Limp leaves, few flowers, small and slow-ripening fruits: problems that hobby gardeners often have when the tomatoes don't get along with their neighboring plants. We'll tell you in today's article which plants are bad neighbors for tomatoes and should not be planted directly next to the heavy eaters in the vegetable patch!
Tomatoes are one of the most popular crops in a mixed culture. They are fairly easy to care for and appreciate regular watering and a sunny location with lots of fruit. Of course, the right planting partners also play a crucial rolerich harvest. As a heavy feeder, tomatoes require a lot of nutrients and cannot tolerate root competition well. We list the 7 plants that you should definitely not plant next to tomatoes. There are basically three groups of bad neighbors for tomatoes:
- Plants that have different requirements for location and soil.
- Plants that suffer from the same diseases or are attacked by the same pests.
- Plants that are also heavy feeders. The lack of nutrients leads to root competition and few fruits.
Root competition between tomatoes and various types of cabbage
Head cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts and kohlrabi are heavy feeders that compete with tomatoes for nutrients in the soil. This root competition can slow down the tomato's growth and inhibit flower formation. As a result, it produces few fruits, which ripen more slowly than usual.
Fennel inhibits plant growth
Fennel does not get along with most vegetable plants. Tomatoes also cannot grow well if fennel grows in the vegetable patch. The reason: Fennel releases a substance into the soil that inhibits the growth of tomatoes.
Tomatoes do not get along with corn
Corn and tomatoes are good partners in many dishes. Even if they taste together, the plants are bad neighbors in the vegetable patch. This is mainly because the two crops attract the same pests.
Corn often attracts cotton boll borers to the garden. These butterflies are pests and can also attack tomatoes.
Nightshade plants such as peppers, potatoes and eggplant are bad neighbors
Potatoes, peppersand eggplantbelong to the nightshade plant family. They are often attacked by the fungus Alternaria. This pathogen can also cause blight and hard rot on tomatoes. The affected plants That is why professional gardeners recommend that you do not plant the two plants next to each other. The larvae of the moth (a butterfly) eat not only the tomato leaves, but also the potato leaves.
Potatoes and tomatoes are not good neighbors because harvesting can damage the sensitive tomato roots.
Do not plant tomatoes and dill together
Tomatoes get along well with most fragrant plants and herbs. However, there are exceptions such as dill. The young dill plants grow well next to tomatoes because they drive away aphids. But as the herb grows, it can damage the tomato's delicate roots. The herb attracts the knight moth, which lays its eggs on the dill leaves. When the caterpillars hatch, they not only attack the dill, but also the neighboring plants. The tomato also falls victim to the pest - the plant usually cannot survive an infestation and dies. So if you planted dill next to tomatoes, then you need to transplant it.
Do not plant tomatoes and cucumbers next to each other in the bed
Cucumbers have completely different soil and location requirements than tomatoes. The two types of vegetables are therefore not a good combination in the bed or in the greenhouse. In addition, cucumbers often suffer from powdery mildew, a dangerous fungal disease. The pathogen is the mildew fungus, which can also affect nearby tomatoes.
The distance between cucumbers and tomatoes should be at least 1.5 meters.
Buckwheat and tomatoes are not good planting partners
Plant the buckwheat first, about 6-8 weeks before the tomatoes. Then cut them back when the first flowers open. Do not leave the flowers standing as the plant will quickly spread through seeds throughout the garden. You can chop the buckwheat shoots into small pieces and use them as mulch for the vegetable patch or compost them. Only then can the tomatoes go into the bed.
Tomatoes do not mix with rosemary
Rosemary and tomatoes have similar nutritional requirements. They also have different requirements for soil and location. They also need different amounts of water to grow quickly and healthily.
Bad neighbors for tomatoes: the most important things summarized
In order for tomatoes to grow quickly, produce plenty of flowers and bear fruit, you have to find the right planting partners for them. However, space is limited, especially in raised beds or greenhouses - so you ask yourself which plants get along well with tomatoes and which don't? We've created a list of 10 plants that are bad neighbors for tomatoes. For various reasons, these are not suitable planting partners for mixed culture.
