun to partial shade; rich, moist soil

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Often called pot marigold, calendula attracts predatory insects and pollinators while deterring aphids and whiteflies.

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 12 to 24 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches wide
• Care: Full sun; well-draining soil

Cilantro attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps and tachinid flies that target caterpillars and aphids, which often feast on tomato plants.

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 12 to 24 inches tall x 6 to 12 inches wide
• Care: Full sun; moist, well-drained soil

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Spinach can act as a living mulch to suppress weeds and retain soil moisture around tomato plants.

• Zones: 2 to 9
• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 6 to 12 inches wide
• Care: Partial sun; rich, moist soil

Like spinach, lettuce provides ground cover, shades soil, and is easily interplanted with tomatoes.

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 6 to 12 inches wide
• Care: Full sun to partial shade; well-draining soil

Dill attracts predatory insects like lacewings and ladybugs, which eat aphids and caterpillars.

• Zones: 2 to 9
• Size: 2 to 5 feet tall
• Care: Full sun; well-drained soil

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Thyme is a low-growing herb that repels tomato hornworms and attracts bees and parasitic wasps.

• Zones: 5 to 9
• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches wide
• Care: Full sun; sandy, well-draining soil

Yarrow draws in ladybugs and lacewings while helping to improve soil structure and water retention.

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: 1 to 3 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
• Care: Full sun; well-draining soil

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Celery can mask the scent of tomatoes and help confuse pests. It’s a compact crop that fits well between rows.

• Zones: 4 to 10
• Size: 12 to 24 inches tall
• Care: Full sun; rich, moist soil

As legumes, peas fix nitrogen in the soil, which helps feed heavy-feeding crops like tomatoes.

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: 1 to 5 feet tall, depending on variety
• Care: Full sun; cool weather; well-drained soil

This low-growing flower attracts pollinators and beneficial insects and provides living mulch.

• Zones: 5 to 9
• Size: 3 to 10 inches tall x 2 to 4 inches wide
• Care: Full sun to part shade; well-draining soil

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Though asparagus and tomatoes grow in different seasons, they help each other long-term by deterring pests and improving soil health.

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: 3 to 5 feet tall
• Care: Full sun; well-drained, sandy soil