When it's time to harvest your summer squash, whether you want summer squash casserole, pumpkin cake, or braised pumpkin, these plants produce in abundance, so gather all the best pumpkin recipes. Before you expect a harvest several months after planting, some insects may devour the leaves and stems of your summer squash. If not prevented, this can have a detrimental effect on your plants. Companion planting is not only a way to help reduce pests in your garden, but it also attracts pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and birds, helping to pollinate your summer squash and returning important nutrients to the soil.
Shauna Coronado is the author of No-Waste Organic Gardening and 101 Organic Gardening Hacks. Heather Kibble is the national sales manager for Sakata Seed America and a member of the National Horticultural Association.
Why you should plant summer squash with companion plants
Summer squash is a type of pumpkin that grows in the summer. One of the most well-known varieties is zucchini, but there are other varieties such as crookneck and pattypan. “All zucchinis are summer squash, but not all summer squash are zucchini,” says Shawna Coronado, author of No-Waste Organic Gardening and 101 Organic Gardening Hacks. “Think of zucchini as a specific player on the summer squash team.”
Companion planting can help reduce unwanted insects that infest summer squash plants. “Companion planting of summer squash can be a gardener's secret weapon,” says Coronado. “Companion planting creates a mini-ecosystem that promotes healthier, more resilient plants.”
Growing plants that complement summer squash helps you maximize space and enrich the soil while minimizing unwanted pests, a great benefit for any gardener. “For example, legumes such as peas and beans fix nitrogen in the soil, which is beneficial for squash plants,” says Coronado. “Fragrant herbs and flowers can repel pests.”
Best Companion Plants for Summer Squash
If you want to reduce pests and increase pollination, here are 11 great companion plants to plant with your pumpkins to ensure they grow healthy and thriving.
beans
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Beans and summer squash are good friends because they have similar growing conditions and beans fix nitrogen, a mineral important to soil health. “Beans like full sun and warm weather, and they improve the soil for future crops,” says Heather Kibble, home-growing sales manager for Sakata Seed America and member of the National Horticultural Society. She recommends growing climbing beans instead of mountain beans, because climbing beans don't need a trellis.
Plant Name: Phaseolus vulgaris Sunlight: Direct sunlight Soil Type: Loamy, well-drained soil pH: Acidic to neutral
Spring onion
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“Green onions are a great companion to summer squash because they help repel pests like carrot flies and aphids,” Coronado says. “The strong scent of green onions confuses and repels these pests, creating a protective barrier around the squash.” Another benefit is that while summer squash spread out above the soil, green onions grow upright, so they don't take up much space. “Green onions' vertical growth habit and shallow root system make them perfect for interplanting without competing for space or nutrients,” she adds.
Scientific name: Allium ampeloprasum
Sun exposure: Direct sunlight
Soil type: Well-drained, moist
Soil pH: Neutral
lettuce
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Lettuce pairs well with summer squash because it takes up little space in the garden. “Fast-growing lettuce can be planted around young squash plants in the spring to make the most of the space available,” Kibble says. “Make sure to harvest the lettuce regularly so the squash plants have room to grow as they do.” She recommends choosing lettuce varieties that can be “cut and re-harvested,” so they can be harvested continuously and take up even less space than regular lettuce.
Plant Name: Lactuca sativa Sunlight: Direct sun to partial shade Soil Type: Well-drained loamy soil pH: Acidic to neutral
beans
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Peas, which are climbing plants, typically climb a trellis vertically, while summer squash take up space horizontally, making them good bedfellows. Peas fix nitrogen, an important mineral for soil health, in the soil, Coronado says.
Botanical name: Pisum sativum Sunlight: Full Soil type: Fertile, well-drained soil pH: Acidic, neutral (6.0-7.5)
radish
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Radishes, a root vegetable that grows underground, grow well mixed in with summer squash. “They grow quickly and loosen the soil, which allows the pumpkin roots to spread out,” says Coronado. Another benefit is that radishes help summer squash grow by attracting unwanted pests. “Radishes act as a trap crop, keeping pests like flea beetles away from the squash,” she says. Summer squash use a lot of horizontal space in the garden, but because radishes grow below the soil, they're a great way to take advantage of that space. Coronado adds that harvesting radishes early gives the summer squash more time to spread out.
Plant name: Raphanus sativus Sunlight: Full Soil type: Well-drained, loose soil pH: Acidic, neutral
spinach
Another space-saving leafy green that pairs well with summer squash is spinach. “You can plant spinach around the pumpkin plants in the spring,” says Kibble. “Spinach grows quickly and will enjoy the shade the pumpkin plants provide as it grows.” She recommends planting early-maturing baby spinach varieties for a spring or early summer harvest. As the weather gets warmer and hotter, spinach tends to send out flower stalks and go to seed.
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Plant name: Spinacia oleracea Sunlight: Direct sun, partial shade Soil type: Well-drained, loamy, moist soil pH: Acidic, neutral, alkaline
tomato
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“Tomatoes and summer squash make great garden neighbors. [because] “Both plants thrive in similar growing conditions: full sun and well-drained soil,” Coronado says. Because summer squash spread out and take up a lot of space, tomatoes benefit by preventing weeds from growing and competing for the same nutrients. “The spreading nature of squash acts as a living mulch, suppressing weeds and helping to conserve moisture in the soil for tomatoes,” she says.
Plant name: Solanum lycopersicumSunlight: Direct sunlightSoil type: Loamy, well-drained soilpH: Neutral to acidic
oregano
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Oregano, a pungent herb, pairs well with summer squash in the kitchen or garden. Summer squash depend on pollination to produce their fruit, the pumpkin. When oregano flowers, it attracts important pollinators to your garden, helping with pollination.
Plant Name: Oregano Sunlight: Full Soil Type: Well-drained sandy soil pH: Neutral (6.5-7.0)
basil
Getty Images/Ali Majidfar
One of summer's go-to herbs, basil pairs well with many summer produce and dishes, including summer squash. Planting basil near summer squash helps repel pests. “Basil repels pests like mosquitoes and flies and attracts beneficial insects like bees,” says Coronado. Another reason to plant basil near summer squash? “Basil's aromatic oils can also enhance the flavor of the squash as it grows,” she adds.
Botanical Name: Ocimum basilicum Sunlight Exposure: Direct sun to partial shade Soil Type: Fertile soil pH: Acidic to alkaline
Borage
Borage is an herb with edible leaves and blue flowers that attracts important insects to your garden. “Not only does it attract pollinators like honeybees, which are essential for pollinating your pumpkins, but it also repels pests like tomato wasps,” Coronado explains. As summer ends and borage enters the next stage of its life cycle, borage leaves benefit the soil. “Borage leaves can be used as mulch to enrich the soil with valuable minerals,” she adds.
Plant name: Borago officinalis Sunlight: Full Soil type: Well-drained, fertile soil pH: Slightly acidic to slightly alkaline
Marigold
Getty Images/Douglas Satcha
Marigolds are great plants to plant in your edible garden because they attract pollinators and reduce pests. “Squash plants need regular visits from pollinators to carry pollen from the male flowers to the female flowers,” Kibble says. “Marigolds repel pests like mosquitoes, which can keep the marigold-loving pests away from the pumpkin.”
Plant Name: Tagetes Sunlight: Direct sunlight Soil Type: Moist, well-drained soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral
Plants that shouldn't be grown with summer squash
Summer squash have many beneficial garden companions, but some plants do better when kept apart. Sometimes they compete for the same nutrients and space, and sometimes they can spread diseases if planted too close together.
Here are some companion plants that should not be planted with summer squash:
potato
Potatoes and summer squash are not exactly best friends in the garden, as they need and compete for the same nutrients. “Potatoes compete for the same nutrients and can stunt the growth of squash,” Coronado says. Another issue is that they can attract the same pests and diseases, increasing the risk of infestation.
Pumpkin
Pumpkins, a type of winter squash, do not thrive when planted near summer squash. It may seem counterintuitive, but planting winter and summer squash varieties together can cause more problems, including attracting pests instead of repelling them. “Because pumpkins are a different type of squash, it can cause cross-pollination, which can affect the quality and taste of the fruit on both plants,” Coronado says. She adds that pumpkins attract similar pests and diseases, which can lead to increased infections and infestations.
