18 Best Companion Plants for Peppers

Learn the best companion plants for peppers and unravel the secrets to a flourishing pepper garden. This comprehensive guide opens the door to a world of biodiversity and mutual benefits, introducing you to an array of compatible companions for your peppers.

From the aromatic touch of basil, dill, and cilantro to strategic allies like marigolds, sunflowers, and sweet alyssum, discover the perfect plant partnerships that enhance pest control, soil fertility, and overall plant health.

Best Companion Plants for Peppers

Prepare for a thriving pepper harvest by considering the concept of a salsa garden. The perfect companions for peppers are often found among the vegetables and herbs that make great salsa, sharing similar growing conditions and contributing to insect and disease control.

Not only does companion planting enhance biodiversity, but it also creates a network of interdependent plants, fostering mutual growth benefits. While not every companion planting practice is rooted in hard scientific facts, researchers are exploring the valuable insights found in garden lore and farmers’ almanacs.

As you embark on selecting and planting companion plants for peppers, ensure synchronized growth stages by transplanting or sowing at the right time. For container gardening enthusiasts, clustering containers with these companion plants close together can result in a bountiful and vibrant pepper crop.

Herbs as Companion Plants for Peppers

In this section, we explore the distinctive qualities of basil, oregano, dill, tomatoes, and cilantro as they form alliances with peppers, creating a thriving ecosystem in your garden. From deterring thrips and pests with basil’s aromatic shield to embracing the dynamic partnership of tomatoes, these herbs play a crucial role in enhancing pest control, nutrient utilization, and overall plant health

Basil

Basil is a fantastic companion for peppers as it helps deter thrips, tiny pests that can cause silver, net-like damage to pepper plants. The volatile chemicals released by basil mask those emitted by pepper plants, making it difficult for thrips to locate their host.

Oregano

Oregano serves as an excellent companion for peppers by providing natural pest protection. Its aromatic oils act as a deterrent to pests like aphids and spider mites, helping to shield pepper plants from potential infestations. Planting oregano alongside peppers contributes to a healthier and more resilient garden environment.

Dill

Dill, part of the carrot family, attracts a diverse array of predators, including parasitic wasps that feed on aphids and hornworms. Planted between and around pepper plants, dill supports biological control and contributes to a balanced ecosystem in the garden.

You may enjoy learning How to Dry Dill with this article sharing 5 Easy Ways to Preserve Dill.

Cilantro

Cilantro, a flowering herb in the carrot family, attracts parasitic wasps and predatory insects like ladybugs and lacewings. Planted in proximity to pepper plants, cilantro supports biological control, helping to manage pests in the garden.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are excellent companions for peppers, forming a dynamic duo in the garden. While belonging to the same nightshade family, they have distinct nutrient needs, reducing competition for resources. Tomatoes provide shade to pepper plants, shielding them from intense sunlight during hot periods, and fostering an optimal microclimate.

Additionally, tomatoes emit compounds that can help repel certain pests harmful to peppers, enhancing overall pest resistance.

Vegetables as Companion Plants for Peppers

This section highlights the valuable contributions of pak choi, scallions, and spinach, each playing a distinctive role in supporting and protecting your pepper plants. From pak choi’s role as a clever trap crop for flea beetles to the barrier created by interplanting scallions, onions, and garlic to deter aphids, these vegetables bring an array of benefits to your pepper patch.

Pak Choi

Pak choi acts as a trap crop for flea beetles, drawing their attention away from pepper plants. By interplanting with pak choi, you create a sacrificial offering that protects young pepper seedlings from flea beetle damage.

Scallions

Scallions, along with onions and garlic, deter green peach aphids, common pests of peppers. Interplanting scallions with peppers creates a barrier that discourages aphids from settling on pepper plants, reducing the risk of damage.

Spinach

Spinach, with its low-growing nature, serves as a living mulch between pepper plants, limiting weed growth. This “living mulch” helps maintain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and create a favorable environment for pepper plants.

Flowers as Companion Plants for Peppers

This section unveils the enchanting qualities of sweet alyssum, sunflowers, marigolds, and nasturtiums as they contribute to the well-being of your pepper plants. From sweet alyssum’s invitation to beneficial insects like parasitic wasps and lacewings to sunflowers’ dual role in attracting pollinators and offering extra floral nectar for pest-eating insects, these flowers bring both beauty and functionality to your garden.

Sweet Alyssum

Sweet alyssum, with its small blooms, attracts beneficial insects such as parasitic wasps, syrphid flies, and lacewings. These insects help manage various pepper pests, including aphids, whiteflies, and thrips, contributing to biological control in the garden.

Sunflowers

Sunflowers serve as excellent companions for peppers by attracting pollinators and providing extrafloral nectar (EFN) for beneficial pest-eating insects. The presence of sunflowers enhances biological control in the garden, supporting a healthy population of good bugs.

Learn how to harvest Sunflower seeds to eat and plant here.

Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums act as an “aphid nursery” by attracting aphids away from pepper plants. This not only protects peppers from aphid damage but also provides a consistent food source for beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings.

Marigolds

Marigolds are known for their pest-repelling properties, especially against nematodes in the soil. Planting marigolds near peppers can help deter soil-borne pests, contributing to a healthier root environment for pepper plants.

Root Crops as Companion Plants for Peppers

In this section we’ll discuss the relationships between radishes, carrots, beets, and onions, witnessing their unique contributions to your pepper patch’s prosperity. Radishes skillfully divert flea beetles, safeguarding pepper leaves. Carrots, alongside cilantro and dill, attract beneficial insects for biological pest control. Beets offer multifaceted benefits, acting as a living mulch to suppress weeds and create an optimal environment for peppers. Uncover the pest-repelling prowess of onions, scallions, and garlic, shielding against green peach aphids.

Radish

Radishes serve as excellent trap crops for flea beetles, common pests that create small, ragged holes in pepper leaves. By planting radishes as companions, you can redirect flea beetles’ attention away from pepper plants, minimizing damage to young seedlings.

Carrots

Carrots, members of the carrot family, provide a supportive environment for predators of aphids, hornworms, and other pests. Their flowering herbs, like cilantro and dill, attract beneficial insects, contributing to biological control in the pepper patch.

Beets

Beets, with their low-growing foliage, make beneficial companions for peppers. The dense beet foliage acts as a living mulch, suppressing weed growth between pepper plants. This “living mulch” not only helps conserve soil moisture but also creates a protective barrier against weeds, fostering an optimal growing environment for pepper plants.

Onions

Onions, along with scallions and garlic, deter green peach aphids from settling on pepper plants. Interplanting onions with peppers creates a pest-repelling environment, reducing the risk of aphid-related issues.

Cover Crops that Are Good Companion Plants for Peppers

In this section, discover how cover crops like cowpeas, white clover, and soybeans enhance your pepper garden. Cowpeas reduce weeds and provide nitrogen for improved pepper production. White clover acts as a living mulch, suppressing weeds and contributing to soil health. Explore soybeans’ nitrogen-fixing prowess, promoting soil fertility for thriving pepper plants.

Cowpeas

Cowpeas contribute to improved pepper production by reducing weed growth and providing nitrogen to nearby plants. This warm-season companion, often used as a cover crop, enhances soil fertility and overall plant health.

White Clover

White clover, when used as a living mulch, reduces weed growth between rows of peppers. Additionally, it provides nitrogen to nearby plants, contributing to improved soil fertility and overall pepper plant health.

Soybeans, as legumes, are excellent companions for peppers due to their nitrogen-fixing ability. By planting soybeans alongside peppers, you enhance soil fertility, providing a nutrient-rich environment that promotes healthier pepper plants.

 Learn a variety of cheap ways to add nitrogen to soil here.

What Not to Plant Next to Peppers

When it comes to choosing companions for your peppers, it’s crucial to be mindful of plants that might not get along well. Some plants could unintentionally attract pests that could pose a threat to your peppers.

The key is to avoid companions that might bring in diseases or create an environment that’s less than ideal for your pepper buddies. So, it’s all about making smart choices to ensure a happy and thriving garden for your peppers!

While companion planting can significantly benefit pepper plants, certain combinations should be avoided to prevent negative interactions.

Corn: Corn requires substantial nitrogen levels, which can deplete the soil of this essential nutrient, negatively impacting pepper growth. Additionally, the tall structure of corn can shade pepper plants, reducing their access to sunlight.

Fennel: Fennel is considered a greedy plant, absorbing essential nutrients that peppers need for thriving. Planting fennel nearby may hinder the overall health and productivity of pepper plants.

Brassicas (Cabbage, Broccoli, Kale, Collards, Cauliflower): Brassicas and peppers have different soil acidity preferences, and planting them together may result in competition for resources, affecting the growth of both plant types.

Potatoes: Potatoes are part of the nightshade family, like peppers, and are susceptible to similar diseases. Planting them together increases the risk of spreading diseases and may lead to decreased yields for both crops.

Eggplants: Being fellow nightshades, eggplants share vulnerabilities to similar pests and diseases as peppers. Co-planting may create a conducive environment for these issues, posing a threat to the overall health of both crops.

Strawberries: Strawberries can compete with peppers for sunlight, water, and nutrients. Additionally, the dense foliage of strawberries may create a shelter for pests that can potentially harm pepper plants. It’s advisable to keep these plants separated to optimize the growth of each.

By avoiding these plant combinations, you can ensure a more harmonious and thriving pepper garden.

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