The Best Companion Planting Duos for Raised Garden Beds, According to Experts

When selecting plants for your raised beds, you’ll be pleased to know that certain combinations can yield numerous benefits for your garden. This practice, known as companion planting, optimizes your space, enhances soil quality, and minimizes disease and pest issues by pairing plants that naturally protect, support, or nourish each other. These groupings thrive in controlled, nutrient-rich environments like raised beds.

Below, garden experts share their top companion plant pairings that can significantly improve your garden’s overall health, leading to reduced pest pressure, increased nutrient availability, and bountiful harvests.

Meet Our Expert

Charles Dowding, author and no-dig gardener who uses compost to grow amazing vegetables

Related: Use Our Companion Planting Chart to Grow a Thriving Vegetable Garden

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Onions and Strawberries Credit: Getty Images

It may sound like an odd pairing; however, onions (Allium cepa) and strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) are the perfect combination in a raised bed. “Onions contain many beneficial compounds that make them great additions to raised beds, most notably allicin and sulfur,” says Jen Dunlap, horticulture manager and landscape designer at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.

Dunlap explains that these pungent compounds deter strawberry-loving garden pests like slugs and aphids while also acting as mild fungicides. “Onion roots grow deep into the soil, making them an ideal companion for the more shallowly rooted strawberry,” she says.

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Garlic and Beets Credit: Getty Images

Beets (Beta vulgaris) and garlic (Allium sativum) taste delicious together, so it makes sense that they’re also great garden companions. This classic pairing is perfect for a raised garden bed, says Dunlap. “Garlic protects beets from Fusarium wilt (a destructive soil-borne disease) and mildew due to its allicin and sulfur compounds while also deterring pests like flea beetles and aphids,” she says. And due to the non-competing growth habit of their roots, beets fit perfectly between the rows of garlic. “The vigor and flavor of both crops are enhanced when paired together,” Dunlap adds.

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Leeks and Celeriac Credit: Getty Images

These two vegetables thrive as neighbors in raised beds. Leeks (Allium ampeloprasum) grow tall, while celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum) grows more horizontally and slowly.

Early-maturing leek varieties can be harvested from late summer to early autumn, whereas celeriac is typically harvested in late autumn to early winter. This complementary growth pattern allows for effective planning in the garden. “They make an attractive combination while growing, and give you two harvests from the same piece of ground, at different times,” says gardening expert Charles Dowding.

Dowding sows both leeks and celeriac under cover in module trays at the same time, around mid-March. Then he transplants both leeks and celeriac into the garden in late April.

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Dwarf French Marigolds With Any Plant Credit: Getty Images

Dwarf French marigolds (Tagetes patula) are a wonderful companion for any plant. They have a strong scent, and part of that includes a substance called limonene, which is a deterrent to aphids, says Dowding.

While they won’t deter all aphids, they can help maintain a balance between pests and predators, which is the goal. “The aim is never to destroy all pests because otherwise there’s nothing for predators to eat,” says Dowding.

This variety of marigolds remains small while glowing with gorgeous orange and yellow flowers throughout the summer. “Flowering will be enhanced if you can deadhead them, and that’s also an opportunity to save their seeds,” Dowding adds.

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Borage and Tomatoes Credit: Getty Images

Adding borage (Borago officinalis) to raised beds will help keep pests, such as hornworms, away from tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum), says Dunlap.

Borage is also a nitrogen fixer, which ensures your tomato plants have an ample supply of this critical nutrient to support growth throughout the season. Dunlap adds that healthy plants are less prone to pests and diseases and that the deeply rooted borage is spectacularly efficient at drawing minerals such as calcium and potassium from the soil.

Although tomatoes and borage prefer full sun and love being neighbors, ensure you give them enough space to grow to their full potential. Dunlap notes that borage can grow to about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, while tomatoes are known for their vigorous growth.

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Tomatoes and Basil Credit: Getty Images

Tomatoes and basil (Ocimum basilicum) complement each other well in both gardens and dishes. Ankit K. Singh, assistant professor and ornamental horticulture educator at the University of Maine Extension, notes that tomatoes and basil grow well together because they like the same warm, sunny conditions and well-draining soil. “Basil fits nicely around the base of tomato plants, making good use of space in a raised bed while benefiting from some shade during the hottest part of the day,” says Singh. He adds that many gardeners plant them together because basil can help attract beneficial insects.

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Peas and Carrots Credit: Getty Images

Peas (Pisum sativum) and carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) make excellent companion plants, thriving together and providing a range of benefits. Singh notes that peas are nitrogen-fixing plants that naturally enrich the soil, which supports the growth and health of carrots. These two vegetables complement each other’s growth habits and nutrient requirements effectively. Furthermore, as peas grow upwards and have shallow roots, they create space underground for carrots, reducing competition for resources.

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Brassicas and Dill Credit: Getty Images

Members of the brassica family (Brassicaceae), such as cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts, all enjoy having dill (Anethum graveolens) as their neighbor. Dill not only looks attractive in a raised bed with its wide, flat-topped golden-yellow blooms, but it also serves as a protective barrier by repelling destructive pests such as cabbage moths and spider mites, which feast on brassicas. At the same time, its flowers attract beneficial predatory insects, such as ladybugs and parasitic wasps, that naturally hunt harmful garden pests. Dill can also act as a trap crop, luring hornworms away from tomatoes.

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Chives and Cabbage Credit: Getty Images

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) and chives (Allium schoenoprasum) complement each other beautifully in raised beds. While cabbage is susceptible to pests, surrounding it with chives effectively deters unwanted visitors such as aphids, cabbage moths, flea beetles, and slugs. Chives emit strong sulfur compounds that mask the scent of cabbage, confusing and repelling these pests. This pairing is particularly efficient for raised beds, as chives occupy minimal root space while offering year-round protection.

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Radish and Carrot Credit: Getty Images

These delicious crops thrive when planted close together as they utilize space, harvest times, and soil in complementary ways without competing for the same resources. Radishes (Raphanus sativus) help aerate the soil as they grow, allowing carrot roots to dig deeper. Since radishes mature much more quickly than carrots, harvesting them creates room for the carrots to fully mature.

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Nasturtiums and Cucumber Credit: Getty Images

Nasturtiums (Tropaeolaceae) are vibrant and cheerful plants that make excellent trap crops, especially for cucumbers (Cucumis sativus). By planting them next to your cucumber plants, you can effectively draw away harmful pests from your harvest. The strong scent of nasturtiums naturally repels destructive insects, such as cucumber beetles, squash bugs, and whiteflies. Additionally, these beautiful blooms attract beneficial pollinators to your garden. For optimal results, plant nasturtiums around the perimeter of your garden bed and allow them to sprawl beneath the trellised cucumbers.

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