Companion planting with your eggplant can help your plants grow better, taste better, and have less problems with pests. So how does companion planting work? What can you grow with your eggplant and what should be kept far away?
First off, eggplant is a member of the nightshade family. Other nightshades include tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers.
Below you will find a list of eggplant companion plants that you can grow alongside your eggplant plants to prevent pests and disease. Plus a list of what you should keep separate from your eggplant bed.
Pick up a copy of my Companion Planting Guide and Binder to help you design the perfect garden beds with companion planting in mind. Everything you need to know about companion planting in an easy to read format so you can start companion planting sooner!
Eggplant Companion Plants For a Better Harvest
Peas: Peas are a great companion for eggplant. Because peas are a cool weather crop and eggplant prefers hot temperatures, it’s best to plant peas in the area first and then plant your eggplant around them. The pea plants can be cut off above the soil after their season is over, making room for the eggplant to take over the same space.
Beans: Peas and beans are both legumes, making them great for fixing nitrogen in the soil. All varieties of beans make good eggplant companions including pole beans, green beans, and bush beans.
Pepper: Hot peppers and sweet peppers both make good companions for eggplant. They are in the same family, so being that they are both nightshade plants, they have similar needs in terms of nutrient.
Hot peppers are a particularly good eggplant companion plant because it can help to control Fusarium infections in the soil.
Tomatoes: Again, because they are in the same crop family, tomatoes also make a great eggplant companion plant. But do make sure your tomato plants don’t shade the eggplant, so take care when planning your garden beds!
Spinach: Spinach and eggplant share a symbiotic relationship. Spinach helps the eggplant grow more healthy and the eggplant gives the spinach much needed shade in the hotter summer seasons!
Eggplant Companion Plants for Pest Control
Flea beetles are the biggest pest I have for my eggplant. They will destroy seedlings before they even have a chance to get going. You can try growing wormwood near your eggplant, but since it is offensive stick to planting it around the perimeter of your garden.
My best defense against flea beetles is not companion planting but continuous dusting with diatomaceous earth in the early season before the plant flowers.
Colorado potato beetles are a notorious pests for potatoes of course, but since eggplant is also in the nightshade family, the potato beetles can also come over and munch on your eggplant as well- especially the larva.
Luckily companion planting green beans with your eggplant can help keep these beetles away.
Other plants that can help deter potato beetles are tansy, nasturtiums, and coriander.
French tarragon can be planted alongside eggplant to deter many different insects
If garden moths are an issue in your garden, try planting some thyme nearby to keep them away
Mexican marigolds are a good companion plant for eggplant, and just about any other plant. They can help deter all kinds of beetles that can eat and bring disease to your crops.
What Not to Plant with Eggplant
Luckily eggplant doesn’t have too many crops that should not be co-planted. Fennel is the only thing that you should keep away from your eggplant plants.
But fennel shouldn’t be planted near a lot of crops so if you keep that to itself and you will be good!
Once you have harvested your eggplant, check out some of the following articles to learn how to store, use, and preserve your harvest!