Pumpkins are a fun and tasty vegetable to grow in your garden. But did you know that planting the right companion plants with them can really boost your pumpkin harvest?
Certain plants make excellent companions for pumpkins by attracting beneficial insects repelling pests, improving pollination enhancing flavor, and more. Meanwhile, other plants can stunt pumpkin growth if planted too closely.
Follow this ultimate companion planting guide to learn what to plant with pumpkins for a bountiful autumn harvest.
Why Pumpkin Companion Planting Matters
Companion planting is based on the idea that certain plant species can benefit each other when grown together. It’s an organic gardening practice that helps:
-
Deter pests – Some plants repel insects or mask the scent of desired crops.
-
Attract pollinators – Flowers provide food sources for bees and other pollinating insects.
-
Enhance flavor – Some plants impart subtle flavor changes in neighboring crops.
-
Improve growth – Beneficial plants provide shade, nutrients, and other advantages.
-
Maximize garden space – Different crop layouts and shapes utilize area efficiently.
-
Control weeds – Low-growing plants act as living mulches.
Pumpkins especially benefit from companion planting to repel pests, attract pollinators for better fruit set, and maximize space usage.
Careful companion selection allows several plants to thrive together in the same garden bed.
Best Companion Plants for Pumpkins
Many vegetables, herbs, and flowers make excellent companion plants for pumpkins. Here are some top options to interplant with your pumpkins:
1. Corn
The Three Sisters method of growing corn, beans, and squash together dates back centuries. Corn provides a natural trellis for bean vines to climb up. Squash spreads as a living mulch under the corn to shade roots and conserve moisture.
Plant corn seeds around pumpkin hills, spacing 4-6 inches apart in all directions. The sturdy stalks support smaller trailing pumpkin varieties like jack-o-lantern types.
2. Pole Beans
As legumes, beans fix nitrogen into the soil to feed heavy-feeding pumpkins. They also climb corn stalks or trellises to maximize space. Pole bean vines don’t compete underground for nutrients like bush beans.
Sow bean seeds around corn plantings 2-3 weeks after the corn emerges. Bush beans can also grow around the base of pumpkin hills.
3. Radishes
Radishes grow rapidly, helping break up and aerate soil before slower-growing pumpkin vines spread. Their shallow roots don’t compete for nutrients.
Plant quick-growing radishes around the outside of pumpkin hills. Harvest radishes early, then the vines will take over that space.
4. Marigolds
Marigolds deter a range of garden pests, including beetles, aphids, tomato hornworms, squash bugs, and whiteflies. They also help attract pollinators.
Plant marigold transplants or seeds around the edges of your pumpkin patch. Choose compact varieties under 1 foot tall.
5. Nasturtiums
With their bright, edible flowers, nasturtiums help repel aphids, squash bugs, cucumber beetles, and other pumpkin pests. They also bring in more pollinating insects.
Tuck nasturtium seeds around pumpkin plants or use as a perimeter border. The compact, mounding foliage won’t overtake pumpkins.
6. Sunflowers
While giant sunflower varieties can shade out pumpkins, smaller or dwarf types help attract pollinators without blocking sun exposure.
Plant dwarf sunflower transplants or seeds on the north side of pumpkin plants to avoid shading. Use taller sunflowers as a windbreak.
7. Petunias
Petunias have some pest repellent properties against aphids, asparagus beetles, leafhoppers, and tomato worms. Their colorful blooms also draw in pollinators.
Use trailing or compact petunia varieties planted from transplants around pumpkin hills and borders. Avoid vigorous types that spread.
8. Basil
With its pungent scent, basil helps mask the odor of pumpkins from pests like cucumber beetles and squash bugs. It also attracts bees for better pollination.
Plant basil transplants near pumpkin vines, but don’t interplant directly in hills where roots will compete. Harvest basil regularly.
9. Oregano
Both the leaves and flowers of oregano attract beneficial insects while repelling pests like aphids, spider mites, cabbage worms, squash bugs, beetles, and leafhoppers.
Tuck oregano plants along the edges and in gaps within the pumpkin patch. The herbs won’t compete much underground for nutrients.
10. Borage
Star-shaped borage flowers provide an excellent nectar source for pollinators during the pumpkin flowering period. The plants also help deter tomato hornworms.
Scatter borage transplants around the pumpkin patch, as the messy, self-seeding plants can spread rapidly. Cut back flower stems after blooming.
Worst Companion Plants for Pumpkins
While many plants complement pumpkins well, some popular vegetable crops should be kept apart:
-
Squash family members – Other cucurbits like zucchini, winter squash, and melons compete with pumpkins for nutrients and water. Separate by at least 20-30 feet.
-
Potatoes – These vigorous root crops stunt pumpkin growth if planted in the same bed. Keep at least 30 feet apart.
-
Carrots – Long carrot roots can disrupt pumpkin hill roots. Maintain 15-20 feet between crops.
-
Sweet corn – Standard sweet corn robs nutrients and moisture from pumpkins. Use field corn instead.
-
Cabbage family – Broccoli, cauliflower, kale and cabbage growth inhibits pumpkins. Avoid planting together.
More Tips for Planting Pumpkins
Follow these extra companion planting tips for a thriving pumpkin patch:
-
Enrich soil with aged compost before planting pumpkins. They need nutrient-rich, well-draining soil.
-
Consider smaller pumpkin varieties like ‘Jack Be Little’ for tighter spaces between companion plants.
-
Use trellises, fences, or cages to help train pumpkin vines vertically instead of spreading.
-
Mulch around plants to suppress weeds that compete for water and nutrients.
-
Stagger plantings over several weeks for longer harvests. Start seeds indoors or use transplants.
-
Hand pollinate flowers by transferring pollen between blooms using a small brush.
Companion Planting Maximizes Your Harvest
By selecting the right companion plants, your pumpkins will thrive with fewer pests, better pollination, and less competition for garden space and nutrients. Follow the planting guidelines here for a bountiful harvest of plump pumpkins!
How to Grow Pumpkins at Home From Seed
FAQ
What not to plant next to pumpkins?
| Good Companion Plants | Bad Companion Plants |
|---|---|
| Corn | Dill |
| Garlic | Onion |
| Hyssop | Pepper |
| Kohlrabi | Potato |
What goes well with pumpkins?
- Aromatic herbs like oregano, chives, chamomile, marjoram, tansy, and hyssop. …
- Radishes. …
- Nasturtium. …
- Corn and beans.
Can I plant pumpkins and cucumbers together?
The old adage “don’t plant your cucumbers next to your pumpkins” is not true. You can plant pumpkins next to other squash, melons and cucumbers.
What month should you plant pumpkins?
-
Timing:Pumpkins are typically planted in late spring to early summer, after the last frost has passed and the soil has warmed up.
-
Los Angeles Specifics:Given the mild climate of Los Angeles, you can plant pumpkin seeds directly into the garden soil from late May to early June.
-
Indoor Starting:If you want an earlier harvest or larger pumpkins, you can start seeds indoors 2-4 weeks before the last spring frost date and transplant them outdoors once the weather is consistently warm.
-
Variety Selection:Choose pumpkin varieties that are known to mature quickly for a shorter growing season, or select varieties that take longer to mature and plant them in May.
-
Soil Temperature:Pumpkins thrive in warm soil, so ensure the soil temperature is at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit before sowing seeds.
-
Space:Pumpkins need plenty of space to grow, so ensure you have enough room for the vines to spread out.