If you are looking for a way to improve the growth and flavor of your pepper plants, and at the same time deter pests and attract pollinators, then you have come to the right place!
Let me introduce you to companion planting, an old gardening technique that is still being practiced to this day.
By growing specific companion plants near your peppers, you can create a symbiotic environment that benefits both the peppers and the surrounding plants. They will protect each other by deterring pests, but also boost overall garden productivity.
Let’s see what the best companions for your peppers are!
1. Carrots
We are starting our list with a delicious root vegetable. Carrots are famous for their crisp texture and sweet flavor. They are also great companion plants for many veggies in the garden.
Growing them with peppers has numerous benefits. Carrots can improve the soil structure because their taproots break up compacted soil, thus allowing better water drainage and root penetration for pepper plants.
They also maximize the use of space in the garden, and their foliage serves as living mulch.
2. Dill
With its feathery leaves and delicate yellow flowers, dill is an aromatic herb that’s commonly used in herb companion planting.
This plant is great for attracting beneficial insects, such as hoverflies and parasitic wasps, which prey on aphids, caterpillars, and other pests that usually infest pepper plants.
Dill can also improve the flavor of peppers and other veggies nearby.
3. Beets
Here is yet another root vegetable that is known for its earthy and slightly sweet flavor. They are good companions because they fill empty garden space around peppers without crowding them out.
Their dense foliage growth provides shade and helps with moisture retention. Beets also benefit from the shade provided by taller pepper plants.
4. Garlic
Garlic is a bulbous plant with a strong aroma and flavor. It acts as a natural pest deterrent because it keeps aphids, spider mites, and other common pests away from your peppers.
Additionally, garlic has antibacterial and antifungal properties that can help protect peppers from some soil-borne diseases.
Read also: Top Tips For How To Grow An Endless Supply Of Garlic At Home
5. Onions
Let’s talk about another flavorful bulb vegetable that is widely grown. Similarly to garlic, onions also have a strong fragrance that can help keep aphids and other pests at bay.
Additionally, these plants can help deter critters like squirrels, rabbits, and deer from your garden.
6. Petunias
We are taking a different turn here!
Even pretty flowering plants can benefit your garden, besides the obvious aesthetic of landscaping with petunias. These plants produce abundant blooms that can attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
Increased pollination improves fruit set in pepper plants, leading to higher yields. They also repel pests like leafhoppers, asparagus beetles, and tomato hornworms. So you see that they are good companions for other veggies as well!
7. Yarrow
Yarrow is a hardy herbaceous plant that produces clusters of small flowers. It is known for its aromatic features and feathery foliage.
Yarrow is a good companion to peppers since it attracts predatory insects like lacewings and ladybugs. These insects feed on aphids and other harmful pests that can damage pepper plants.
8. Lettuce
Lettuce is a popular leafy green vegetable known for its distinctive flavor and benefits for our health. These shade-loving veggies grow well under pepper plants.
In return, lettuce acts as a living mulch, suppressing weed growth around pepper plants. It also keeps the soil cool and helps prevent moisture loss.
9. Spinach
Here is yet another leafy green veggie that grows well with peppers. Just like lettuce, spinach also helps suppress weed growth around the peppers, thus preventing competition for nutrients.
Spinach also likes growing in shade so it’s a win-win!
10. Alyssum
Alyssum is a type of self-seeding plant that produces clusters of fragrant flowers. It is a beneficial companion for peppers since it attracts pollinators and predatory insects like lacewings, predatory wasps, ladybugs, and minute pirate bugs
These insects feed on aphids that would otherwise devour your pepper plants!
Additionally, the presence of alyssum adds beauty to the garden and creates an appealing contrast with the peppers.
11. Chives
Chives is a perennial herb that produces hollow leaves and purple-pink flowers. It has a pungent scent that helps deter aphids, mites, and other pests that can potentially damage pepper plants.
These herbs also reduce the chances of gray mold and downy mildew. In addition, chives can improve the flavor and yield of nearby plants.
12. Basil
Basil is a highly aromatic herb that can repel pests like aphids, mosquitoes, and whiteflies. It can also improve the quality and productivity of nearby pepper plants.
Be careful not to overwater because you might end up with your basil plants wilting and dying!
13. French Marigolds
Yet another beautiful flowering plant is a great companion to peppers!
These vibrant flowers have strong aromas that can repel aphids, nematodes, whiteflies, and many more pests. They can also stimulate the growth of plants nearby.
French marigolds are definitely must-have flowering plants in the garden. If you still need convincing, then check out: 15 Reasons To Plants Marigolds In Your Vegetable Garden
14. Radishes
These are fast-growing root veggies with crisp textures and mildly spicy flavors. Radishes let you make the most of your available area because you can pick them before the peppers are even fully mature.
They can also repel harmful soil pests like root maggots and flea beetles. Additionally, radishes help improve soil aeration and break up compact soil, thus benefiting the overall health of the garden.
15. Parsley
We are ending our list with a biennial herb that is known for its curly leaves and distinctive flavor. Parsley can attract beneficial insects such as hoverflies and predatory wasps that feed on aphids.
Peppers are also good companion plants for parsley as they grow tall and produce shade, which these herbs absolutely love!
Plants To Avoid Growing Near Peppers
There are good companion plants, and there are bad companion plants. You need to strategically plan your garden and grow veggies and herbs that are good for each other.
That being said, you should avoid growing plants that would otherwise harm each other’s growth and development.
These are some you shouldn’t grow near peppers:
• Brassicas – these are heavy feeders that can steal peppers’ nutrients. Brassicas and peppers also have different growing requirements and may not thrive when planted together.
• Apricots – apricot trees and peppers have different root systems and growth habits. Planting them together may lead to competition for nutrients, water, and sunlight. They are also susceptible to similar fungal diseases.
• Tomatoes – they both belong to the same Nightshade family, which means that they are prone to similar pests and diseases. However, they have the same growing requirements and can be grown together.
• Fennel – this tall perennial herb can compete with peppers for resources and space. It also releases certain compounds that may inhibit the growth of nearby plants, potentially affecting the development and productivity of pepper plants.
So, stick to those that we mentioned earlier when growing pepper plants. I personally love mixing peppers and herbs, while my mom has been successfully growing tomatoes and peppers together for years now.
Just experiment and see what works for your peppers. Good luck with companion gardening!