Pumpkin Companion Plants [And 15 to Avoid]
Nature is diverse and that diversity keeps everything in balance. Diversifying your garden with pumpkin companion plants can recreate these checks and balances in your garden. Companion planting in my garden was a bit of trial and error when I first started, but now that I’ve figured a few things out, it helps me control pests and grow better pumpkins.
In this article, I’ll share with you:
What I’ve learned about companion planting
Why I think it’s important
When I plant my pumpkin companion plants
A list of my favorite flowers, herbs, and vegetables to plant with pumpkins
And a list of plants that you shouldn’t plant with your pumpkins
What is Companion Planting
For those of you who may be new to gardening or have not heard the term, companion planting is an organic way to prevent diseases, protect your plants from pests, attract pollinators, and more.
The goal of companion planting is to create a diverse and balanced garden ecosystem, just like you would find in nature. By grouping the right plants together, they will help each other grow and thrive. Planting the wrong plants together will result in competition and reduced harvests.
Should You Plant Companion Plants With Pumpkins
Definitely! I didn’t always companion plant, but once I did I had better-flavored pumpkins and fewer diseases and pests.
Growing the plants I list out later in this article with my pumpkins has helped me realize the following benefits.
Save Space
By planting quick-growing vegetables such as spinach and lettuce with my pumpkins, I can grow more vegetables in less space. If you don’t have a lot of room to grow, companion planting can help you maximize your garden space.
Limit Pests
When I grew only pumpkins in my garden I had an infestation of squash bugs. Because I only had one crop growing, it invited those bugs to come in and destroy everything. They wreaked havoc on my entire crop.
Planting a diverse group of plants has helped me limit these pests. Some plants repel pests with their strong scent. Some attract good bugs like ladybugs which eat pests like aphids.
Others attract pests away from your pumpkins like a sacrificial plant. I don’t know if it’s true, but I’ve even heard that a diversity of colors can confuse pests and keep them at bay.
Lure Pests Away
Similar to my previous commentary, some plants are called trap plants. For example, buckwheat doesn’t repel but actually attracts beetles that would damage your pumpkins. By planting a crop like this on the edge of your garden, you can lure pests away from your pumpkins.
If you’re going to grow food, you’ll learn quickly that bugs gotta eat too. You might as well let them eat something you don’t want.
Increase Pollinators
Many flowers attract bees and other pollinators essential for pumpkins. Imagine a sea of sunflowers rising above your pumpkins like a flag signaling to all the bees, “Here we are.”
Enhance Flavor
Some herbs such as marjoram and borage can enhance the flavor of your pumpkins when grown next to them. I was skeptical at first, but I swear when I plant marjoram next to my pumpkins they taste so much better.
Balance Soil
When the right diversity of plants are together they create a symbiotic relationship. Just like trees capture carbon dioxide and we use the oxygen they release, companion plants do similar activities for each other. Beans help fix nitrogen in the soil, while pumpkins absorb a lot of this element.
Borage contains trace elements of magnesium and potassium and those transfer to your pumpkins through the root system which results in better, more flavorful pumpkins.
Avoid Using Chemicals
If you companion plant, you won’t need to use chemicals and non-organic, unnatural interventions in your garden. Nature will do the work.
Companion Planting for Pumpkins [When to Plant]
Timing is important when companion planting. For most companion plants you’ll want to sow seeds around the same time or within a few weeks of planting your pumpkins so they can grow together.
There are some exceptions for plants like nastiums which grow quickly. For plants that grow a bit more aggressively, wait a few weeks after planting your pumpkins before companion planting. This will make sure they don’t choke out your pumpkins.
My Favorite Companion Plants for Pumpkins
Corn
Corn is part of the three sisters which include squash, beans, and corn. I obtained my degree in Anthropology and I can tell you numerous Native American groups grew these plants together for many years because of how they mutually benefit one another.
Pumpkins act as ground cover and prevent weeds for the beans and corn. The beans help put nitrogen back into the soil and the corn acts as a natural trellis for the beans to grow on.
If you grow corn with pumpkins, plant the corn first and wait until it is about 6 inches tall before planting your pumpkins. Make sure you plant the pumpkins with plenty of room so the corn doesn’t produce too much shade. Pumpkins don’t like shade.
Beans and Legumes
The third vegetable of the three sisters fixes nitrogen in the soil. Given that pumpkins are heavy nitrogen feeders, beans can make a great companion plant for pumpkins. If you are using the three sisters together, pole beans tend to do best because they will grow up the corn stalks. You can plant them in rows in between your corn and next to your pumpkins.
Benefit to Pumpkins: Adds nitrogen to the soil
Borage
Borage is good for many reasons. It attracts beneficial insects such as nabid bugs and hoverflies that will feed on pumpkin pests like aphids. The plant also contains nectar which attracts pollinators for pumpkins.
If that wasn’t enough, borage also contains trace elements of magnesium, calcium, and potassium which improve the soil. These elements transfer to pumpkins through the root systems resulting in more flavorful pumpkins.
It really is the super companion plant for pumpkins.
If you’re planting borage in your garden, space the seeds out 12 inches apart and plant next to your pumpkins.
Benefit to Pumpkins: Reduce pests, improve flavor, attract pollinators
Marjoram
Similar to oregano, only sweeter, I use marjoram to flavor my chili all the time. I’m also convinced that growing it with my pumpkins enhances their flavor too. It’s hard to describe, but when it grows next to the vines, it somehow makes the pumpkin flesh taste better. Maybe it’s a placebo effect in my head, but others have said the same thing too. Try it and see if you agree.
If you plant marjoram, put it in a pot and set the pot in your garden near your pumpkins. Majoram like oregano is an invasive plant and will quickly spread throughout your entire garden. So unless you want a garden full of oregano that never goes away, use a pot.
Benefit to Pumpkins: Improved flavor, deters deer beetles
Mint
Mint attracts hoverflies which lay their eggs on the leaves. When these larvae hatch, the newborns will feed on aphids, mites, and other pumpkin pests. Hoverflies live almost everywhere in the US except for extreme deserts, so this is always a good companion plant option for pest control if you have a problem with aphids.
I used to have a problem with aphids until I planted mint all around my garden. Now it’s rare that I have an aphid problem.
Mint is heat tolerant. I grow it all year round in my gardens and if you let it flower, it will attract pollinators too. If you plant mint with your pumpkins, I would put it in a pot, not directly in the ground or in a raised bed. I made this mistake once and the mint spread everywhere. Mint is an invasive plant so use caution or it will take over your garden.
Benefit to Pumpkins: Attracts beneficial insects that feed on aphids, attracts pollinators
Nasturtiums
This has been one of my favorite discoveries. Not only do they come in all types of colors and look great, but they also attract beneficial insects and repel bad ones.
If you’ve ever had a problem with squash bugs, this is a pumpkin companion plant you should grow. This plant is one of the most effective plants I’ve found for repelling squash bugs. It contains alpha-pinene which gives off a strong odor that repels squash bugs, cucumber beetles, and cabbage loopers - all without using chemicals.
In addition, it attracts ladybugs which feed on beetles and aphids.
If you plant them in your garden, plant them 12 inches apart from your pumpkins and I like to plant them a week or two after I’ve planted my pumpkin seeds.
Benefit to Pumpkins: Repels squash bugs, attracts ladybugs that feed on aphids
Marigolds
Marigolds remind me of my grandmother who used to plant them every year in her flower bed. Now I also plant them in my vegetable garden. The roots of marigolds secrete a chemical called thiophenes that suppresses roundworms and breaks down nematodes in the soil. Both of these are harmful soil pests that can damage pumpkins.
It’s a natural insect repellent too. Marigolds have a scent that repels aphids and beetles.
If that wasn’t enough of a reason to plant some marigolds with your pumpkins, their roots also release nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium into the soil. These are the three primary nutrients your pumpkins need to thrive.
Plant marigolds 6 to 8 inches away from your pumpkin stems so they don’t compete for resources. They will make a vibrant ground cover for your young pumpkins.
Benefit to Pumpkins: Improve soil quality, repel aphids, beetles, and nematodes
Lavender
I personally like to grow lavender in my garden to use in my tea. But growing it next to my pumpkins helps attract pollinators such as bees. Another cool thing about lavender is that in warmer climates, like Southern California or the Deep South, lavender will live for 10 years or more. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
If you want to start a tea garden and a pumpkin garden, these two are great companion plants.
Plant lavender 12 inches from your pumpkin plant so they don’t overcompete for resources.
Benefit to Pumpkins: Attracts pollinators such as bees
Sunflowers
I’ve personally never grown sunflowers myself, but I have friends who have. Sunflowers attract pollinators to your garden. They’re like giant flags standing tall in the air signaling, “Here we are!” Others have also told me that they attract birds in the fall who eat the seeds. Many of those birds also eat insect pests so they could be good to have around.
While I haven’t personally done it, I also imagine that you could grow sunflowers instead of corn in the three sisters’ arrangement. The beans could grow up the sunflower just as they would the corn. And I think sunflowers look way better in a garden than corn. Try it out and let me know how it goes.
Benefit to Pumpkins: Attracts pollinators, attracts birds who eat insects
Buckwheat
While you can grow buckwheat for food (it’s similar to a grain, but not a grain), I grow it as a trap crop. Don’t grow it too close to your pumpkins, but rather plant it on the edge of your garden.
Buckwheat attacts spiders and ground beetles which can damage your pumpkins. But planting it on the outskirts of your garden lures these pests away from your pumpkins. That’s why we call it a trap crop. It’s essentailly a decoy. Everyone’s gotta eat, including those bugs. So I feed them this instead of having them munch away at my pumpkins.
Benefit to Pumpkins: Lures pests away from pumpkins as a trap crop
Dill
I use dill to make pickles each year from my cucumbers, but I usually grow it in or near my pumpkins. Dill attracts ladybugs and hooverflies which eat aphids. This helps naturally control pest levels. It also is a great herb to deter cabbage worms from laying eggs on pumpkin leaves.
You can plant dill right next to your pumpkins. It’s not invasive like many other herbs.
Benefit to Pumpkins: Attracts beneficial insects such as ladybugs and hoverflies which eat aphids
Chamomile
If you can’t tell that I love my tea, it’s probably obvious now. But beyond tea, it attracts hoverflies and wasps, and it repels Mexican bean beetles.
Chamomile also accumulates calcium, potassium, and sulfur and returns them to the soil. These are all nutrients that pumpins need.
Benefits to Pumpkins: Attracts beneficial insects, improves soil
Catnip
Catnip is part of the mint family. It deters ants, weevils, squash bugs, japanese beetles, flea beetles, and mice. If you have problems with any of these, plant some catnip next to your pumpkins.
If you have cats, they will love it too. Catnip has nepetalactone in the leaves, stems and flower buds which cats are attracted to.
Catnip is invasive, so whenever I plant this in my garden, I plant it in pots and put the pots in my garden.
Benefit to Pumpkins: Deters pests including squash bugs and mice
Other Companion Plants for Pumpkins
Lemon Balm - repels squash bugs
Lovage - improves the flavor of pumpkins
Oregano - attracts hoverflies and syrphidae which eat pest
Spinach - makes great use of extra space and grows quickly before vines cover the ground
Tansy - concentrates potassium in the soil and repels squash bugs, ants, mosquitoes, cutworms, and beetles
Lettuce - makes great use of extra space and grows quickly with short roots that won’t compete wiht pumpkins
Cosmos - improves the flavor of pumpkins
Chives - repels pests like aphids
Other Pumpkin Varieties - If you have more types of pumpkins, you’ll have more flowers which means more pollinators attracted to your garden
Bad Companion Plants For Pumpkins
I’ve also learned over the years that some plants are not good companions for pumpkins. Planting the wrong crops with your pumpkins will result in them competing for space and nutrients. And this usually results in stunted growth, diseases running rampant through yoru garden, and a plague of pests.
I remember one year I had powdery mildew spread through my entire garden in what seemed overnight. So here are some plants that I’ve learned not to plant with my pumpkins (or anywhere near them).
Potatoes
Onions
Garlic
Beets
Carrots
Pumpkin roots are delicate (that’s why you shouldn’t walk on them either). Harvesting root veggies wreaks a lot of damage on your pumpkin’s root systems. Also, they will compete for the same nutrients in the soil which creates losing plants all around. Avoid potatoes, onions, garlic, beets, and any other root crop for these reasons.
Cucumbers
I don’t plant other vining plants like cucumbers near my pumpkins anymore either. They can get tangled up quickly. I planted these too close one year and my pumpkins quickly found my cucumber trellis and started growing together. Pumpkin vines are delicate and I ended up breaking a lot of them when I was harvesting my cucumbers. Since then I have avoided planting anything with vines near my pumpkins.
Melons
Watermelon, cantaloupe, and other melons are vining and will choke out your pumpkins. Not to mention they have the same problem as cucumbers if you grow them too close to your pumpkins on a trellis. Whenever I’ve grown melons with my pumpkins, it’s resulted in miniature fruits, probably because they compete for sunlight and nutrients too much.
Other Pumpkins and Squash
This one is really up to you. I do plant different pumpkin varieties together sometimes, but only when I do not plan on saving the seeds. If you plant multiple squash together they will cross-pollinate. It won’t affect the fruit this year, but it will affect the seeds if you’re saving them for next season. You won’t end up with the same fruit. So if you like surprises or you’re not planning on saving your seeds, go for it. Otherwise, I’d avoid planting other squash nearby.
Fennel
None of my plants seem to like fennel. It took me a while to figure this one out, but my pumpkins grow slower when fennel is planted next to them.
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Brussel Sprouts
Kale
All of these belong to the Brassicaceae family and they’re all bad companion plants for pumpkins. They are heavy feeders just like your pumpkins and planted together they will deplete your soil of nutrients quickly. This results in much smaller harvests.
Radishes
Okay, a lot of people recommend planting radishes with your pumpkins because they repel some pests. But like I said earlier, pumpkin roots are delicate and radishes are a root crop. While they are only a few inches long, pumpkin roots can grow within 2 inches of the surface and I’m just not willing to risk damage to their roots.
Besides there are so many other companion plants that you can use to repel pests. For this reason, I don’t plant radishes in my pumpkin garden.
Zucchini
I tried this one year. I figured they’re both squash and it would help attract pollinators. I had a couple of problems result.
First, because zucchini and pumpkins are both part of the Cucurbitacaeae family, they attract the same diseases and pests. It started in my zucchini and quickly spread to my pumpkins. That was not a fun experience.
Second, they require the same resources and compete with each other for them. No matter how much fertilizer and additives I added, it was hard to get a good crop.
Lastly, when I saved my zucchini seeds and planted them the following year I didn’t have zucchini anymore, but some dark (almost black) pumpkin-looking thing with zucchini-looking stripes because they cross-pollinated.
Tomatoes
I know people all over say that it’s fine to grow tomatoes and pumpkins together. After some experience with this, here’s why I don’t anymore.
Pumpkins are vining and they will grow on anything they can find. I’ve even had them grow up neighboring shade tents (don’t ask me how the little devils reached up that high, but they did).
Most likely you’re growing tomatoes in a cage or if you’re like me, I use stakes and garden twine to weave in between them. Within a month, my pumpkins had completely overtaken my tomato plants and started weighing down and tipping over my support system.
Second, tomatoes are heavy feeders just like pumpkins. When two heavyweights like pumpkins and tomatoes go at it, they both lose.
Lastly, if you plant them too close to one another (like within 2 or 3 feet) their roots are going to compete for space. If you’ve ever ripped out a 6-foot tomato plant, you know it has an extensive root system just like pumpkins.
Despite what many websites say, I don’t recommend planting tomatoes with your pumpkins or near them.
Pumpkin Companion Plants Conclusion
Companion planting can save space, limit pests, increase pollination rates, and enhance the flavor of your pumpkins
Planting companion plants with pumpkins can also help you control these things naturally without using chemicals
For most companion plants, sow the seeds within a few weeks of planting your pumpkins
The best companion plants for pumpkins are corn, beans, borage, marjoram, oregano, mint, nasturtium, marigolds, lavender, sunflowers, buckwheat, dill, chamomile, and catnip
Other companion plants for pumpkins are lemon balm, lovage, spinach, tansy, lettuce, cosmos, chives, and other pumpkin varieties (provided you’re not saving your seeds)
The worst companion plants for pumpkins are potatoes, onions, garlic, beets, carrots, cucumbers, melons, fennel, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale, radishes, tomatoes and zucchini
