Best Companion Plants for Cucumbers (Boost Yields Naturally)
Cucumbers are one of those crops that responds really well to good companions and really poorly to bad ones. Get it right and you'll have more cucumbers than you know what to do with. Get it wrong and you'll spend all summer fighting pests and wondering why your plants look sad.
I've grown cucumbers next to just about everything at this point, and here's what actually makes a difference.
Best companions for cucumbers
| Companion Plant | Why It Works | Spacing Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beans (bush) | Fix nitrogen cucumbers love; low profile doesn't shade cukes | Alternate rows, 12 inches between |
| Corn | Provides light afternoon shade in hot climates; windbreak | Plant corn to the west of cucumbers |
| Sunflowers | Attract pollinators; provide partial shade | North or west edge of cucumber bed |
| Dill | Attracts beneficial wasps that prey on cucumber beetles | Scatter among cucumber plants |
| Marigolds | Repel aphids and beetles; attract hoverflies | Border around cucumber bed |
| Radishes | Repel cucumber beetles; harvest before cukes need space | Direct sow between cucumber hills |
| Lettuce | Low ground cover; benefits from cucumber shade | Plant at base of trellised cucumbers |
| Peas | Fix nitrogen; done before cucumbers peak | Early spring peas, then cucumbers take over |
The dill connection
Dill deserves special attention here. It's one of the best companions for cucumbers early in the season — it attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps and ladybugs that prey on cucumber pests. However, there's a catch: once dill goes to seed, it can actually inhibit cucumber growth slightly. The solution is simple: keep dill trimmed and harvest it regularly, or pull it once it starts flowering heavily and the cucumbers are established.
Plants to keep away from cucumbers
- Potatoes — compete aggressively for water and nutrients. Potatoes can also spread blight to cucumbers.
- Aromatic herbs (sage, mint, oregano) — the strong oils can inhibit cucumber growth. Keep them at least 3-4 feet away.
- Melons and squash — same family, share diseases and pests (especially powdery mildew and cucumber beetles). Separate by at least 15-20 feet if possible.
- Fennel — allelopathic to most garden vegetables including cucumbers.
Trellising changes your companion options
If you grow cucumbers vertically on a trellis (which I strongly recommend), you open up a lot of ground-level companion planting space. The area beneath trellised cucumbers gets dappled shade — perfect for lettuce, spinach, and other greens that bolt in full sun. You effectively double your garden productivity from the same square footage.
On the east side of a cucumber trellis, plant sun-loving companions like beans and marigolds. On the shaded west side, tuck in lettuce, spinach, or cilantro.
Pollination matters
Cucumbers need pollinators — every single fruit starts as a female flower that must be pollinated. This is why pollinator-attracting companions like borage, sunflowers, and marigolds aren't just nice to have, they directly increase your harvest. If you've ever had cucumbers that start to form but then shrivel and drop, poor pollination is almost always the cause.
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