21 Carrot Companion Plants [Deter Pests, Improve Soil, Maximize Space]
I always companion plant with my carrots. Natural diversity is a great way to deter pests and create an organic garden. When I first started intercropping my carrots with other vegetables and herbs, it was a bit of trial and error. But over the past few years, I’ve gotten a good grasp of what works best and what doesn’t with carrots.
Shockingly, it’s not what many of the big blogs will tell you.
Most Popular Carrot Companion Plants
Best All Around Companion - Marigolds
Best to Deter Rodents - Daffodils
Best Herb Companion - Oregano
Best Vegetable to Deter Pests - Alliums (Onions, Scallions, Chives)
Best Vegetable to Intercrop - Lettuce and Radish
What is Companion Planting
If you’re new to gardening or simply haven’t companion planted before, it’s an organic way to prevent diseases, deter pests, attract pollinators, and create a balanced garden that works together. In other words, if you companion plant correctly, you’ll need to do fewer interventions throughout your growing season.
My goal with companion planting is to create a diverse and balanced ecosystem, just like you would find in the wild. I’ve even started replacing much of my landscaping with foodscaping this year by using companion planting.
If you group the right plants together, they will help each other thrive and grow without man-made interventions. However, planting the wrong plants in close proximity can also result in increased competition and reduced harvests.
Benefits of Companion Planting With Carrots
Companion planting has many benefits, but I’ve found that companion planting with carrots has some specific ones.
Helps With Germination Issues
Carrots are prone to germination issues. Companion planting can help keep soil temperatures cool and moist if done correctly.
Deter Pests
Carrots are notorious for attracting carrot rust flies and rodents that will dig up your crops. There are several companion plants (which I’ll cover later) that do a great job at naturally repelling both carrot flies and rodents.
Attract Predatory Insects
Some companion plants can help you attract beneficial insects such as ladybugs which eat pests.
Provide Shade
Carrots do better in full sun, but they don’t do well with intense heat (unless you like eating woody carrots). Depending on your climate and planting season, some plants can help provide the necessary shade to grow carrots year-round.
Prevent Erosion
Carrots are finicky when being watered, especially in their early stages. Companion planting is a good way to make sure your soil doesn’t erode and your seeds do not wash away.
More Food
By companion planting, suburban and urban gardeners like me can maximize their space and get the most from their garden spaces. The key is to sow plants that don’t compete and prefer similar growing environments. I’ll talk about this later too.
Enhance Carrot Flavor
While some of this is anecdotal, I have noticed that some plants seem to make the carrots taste better when planted adjacent to one another.
Improved Soil Quality
Carrots don’t like a lot of nitrogen, but they do need some. By planting nitrogen fixers near carrots, you can create a natural source of this nutrient.
In addition, carrots grow best in loose soil and some plants are great at breaking up the soil for carrots.
Factors to Consider When Companion Planting With Carrots
I’m going to give you a lengthy list of potential companion plants that I’ve used and that work well with carrots; however, I haven’t tried every single plant combination.
So if you want to experiment on your own (and hopefully drop a comment about your results so we can share them with others), here are the factors I think you should consider when selecting carrot companion plants.
Shade
Carrots will grow in the shade, but they will come out shorter and smaller. If you’re ok with that, then by all means, grow them next to taller plants that provide shade.
Sometimes it’s the only way to grow carrots in hotter climates. But in general, I would be careful about planting anything too tall that may block out the sunlight. Carrots don’t grow very tall in comparison to other vegetables, so be mindful about plant height.
Growing Time
Carrots are a cool-season crop. I’ve seen others suggest growing carrots alongside warm-season crops before. Unless you’re trying to grow carrots all year in the summer heat, I typically won’t plant them with warm-season vegetables.
Whenever possible, grow carrots with other companion plants that also grow well in cooler season climates.
Water
Water is another consideration when companion planting. Carrots like consistent moisture, but don’t like to be wet. Planting carrots with other plants that prefer heavy watering isn’t a good idea.
Related Article: How Much Water Do Carrots Need?
Root Depth
Carrots are a deep root so don’t plant them with other deep root vegetables like potatoes. The two will compete for space. Shallow root companion plants typically work best with carrots.
Fertilizer and Nutrients
I really messed this up during my first year of growing carrots. I was using a 10-10-10 fertilizer and my carrots didn’t do so well.
Carrots don’t like excess nitrogen. It leads to excessive foliage and poor root growth. They need a little bit, but not a lot. Carrots really need more potassium and phosphorus to grow.
When selecting companion plants, choose other plants that require similar nutrients. Don’t plant with something that requires a lot of nitrogen.
Related Article: Carrot Fertilizer [What to Use, Where to Get It, and How to Use It]
Diversity
Carrots are a member of the parsley family and I would avoid planting them with other members of the same family such as celery, parsnip, or dill.
I’ve been told that carrots can cross-pollinate with other plants, but I’ve not yet seen any concrete facts about this. My greater concern has always been that planting a bunch of parsley members together will attract more of the same pests and diseases.
Diversity is always a good thing for any garden to help keep pests from decimating your crops.
Carrot Companion Plants to Deter Pests (Flowers)
I’ve found that these three flowers are the best at deterring common carrot pests.
Marigolds
Marigolds remind me of my grandmother who used to plant them every year in her flower bed. Now I plant them around my vegetable garden like a forcefield.
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 carrot roots.
Marigolds have a strong scent that acts as a natural insect repellent as well, deterring carrot rust flies, aphids, and psyllids.
If that wasn’t good enough, marigold roots also release some nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium back into the soil, three nutrients your carrots need to thrive.
Marigolds can improve the sugar content of carrot roots too. They’re just an all-around good flower to have near your vegetable gardens.
When planting marigolds with carrots, sow them at the same time as your carrots and keep them at least 8 inches away from your carrots.
Benefits to Carrots: Deter main carrot pests such as rodents and carrot flies; improve soil quality; improve sugar content of carrot roots.
Daffodils
These flowers are poisonous to squirrels, voles, mice, and rats. They contain a toxic chemical called lycorine as well as alkaloids to protect them from grazing animals.
This makes them an excellent companion for your carrots if you’re experiencing rodent problems.
I wouldn’t plant them in your garden bed, but rather around the perimeter of it like a forcefield. Just be cautious if you have outdoor pets because they are also toxic to cats and dogs if ingested.
The great thing about daffodils is that they are perennials meaning they will come back every year without having to replant them.
Benefits to Carrots: Repels rodents
Nasturtiums
This has been one of my favorite garden discoveries. Not only do they come in all types of colors, which my wife loves, but they also attract beneficial predatory insects and repel carrot rust flies and aphids.
Nasturtiums contain alpha-pinene which gives off a strong odor that repels many insect pests.
They also attract ladybugs which feed on aphids and other pests.
If you plant them around your garden, space them at least 12” away from your carrots. You can sow them at the same time you sow your carrot seeds.
Benefits to Carrots: Deters pests such as carrot rust flies; attracts predatory insects such as ladybugs
Carrot Companion Plants to Deter Pests (Herbs)
I’ve found two herbs that work best to help deter common carrot pests are oregano and sage.
Oregano
I use oregano in a lot of recipes with carrots so it’s only natural to grow them together. But besides the fact that I use it with carrots, oregano also deters nematodes and carrot rust flies.
Others have told me that oregano and marjoram can improve the flavor of carrots, but I’ve not noticed a difference - other than after harvest when I cook with them together!
I like to plant oregano in 12” pots and place them in the corners of my carrot garden. If you plant it directly in the ground, you should be aware of two things.
First, keep it at least 12” away from your carrots, and know that it can be invasive and spread. In my first year of gardening, I planted a bunch of oregano directly in my raised beds and now it (along with some mint) is everywhere.
Sow oregano at the same time you sow your carrot seeds.
Benefits to Carrots: Deters pests such as carrot rust flies and nematodes
Sage
Sage, like rosemary, has a strong scent that can help deter pests such as carrot flies. It acts as a smokescreen and confuses pests.
When planting sage with carrots, keep them at least 12” away from the carrots. Sage can grow to be 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide depending on the variety, so be sure it doesn’t overshade your carrots or compete for space with them.
You could form a perimeter of sage around your carrots, but that’s a lot of sage to use up. I like to plant it in the corners and mix it with flowers such as marigolds.
Benefits to Carrots: Deters pests such as carrot rust flies
Carrot Companion Plants to Deter Pests (Vegetables)
When it comes to veggies that help deter common carrot pests, nothing does the job like alliums.
Onions
Onions are a great companion for carrots because they have a strong scent that deters pests like carrot flies.
They also have shallow roots that don’t interfere with carrots and they don’t block out a lot of sun which can stunt carrot growth.
Onions will take longer to reach maturity than carrots, but you can still plant them at the same time. You’ll just harvest your carrots first.
If planting onions with carrots, I like to plant them in rows with about 6” in between my carrot rows and onion rows.
Benefits to Carrots: Deters pests
Scallions
Similar to onions, they too emit a strong smell that will deter common carrot pests including the infamous carrot fly.
They too have shallow roots that won’t interfere with carrot growth and don’t block out a lot of sun.
Scallions also mature much faster than onions, so if you have plans for your carrot bed immediately after harvest, these are a better option.
When planting scallions with carrots, plant them the same way as onions, in rows about 6” apart from your carrot rows.
Because we cook with scallions quite often, I’ve also encircled my bed with scallions like a forcefield which works quite well.
Benefits to Carrots: Deters pests
Chives
I love planting chives with carrots. Not only do they help repel carrot flies and aphids by consuming pests with their scent, but they are also drought tolerant and have low nutrient requirements.
Chives also bloom with beautiful purple flowers if you let them go to seed. I’ve also noticed that chives improve the taste of carrots when I grow them together.
You can plant chives in a perimeter around your carrot beds or in rows adjacent to your carrots, spacing them 6” apart from your carrot rows.
Benefits to Carrots: Deters pests
Carrot Companion Plants to Improve Soil
Cilantro
Ok, I know I said don’t plant parsley plants near carrots and cilantro is a member of the parsley family, but this is an exception I’ve found.
Cilantro has a deep taproot which can help improve soil structure. When it goes to seed it also produces a white flower that can attract beneficial predatory insects that feed on carrot flies, aphids, lygus bugs, and nematodes.
Because of these benefits, it might be worth a try in your garden too.
You can plant cilantro in the four corners of your carrot garden or in rows 6” apart from your carrots.
Benefits to Carrots: Improves soil structure; attracts predatory insects.
Bush Beans
Bush beans grow about 2 feet tall so I only plant them on the south side of my carrots (I’m in the northern hemisphere) so that they don’t block the sun.
I also plant them about 8” away from the end of my carrot rows to make sure my carrots don’t receive too much shade.
Beans are a good addition to a carrot bed because they help improve nitrogen in the soil. I found that planting bush beans with my carrots acted as a natural nitrogen fixer and reduced my need to fertilize my carrots with blood meal.
Carrot Companion Plants to Maximize Space
If you’re like me growing a suburban, or even an urban, garden, space is always a concern. These are my favorite vegetables to plant with carrots for no reason other than they maximize my harvest yields of food.
Radishes
I often intercrop radishes and carrots. I even like to plant one radish at the beginning of each carrot row because they sprout much faster in the winter months and this is a great way to know where I planted each year.
Radishes have shallow roots and their tops are about the same size as carrot tops so they don’t interfere with sunlight or root development.
If you grow in rows, I can get away with planting a row of radishes 4” apart from my carrot row in a raised bed with good organic soil.
Radishes grow quickly, about 2-3x as fast as carrots. This means you’ll harvest your radishes before your carrots so you want to do so carefully.
I find a hori hori knife is really helpful for this. I know I mention this tool often, but it really is good for all kinds of things.
To harvest your radishes intercropped with carrots, hold the base of the carrot next to the radish, carefully push your hori hori knife under the radish, and gently lever it up out of the ground.
Lettuce
Lettuce is such a great companion for many veggies. It’s a light feeder and grows quickly and if you have any unused space between your carrot rows, it’s a great filler plant.
Lettuce also has shallow roots so you don’t have to worry about it interfering with carrot root growth.
Because of this, you can plant lettuce closer to your carrots than any other companion plant. As long as you have 3-6” of space between your carrots and your lettuce, you’ll be fine.
Most lettuce varieties don’t grow very tall either, so they won’t block sunlight from your carrots. I like to grow a Nevada lettuce or even a heat-tolerant lettuce such as Marvel of Four Seasons if I’m planting carrots while it’s still fairly warm outside.
Because you can plant lettuce in between your carrot rows, it also does wonders at keeping your soil moist and cool, which carrots love.
Beets
I’m not a big fan of eating beets, but I do like them in a good stew with my carrots and radishes.
Beets have a large bulb and taproot which can loosen up harder soil, but because of this, you have to plant them a bit farther apart from your carrots. I’ve planted mine 10” apart in rows and that seems to be ok.
Spinach
My wife makes a killer spinach salad with nuts, cranberries, feta, and apples in the fall. And nothing is better than fresh spinach.
It’s very similar to lettuce in the fact that it has shallow roots and doesn’t grow very tall. You can sow spinach seeds 4-6 inches apart from your carrot rows.
Japanese Turnips
If it was any other turnip, I wouldn’t advise companion planting it with carrots, but this is an exception. Most turnips grow too large to plant with carrots, but not this one.
Japanese turnips have a shallow root and prefer similar conditions to carrots. Others have told me that they also have a smell that helps repel pests. I don’t know for sure, but it could be true.
When planting Japanese turnips, space them in rows 4-6” from your carrot rows and harvest them when the roots are a few inches in diameter.
Other Carrot Companion Plants
I separated these from the lists above because while you can plant them with carrots, they’re not my favorite. They can work, but they require some extra skill to do so.
Rosemary
Rosemary has the same effect as sage does in helping to deter pests like the carrot rust fly. Rosemary can get up to 6 feet tall and 5 feet wide, so plant it far enough away from your carrots that it doesn’t block the sunlight or compete for space.
Rosemary has deep roots so it can also help loosen soil for carrots if you plant directly in the ground. If you’re growing in a raised bed, I would plant rosemary outside of the bed rather than in it with your carrots.
Tomatoes
The problem with tomatoes is they can block too much sun from your carrots. If you companion plant tomatoes with carrots, plant the tomatoes in the center and encircle them with your carrots.
Tomatoes produce solanine which helps repel some carrot pests which is why it’s on the list. Also, if you’re planting carrots during the summer months when you plant tomatoes, they can offer shade on hot days.
While shade isn’t ideal, neither is a woody-tasting carrot. Too much shade may result in smaller carrot development, but at least it won’t taste like wood.
If you do plant tomatoes and carrots together, plant carrots at least 12” away from the tomato plants and make sure each has its own separate irrigation so that the tomatoes don’t suck up all the water.
Peppers
Like tomatoes, peppers can grow in the center of a garden space and be surrounded by carrots at least 12” away.
Peppers can provide some shade in the summer months, but that shade also stunts my carrot growth. I found that planting carrots in the shade of peppers resulted in smaller carrots.
It’s not a big deal, but something you should be prepared for.
Cabbage
Cabbage doesn’t have any pest-repellent properties in itself, but it does diversify your garden which can lower the risk of pests.
It’s also great in a stew or soup with carrots, making it a good option if you’re limited on space.
The only caution is that cabbage can get big, like 18” in diameter for some varieties. Make sure you space it out well enough that it doesn’t provide too much shade for your carrots.
Leeks
I love a good leek. They also exude a scent that repels pests like carrot rust flies.
Leeks do take about 2x the amount of time to grow as carrots, so plan for that.
If you plant leeks, I prefer to plant them in rows 10-12” apart from my carrots.
They’re not my favorite companion plant because if you want to blanch the stalks of leeks, you have to mound them up and that can be a problem if you accidentally bury your carrots in the process.
Borage
Borage is a herb that attracts beneficial insects such as hoverflies. It also contains trace elements of potassium which helps improve soil quality.
The reason I don’t normally plant borage with my carrots is that it can grow to be quite large. I’ve had plants grow over 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. This can block the sunlight that carrots need to develop.
If you plant borage with carrots, make sure it is far enough away and I would only plant it on the south side.
Bad Companion Plants for Carrots
There are some companion plants that I flat-out wouldn’t try to grow with carrots ever again. Those include:
Fennel
Fennel just doesn’t play well with most of the vegetables I like. It’s like everything grows slower in its presence.
Dill
I swear that my carrots don’t grow as much when planted with dill. Plus, dill attracts more carrot rust flies which is a big problem.
Parsnips
These are part of the parsley family and they too attract more rust flies.
Gourds
Gourds, or cucurbits, compete with carrots for phosphorus in the soil, making them a bad combination.
Celery
Again, part of the parsley family and will just attract more pests.
Parsley
Did I mention parsley? I did.
Potatoes
This may seem obvious to you too, but they’ll interfere with the carrot roots as both are root crops.
Carrot Companion Plants Recommended Reading
When to Plant Carrots in 26 States and 30 Regions
5 Types of Carrots to Grow This Year
