How to Cultivate Harmony in the Garden With Carrot Companion Plants
By Merry
Author Bio: Merry is a seasoned writer and SEO specialist with a passion for crafting compelling narratives that resonate with readers. With a background in Christian marketing, she has spent five years honing her skills as a content writer and SEO expert at a prominent Christian brand.
Carrots are a favorite vegetable among many gardeners because they’re easy to grow and make a perfect raised garden bed pair for different plants. However, some carrot companion plants provide more benefits than others. There are so many of these plants that you may be divided on what to choose. If you want to add companion plants to your carrot garden bed but aren’t sure where to start, this article has all the answers you need.
Best Carrot Companion Plants
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens, such as spinach, kale, Swiss chard and mustard greens are perfect pairings for carrots. The leaves of these greens shade carrots to ensure moisture retention. Additionally, leafy greens have shallow roots that won’t compete for nutrients and water with carrot taproots. They also grow before the carrots.
1. Cabbages
Like carrots, cabbages prefer cooler temperatures. Their different growing patterns and root systems make them great companions. But unlike the other leafy greens above, you should wait for the cabbages to form a nice head before planting your carrots. You may also do a few lines of carrots along the edge of your raised garden bed. Then, wait for this leafy vegetable to germinate before doing other carrot rounds in the middle of the bed.
2. Lettuce
Lettuce is another great comrade for carrots. Even though this leafy vegetable doesn’t produce outstanding benefits to carrots, it grows quickly, using any unused space in your garden bed.
Tip: When planting leafy greens with carrots, leave a space of about three-inch grid-like patterns between the plants.
3. Alliums
Alliums complement carrots by providing shade, loosening the soil, and emitting an insect-repellant smell. The onion family plants have shallow roots that won’t come in the way of carrot roots. Also, they produce a pungent onion smell that repels insects that could otherwise devour your carrots. On the other hand, carrots release chemicals that keep away alliums-hunting moths. You can choose one or more of the following alliums for a carrot garden bed:
- Onions
- Chives
- Leeks
- Garlic Shallots
The good thing about planting alliums alongside carrots is that you don’t have to do away with leafy greens. They all grow well together, particularly in raised beds. Chives are also said to enhance the texture and taste of carrots and other vegetables.
4. Cucumber
Cucumbers may take up lots of space in your garden. However, they also leave some space on the ground because their vines grow upward. So, pairing them with low-growing carrots to cover the ground is a good idea. Carrots keep weeds at bay while cucumber provides a canopy to the root plants.
5. Bush Beans
Low-maintenance plants like bush beans are also good carrot companion plants. Bush beans add organic nutrients, creating a rich nutrient environment that aids the growth of carrots.
Herbs
Carrots and herbs, such as rosemary, thyme and oregano make perfect bedmates。 These herbs have strong-smelling leaves that deter pests from feasting on your carrots. The smell comes from carvacrol, thymol, and other essential oils, which work by masking the scent of carrots from pests. Other great herbs that provide a symbiotic relationship to carrots and would pair well on a garden bed are mint and sage.
1. Cilantro
While it’s not recommended to grow carrots with their cousins from the parsley family, cilantro comes across as the exception due to its size, seasonality and maturity days. Moreover, cilantro attracts carrot predators, such as aphids and whiteflies, which could otherwise consume carrots, providing a natural biocontrol haven. You want to ensure you plant low-growing herbs to avoid blocking sunlight from the little carrot leaves.
Flowers
Adding flowers to your garden bed may help lure beneficial insects, making them a good match for other plants. In the case of carrots, flowers that can handle low temperatures, such as chamomile, pansies and calendula, will do the trick.
1. Marigold
For sweeter, delicious carrots, go for the marigold pairing. They aid in increasing the root plants’ carotenoid and sugar levels. Also, these flowers repel carrot psyllids, whiteflies and other pests. Both plants are frost-resistant and can grow together in the same season. Nasturtiums have the same features as marigolds and also grow well alongside carrots.
Worst Companion Plants for Carrots
Carrots have several good companion plants but may grow poorly or yield less when coupled with certain plants. Here are a few plants that you shouldn’t pair with carrots:
- Dills
- Celery
- Parsnips
- Potatoes
These plants will compete for nutrients with carrots, overtaking them or stunting their growth. Worse yet, they may attract the same pests.
Can You Plant Tomatoes Next to Carrots?
You can grow tomatoes near carrots. However, the secret lies in creating a natural buffer between the two plants to prevent their roots from getting in the way of one another. Also, tomatoes thrive in sunny and warm environments, which means you can only pair the two plants during spring.
Tomato plants, particularly the mature ones, provide shade during summer. Additionally, tomatoes emit solanine, a natural insecticide to repel any pests that may attack carrots. On the other hand, carrots attract wasps that feast on caterpillars, hornworms and other tomato pests. Anecdotal evidence also indicates that tomatoes may help improve the sweetness of carrots.
To get the most from the carrot-tomatoes combo, grow the fleshy vegetable in the center of your raised garden beds and carrots along the margins. Alternatively, you can grow tomatoes on one side and carrots on the other.
Are Zucchinis Perfect Companions for Carrots?
Zucchinis - not to be confused with cucumbers - have a shallow root system that would theoretically make them a great companion for deep-rooted plants. However, they don’t pair well because they thrive under different soil, moisture and temperature conditions.
Final Thoughts
Adding carrot companion plants to your garden bed may help provide your carrots with complementary nutrients, protect them against pests and enhance their flavor. Leafy greens, alliums, marigolds, cucumber and bush beans make perfect garden bedmates for carrots. However, you may want to steer clear of dills, other parsley-family plants and potatoes, which tend to utilize the nutrients meant for carrots or attract harmful pests. Here is the Companion Planting Guide For Raised Garden Beds.
