Gardening in raised beds has transformed countless home gardens by making them more productive, more manageable, and better organized. One practice that pairs beautifully with raised bed gardening is companion planting. Designing a companion planting chart for raised beds can help you maximize space, naturally repel pests, improve soil health, and boost harvests in an organic way.
Companion planting means grouping different plants together that mutually benefit one another. While some pairings improve flavor, others attract beneficial insects, deter harmful pests, or simply grow well side by side because their growth habits are compatible. Using a companion planting chart in a raised bed setting offers the chance to plan with intention, avoiding chaotic planting and encouraging healthier, more diverse plant communities.
This comprehensive article will walk you through:
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The benefits of companion planting in raised beds
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Basic principles to understand
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An in-depth companion planting chart you can adapt
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Layout strategies for your raised beds
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Troubleshooting and practical tips
By the end, you’ll feel confident designing your raised beds for healthier, happier, and more productive crops.
Why Combine Companion Planting With Raised Beds?
Before diving into the chart itself, it helps to understand why these two techniques work so well together. Raised beds have clear structural advantages, including:
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Better drainage
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Warmer soil
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Easier weed management
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Less soil compaction
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Easier to tend for people with mobility limitations
Combining these benefits with companion planting provides:
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Efficient space use — raised beds are limited in area, so smart pairings allow you to grow more in a smaller footprint.
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Improved soil health — companions can fix nitrogen, shade soil, or improve microbial diversity, protecting the structure of raised bed soil over time.
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Natural pest control — certain plants repel insects or interrupt pest cycles naturally.
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Biodiversity — multiple species in one bed reduce disease vulnerability.
Companion planting is a perfect match for raised beds, maximizing every inch and supporting a thriving, resilient garden.
Principles of Companion Planting in Raised Beds
Companion planting isn’t magic — it is rooted in observation and ecology. Here are a few principles that will help you interpret a companion planting chart and design beds intentionally:
✅ Diversity is strength
Mixing different plants reduces pest and disease outbreaks and provides a steady harvest.
✅ Complementary growth habits
Tall plants can shade shorter ones; root crops pair well with shallow-rooted greens.
✅ Nutrient sharing or improvement
Legumes fix nitrogen, which benefits hungry crops like corn.
✅ Natural pest management
Strong-scented herbs or flowers confuse insect pests or attract predators.
✅ Space and timing
Use fast-growing plants with slow growers to fill in gaps while waiting for large crops to mature.
Understanding these will help you use any companion planting chart more flexibly, adjusting for your own space and climate.
Companion Planting Chart for Raised Beds
Here is a practical, user-friendly companion planting chart, organized by popular vegetables you’re likely to grow in raised beds. This chart is designed for easy reference, showing friends, enemies, and neutral neighbors.
Tomatoes
✅ Good Companions
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Basil (repels whiteflies, improves flavor)
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Borage (attracts pollinators, deters tomato hornworms)
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Carrots (shallow roots)
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Lettuce (shades soil, harvests before tomatoes grow large)
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Onions (repels aphids)
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Parsley
🚫 Bad Companions
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Potatoes (share disease and pests)
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Corn (competes for nutrients and attracts tomato pests)
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Brassicas (cabbage family — compete heavily)
Peppers
✅ Good Companions
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Basil (repels aphids, spider mites)
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Onions
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Carrots
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Spinach
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Lettuce
🚫 Bad Companions
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Beans (can shade peppers too much)
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Fennel (inhibits growth of many vegetables)
Carrots
✅ Good Companions
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Onions (repels carrot flies)
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Leeks
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Lettuce
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Peas
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Radishes (break up soil)
🚫 Bad Companions
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Dill (can stunt carrot growth)
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Parsnips (similar pests)
Beans
✅ Good Companions
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Corn (traditional Three Sisters pairing)
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Squash
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Cucumbers
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Radishes
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Marigolds (repel pests)
🚫 Bad Companions
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Onions
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Garlic
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Leeks (suppress beans)
Cucumbers
✅ Good Companions
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Beans (fix nitrogen)
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Peas
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Nasturtiums (trap pests away from cucumbers)
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Dill (attracts pollinators)
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Sunflowers (act as trellis support)
🚫 Bad Companions
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Potatoes (disease overlap)
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Sage (can inhibit growth)
Lettuce
✅ Good Companions
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Carrots
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Radishes
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Strawberries
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Onions
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Beets
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Chives
🚫 Bad Companions
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Parsley (can compete for resources in a tight bed)
Onions
✅ Good Companions
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Carrots
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Beets
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Lettuce
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Cabbage
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Tomatoes
🚫 Bad Companions
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Beans
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Peas
Cabbage Family (Broccoli, Kale, Cauliflower, etc.)
✅ Good Companions
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Onions
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Dill
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Chamomile (improves flavor)
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Beets
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Spinach
🚫 Bad Companions
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Strawberries (attract pests)
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Tomatoes (too competitive in raised beds)
Zucchini and Summer Squash
✅ Good Companions
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Nasturtiums (repel squash bugs)
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Beans
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Corn
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Marigolds
🚫 Bad Companions
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Potatoes
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Other vining squash (can crowd each other badly)
Radishes
✅ Good Companions
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Lettuce
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Carrots
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Peas
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Spinach
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Cucumbers
🚫 Bad Companions
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Hyssop (inhibits radish growth)
Herbs
✅ Most herbs get along well together. Great multi-herb raised bed mixes include:
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Parsley
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Thyme
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Basil
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Oregano
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Chives
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Dill
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Cilantro
🚫 Keep mint in a container inside your raised bed or separately — it will spread aggressively.
How to Lay Out Companion Planting in Raised Beds
A chart is just a starting point. In practice, you need to plan the layout of your raised beds carefully to put these companions to work. Here are some design strategies:
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Group plants with similar water needs
Overwatering a drought-tolerant herb to meet a thirsty lettuce’s needs is a recipe for rot. -
Group by growth habit
Tall plants go on the north side of the bed so they don’t shade shorter crops. -
Use succession planting
Quick crops like radishes or lettuce can fill in before slow growers like peppers mature. -
Create microclimates
Plant basil next to tomatoes to shield its roots and hold in moisture. -
Use flowers in the corners
Marigolds or nasturtiums in corners attract pollinators and deter pests, improving yields.
Additional Companion Planting Tips for Raised Beds
Rotate Crops Each Season
Even in raised beds, pests and diseases can build up in the soil. Rotate plant families each year to break pest cycles. For instance, avoid growing tomatoes in the same bed two years in a row.
Mulch Generously
Mulching helps regulate moisture, prevents weeds, and provides habitat for beneficial insects. Straw, shredded leaves, or untreated grass clippings work great in raised beds.
Add Vertical Supports
Using trellises inside a raised bed lets you grow vertically, saving precious surface area for lower-growing companions.
Integrate Beneficial Insect Habitats
A corner of your raised bed with native flowers or a small insect hotel supports ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps that keep pest insects under control.
Water Consistently
Companion planting works best when plants grow steadily — avoid letting beds dry out. Consistent moisture supports strong, even growth and reduces stress that attracts pests.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even the best companion planting charts can be undermined by a few common missteps. Watch out for these issues:
🚫 Overcrowding
It’s easy to cram too much into a raised bed. Remember that healthy plants need airflow.
🚫 Planting incompatible crops
Ignoring the chart and mixing enemies can reduce harvests or invite pests.
🚫 Not observing your site
Sun, shade, and wind patterns all affect how well companions work together.
🚫 Neglecting soil health
Amend with compost each season. Healthy soil supports healthy plants — the key to any companion planting plan.
A Sample Raised Bed Companion Planting Plan
If you need an example layout, here’s a practical 4x8 foot raised bed plan that follows companion planting rules:
Bed One
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North side: Tomatoes + basil + onions
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Center: Carrots + lettuce
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Southern edge: Marigolds
Bed Two
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North side: Pole beans with sunflower support
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Center: Cucumbers + dill
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Southern edge: Nasturtiums
Bed Three
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Broccoli + beets + chamomile
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Rotate with cabbage family every year
Bed Four
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Summer squash + marigolds
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Interplanted with radishes between the squash to deter pests
This simple four-bed rotation system ensures you can rotate crop families while maintaining the benefits of companion planting.
Final Thoughts on Companion Planting in Raised Beds
Raised bed gardening and companion planting are both powerful on their own, but when combined, they become a remarkable strategy for organic, sustainable, and high-yield gardens. A companion planting chart helps you avoid common incompatibilities and build a bed full of mutually supportive, diverse plants.
Remember, these charts are guidelines — not strict rules. Observation is your best teacher. Take notes each year on which combinations thrived or struggled in your unique climate and soil. Over time, you’ll develop a personal companion planting plan perfectly adapted to your garden.
With careful layout, succession planting, smart irrigation, and consistent soil building, your raised beds can produce a continuous parade of healthy, delicious, and beautiful harvests — all made stronger through the time-tested power of companion planting.