A beloved symbol of autumn, Pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo) are plump annuals grown for their fleshy, nutritious fruits. Pumpkins are easy and fun to grow. In the US and Canada, they are carved into jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween and baked into pies for Thanksgiving dessert.
Pumpkins are a fun and tasty crop to grow in the garden. From jack-o-lanterns to pies, these iconic fruits can be used in so many ways. However pumpkins have heavy nutrient demands and are prone to pests like squash bugs and powdery mildew. This makes companion planting essential for a healthy and bountiful harvest.
In this article, we’ll explore the best companion plants for pumpkins and how interplanting can benefit your patch. Whether you’re looking to enhance pollination, repel pests, or improve the soil, these pumpkin-friendly plants should have a spot in your garden. Let’s get growing!
Why Companion Plant Pumpkins?
Companion planting is the process of strategically planting different crops together so they can help each other thrive. It dates back centuries, yet the benefits hold true today:
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Repel pests – Strong scented herbs like basil can confuse and deter pests looking for their host plant.
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Attract pollinators – Flowers interplanted with pumpkins provide nectar for bees and other beneficial insects
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Improve soil health – Combining plants with different root depths and nutrient needs maximizes the use of soil nutrients. Legumes like beans also fix nitrogen.
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Use space efficiently – Vining pumpkins can spread between lower growing companion plants,
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Enhance flavor – Some plants like borage subtly improve the flavor of nearby crops.
The Best Companion Plants for Pumpkins
Here are some of the top companion plants for pumpkins and how they boost your harvest:
Marigolds
The bright flowers of marigolds repel a spectrum of pests including squash bugs, beetles, nematodes, and aphids. They also accumulate calcium and potassium in their blooms, with the minerals returning to the soil when the flowers die off. Marigolds make great companions along the edges of your pumpkin patch.
Nasturtiums
Both the flowers and leaves of nasturtiums are edible, providing a tangy bite to salads and platters. More importantly for your pumpkins, they lure aphids away from your crop and attract beneficial predatory insects. Plant them along the perimeter of your patch or interspersed between pumpkins.
Radishes
These speedy root crops will be ready to harvest long before your pumpkins are ready. As they grow, radishes loosen and aerate the soil. They also lure squash bugs away from your pumpkins with their irresistible scent. After harvesting the radishes, the empty space gives your pumpkins room to spread.
Borage
The star-shaped edible flowers of borage attract pollinators like bees to your pumpkin patch, improving pollination. As a bonus, borage is thought to enhance the flavor of nearby vegetables. The leaves and flowers can also be eaten, adding a refreshing cucumber-like taste to meals or drinks.
Beans
As nitrogen-fixing legumes, beans enrich the soil with this vital nutrient that encourages healthy plant growth. They appreciate the shade cast by pumpkin vines while freeing up nitrogen unavailable to the pumpkins themselves. Bush or pole bean varieties can be interplanted with pumpkins as long as proper spacing is followed.
More Great Companion Plants for Pumpkins:
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Sunflowers – Provide shade and their large flowers attract pollinators
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Oregano and basil – Repel pests with their strong scent
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Corn – Provides structure for pumpkins to climb and shade leaves
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Peppers – Can be spaced efficiently with pumpkins
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Chives and onions – Deter aphids and other pests
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Petunias – Repel squash bugs, beetles, asparagus beetles
Plants to Avoid Planting Near Pumpkins:
Some plants should not be grown alongside pumpkins, as they will compete for nutrients, attract similar pests, or inhibit growth:
- Potatoes
- Melons
- Cucumbers
- Sweet potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Raspberries
Tips for Companion Planting Pumpkins
Here are a few tips to ensure success when interplanting pumpkins:
- Use taller plants to shade pumpkins, but avoid crowding the vines
- Mix repellent plants like marigolds throughout the patch borders
- Include blossoms that attract pollinators for better fruit set
- Interplant quick-maturing vegetables like lettuce and radishes
- Enrich the soil with compost before planting
- Provide plenty of space between plants for vines to spread
- Water slowly and deeply to encourage deep root growth
Enjoy the Benefits of Companion Planting
By surrounding your prized pumpkins with strategically chosen companion plants, you can help deter pests, improve pollination, and keep plants healthy without the use of harsh chemicals. Try mixing in a few of these friendly plant pairings and enjoy the natural bounty from your garden this season. Let those pumpkin vines spread happily among flowers and herbs, keeping your patch vibrant and thriving.
Benefits of Companion Planting
1. Organic Pest Control: Some plants give off smells that either keep insects away, draw them in, or make them or disease-carrying organisms lose their way as they look for their favorite host plants. They make insects less likely to land on your garden vegetables.
2. Attracts good bugs: Some plants help attract good bugs, like ladybugs, bees, and butterflies, which pollinate and keep bad bugs in check. Beneficial insects feed on common garden pests, like aphids and caterpillars.
3. Provides necessary shade Tall sun-loving plants offer shade to smaller shade-loving plants. This results in better products and can also potentially provide pest control. A good example is The Three Sisters Garden. Practiced by Native Americans thousands of years ago, this garden includes corn, beans, and squash. The tall corn provides shade for the lower squash but also stops the squash vine borer beetle.
4. Shelters plants Some plants can provide windbreaks and prevent soil erosion. Strong winds can damage gardens by removing mulch, topsoil, and eroding beds and hillsides. Rain can also cause severe damage by beating down young seedlings. By carefully selecting the right ground cover, you can help prevent soil erosion.
5. Provides natural supports Some companion plants can physically support each other, reducing the need for staking. The example of planting corn, beans, and squash together applies here again. Beans can climb up the tall stalks of corn so that they don’t get pushed out by the sprawling squash vines.
6. Saves space Interplanting different crops greatly maximizes space and improves productivity in small gardens.
7. Enhances flavors Some plants can subtly enhance the flavor of other plants. Most herbs are good for the flavor of nearby fruits and vegetables. Basil grown next to tomatoes is a great example. Similarly, chamomile has a pleasant smell and is thought to help cabbages, cucumbers, and onions grow better and taste better when grown next to them.
8. Better soil quality and fertility Some crops help fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and reduce fertilizer needs. In the same way, planting plants with different root structures next to each other can help the soil breathe and let plants get nutrients from different parts of the soil.
Companion planting not only helps your plants grow better, but it also makes the vegetable garden look better by adding bright flowers that help or hurt nearby vegetables. Companion planting combines beauty and purpose to create an enjoyable, healthy environment.
| Genus | Cucurbita |
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Worst Companion Plants for Pumpkins
Avoid planting these vegetables in your home garden nearby your Pumpkin and squash plants.
- Fennel: Most plants don’t like fennel because it makes them less active.
- Potatoes: These root vegetables can take away nutrients from the soil, which can kill nearby squash plants.
- Sweet potatoes and squash plants will be in competition for space because they grow quickly and like to spread out.
How to Grow Pumpkins at Home From Seed
FAQ
What grows good with pumpkin?
What should I put under my pumpkin as it grows?
Can tomatoes and pumpkins be planted together?
Is Pumpkin a pumpkin?
Pumpkin ( Curbita spp.) is an iconic plant in North American gardens, a form of squash that symbolizes autumn through its use in creative Halloween jack-o-lantern carvings or as an ingredient for delicious holiday meals.
Are pumpkins good for a garden?
Pumpkins offer all kinds of benefits to other plants in the garden, most notably peas, corn, and radishes. Its vines serve as a living mulch that can help repel both pests and weeds while also retaining valuable soil moisture.
Can pumpkins grow from seed?
Pumpkins don’t grow as well from potted seedlings as from direct seeding (usually), but sometimes it’s the best way. After planting your pumpkin seeds, it’s important to ensure they are well-watered for optimal growth. Next, we’ll look at how often and how much water you should be giving your pumpkins.