One of the purposes of planting any crop is to get the best yield out of it. Zucchini can’t produce this result when grown alone. Its leaves can easily get damaged by pests and that will make it susceptible to diseases that these pests can cause. That’s when the companion planting technique comes in.
Zucchini feeds heavily which means that to cultivate it, you must provide the plant with suitable soil, lots of water, and sunlight to produce delicious fruit. You can also have a great harvest when you grow it with crops that won’t be in competition with it for space or nutrients.
Once you have ample knowledge about the type of plants that will attract pollinators and predators that will feed on the pests, then you will have no problems cultivating them. Planting zucchini isn’t difficult at all and with companion planting the yield and flavor of your plant will be improved.
A peek into the next paragraph will reveal the plants you should avoid and those you should Plant next to your growing zucchini.
15 Best Zucchini Companion Plants
Before cultivating a plant, the invasion of pests and outbreak of diseases are problems that every gardener thinks about. However, the invention of companion planting has made things a lot easier for gardeners. So, before you grow that crop, all you need to do is browse through and read about the plants that will benefit your crop and the procedures to follow to avoid a poor harvest.
1. Nasturtium
Aphids are enemies of zucchini but not to worry. Nasturtium is a beautiful flower that plays a huge role in repelling aphids from zucchini by attracting them to itself. Its colorful flowers add some beauty to the garden and also invite pollinators to your plant. This plant will also improve the flavor of your zucchini.
2. Marigold
Like Nasturtium, Marigold is a flowering plant that also invites pests. It emits a scent that insects hate and that alone repels them from your vegetable plant, zucchini.
3. Garlic
There is no better companion plant than those which belong to the Alium family. Garlic is a member of the Alium family and it releases a sulfur scent. This scent is more than enough to perform some magic on pests.
By planting garlic with your zucchini, you will be protecting it from dangerous pests that can destroy it. Garlic repels aphids, the antagonist of zucchini. This pest is known to damage the leaves of plants but garlic takes care of them.
4. Buckwheat
When you take care of the major enemy of your zucchini, you will have a healthy plant and a good yield. Another plant that you should consider planting with your zucchini is Buckwheat. Just like garlic, buckwheat will chase away aphids by inviting their predators.
5. Sun hemp
You shouldn’t fret when you find cucumber beetles wandering around your zucchini. All you need do is plant sun hemp and watch what happens. Sun hemp displaces cucumber beetles and invites spiders which will also repel other harmful insects
6. Beans
You can never go wrong planting cover crops with your zucchini. Beans are nitrogen-fixing crops and that is an advantage for zucchini. With beans cultivated in the same patch, zucchini will have a lot of nutrients to take up because it is a heavy feeder. To conserve space in your garden, you can simply make use of a trellis for the beans crop to crawl on. They also act as a repellant for pests.
7. Peas
Pea is also a cover crop and serves the same purpose that beans serve. That is, it increases the yield of the fruit by adding nutrients to the soil in form of nitrogen.
8. Radish
Radishes aren’t only good for food but also contribute to the success of your plant. If you want to get rid of the common enemies of zucchini, grow radishes. Radish is the perfect plant to prevent pests from consuming your plant.
9. Mint
This plant has a strong scent that can hurt the human eye let alone pests. Mint uses its aroma to send pests away. It can also improve the flavor of your zucchini so you should consider planting them together.
10. Borage
Flowers play a role in inviting pollinators that are very important for the growth of every plant. Borage is an herbaceous flower that attracts pollinators and repels pests from your zucchini.
11. Herbs
The plants that fall in this category are Dill, oregano, marjoram, and many others. These plants get rid of pests that can damage your zucchini. In the presence of these herbs, pests like cabbage moths, and cucumber beetles will stay away from your zucchini.
12. Spinach
This plant and zucchini have a symbiotic relationship. They both benefit from each other in that spinach fixes some nutrients in the soil for zucchini to use. While zucchini on the other hand acts as a source of shade during harsh weather conditions that spinach can’t tolerate.
13. Corn
Zucchini is a crawling plant. It needs a trellis to support it. Corn serves this purpose and prevents your plant from getting destroyed by diseases. They are compatible with each other as they require the same growing conditions.
14. Phacelia
This flower invites beneficial insects that will help to pollinate your zucchini
15. Rosemary
Although Rosemary doesn’t belong to the family of herbs listed above, it is aromatic and keeps earworms far away from zucchini.
What not to plant with Zucchini
When considering companion planting for your zucchini plant, never cultivate crops/plants that suffer from the same pests else they will reduce the yield of your zucchini. Some of the plants to watch out for are listed below.
1. Potato
Heavy feeders are plants that consume so many nutrients and deprive other plants of receiving. Thus, these plants should never share soil. Potato is such a plant. Your zucchini will have stunted growth if you plant it with potatoes. Here are the best plants to grow with potatoes instead.
2. Fennel
This particular plant doesn’t go well with so many vegetable plants and herbs. Fennels also cause stunted growth thereby reducing the yield of your zucchini. Although they can be of help by attracting pollinators, never plant them together.
3. Pumpkins
One of the rules of choosing companion plants is never to grow plants that get affected by similar pests and diseases. They will not be able to resist your zucchini. It also produces bad fruits. Here are some of the best companion plants for pumpkins, you’ll find these plants useful.
Zucchini companion planting guide
If you’re thinking of practicing companion planting with your zucchini plants, as you’ve seen a list of compatible plants in this article, here are some more tips and a few FAQs to guide you;
- Plant your zucchini plant in moist soil preferably a well-drained soil
- Ensure you add some manure to the soil to enrich it
- Irrigate your zucchini as many times as possible every day
- Zucchini fruits should be harvested when their length is 6 inches
- Cultivate your plant in the spring and summer seasons respectively
- Zucchini produces a poor yield when overcrowded. Always give space to your zucchini plants because they could compete for and deprive the other plants of receiving enough nutrient
- Never grow Zucchini and other squash plants together because they attract the similar pests
- It is advisable to cultivate plants like Corn that can act as shade to zucchini. It helps conserve moisture.
What can you not plant next to zucchini?
There are two major plants you should avoid planting with your zucchini because they attract similar pests. These plants include; potato and pumpkin.
Can you plant tomatoes and zucchini together?
Your zucchini plants will not get affected if you plant them with tomatoes. The reason is that they both have the same growing conditions. They will flourish in the same environment because you won’t have any cause to adjust to the measurements of water, manure, or any essential nutrient.
Can zucchini and cucumbers be planted together?
You could mistake zucchini plants for cucumbers because they have a slight resemblance. They belong to the same family known as curcubiceae. So, yes!, They can be cultivated together.
Do you need a trellis for the zucchini?
Although zucchini grows well in a spacious environment, it won’t survive in a small environment. So, it’s important to replace a trellis. It will aid the growth of your zucchini.
How far apart do you plant zucchini and cucumbers?
The spacing that should be between your zucchini and cucumber plants should not be less than 2-3 feet apart. Anything more than that could cause problems because they belong to the squash family and require similar growth requirements. This can cause competition for nutrients and space.
How far apart do zucchini plants need to be?
Zucchini consume a lot of nutrients so they should be as far as possible from each other. A space of 6 inches is enough to prevent the plants from competing for nutrients.
Conclusion
The cultivation of zucchini isn’t far-fetched as it’s easy to understand how the plant grows. Zucchini being a heavy feeder will not accommodate plants that will compete with it for moisture and soil nutrients.
It is advisable to also go for companion plants that do not share similar pests and diseases. By following the election guidelines, you sure will have a bountiful harvest of zucchini plants.
More on companion planting:
- Mint Companion Plants (What Not To Grow Near Mint)
- Cayenne Companion Plants (What Not To Grow Near Cayenne)
- Rosemary Companion Plants (What Not To Grow Near Rosemary)
- Basil Companion Plants (What Not To Grow Near Basil)
- 27 Strawberry Companion Plants: Herbs, Flowers, Fruits
- Tomato Companion Plants (What Not To Grow Near Tomatoes)
- Oregano Companion Planting Guide (FAQs Inside)
- Blueberry Companion Plants (What Not To Grow Near Blueberries)