You’ve probably noticed that plants thrive best when they have good neighbors. This goes for all life forms, really, but it’s especially noticeable in his backyard. My lettuces (Lactuca sativa cultivars) thrive best when surrounded by their best companion plant friends.
Below are 28 of the best lettuce companion plants and some plants you should avoid planting with lettuce.
When planning your next garden, consider interspersing these happy neighbors so they can help each other flourish.
Contents
Herbs
There are a number of different herbs, both culinary and medicinal, that are excellent companion plants for lettuce. And hey, as a bonus, you can cut up lots of them and add them to your salads.
1. Anise Hyssop
Slugs do not like the smell of this herb (Agastache foeniculum) and will stay away from it as much as possible. As such, use it as a barrier around your lettuce bed to repel them.
2. Chervil
Slugs and snails hate chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium), making it an excellent repellent for these slimy caterpillars.
3. Chives
Just like the other members of the onion (allium) family, chives help repel aphids and other unwanted pests. Grow them as a perimeter barrier to protect your tender greens.
4. Cilantro
This plant (Coriander sativum) performs a dual function in the garden by repelling unwanted insects while attracting beneficial insects. In fact, do this triple duty, since you can eat its leaves raw and then harvest its (coriander) seeds later.
5. Mint
Like the aforementioned anise hyssop, mint (Mentha spp.) is great for repelling slugs. That said, it can also spread like wildfire if left unchecked. If you want to incorporate it as one of your lettuce companion plants, use root barriers.
6. Sage
Wise (Salvia officinalis) provides the same benefits as mint, namely keeping slugs away. It can also repel beetles and mites. Additionally, if you grow strawberries between your lettuces, sage can help enhance the flavor of the berries.
flowers
Many flowers play quite well among the lettuce plants. Since you’re probably growing other vegetables as well, these flowers may also attract beneficial pollinators at the same time.
7. Calendula
If slugs are the bane of your existence, plant calendula (Calendula spp.) about 8 to 10 feet from your lettuces. They will attract slugs and keep them away from your greens. Think of them as the tasty dessert option that slugs prefer over the salad bar.
8. Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum spp.) are also an ideal “trap crop,” but instead of slugs, they will keep aphids away from your lettuce plants.
Vegetables
Many vegetables can procure benefits from each other when planted in close proximity. Some provide nutrient exchange, while others provide shade or act as living mulch.
9. Asparagus
These tasty perennials (Asparagus officinale) loosen the soil and provide additional aeration. Plus, asparagus (and its leaves) can provide lettuce with much-needed shade on hot summer days.
10. Beans
Green beans and bush beans are ideal companion plants for lettuce. This is because they fix nitrogen in the surrounding soil, which lettuce needs to thrive.
Choose green beans if you are in a warm, sunny climate and grow them south of your lettuce plants. Alternatively, build a bean tent or teepee and plant your lettuce inside.
Lettuce will wilt in extreme heat, especially if it gets too much sun. This is why it is ideal as a spring or autumn plant. Tall beans will block both heat and sunlight, allowing your lettuce to flourish instead of going to seed.
11. Beets
While beets (vulgar beta) don’t bring much benefit to your lettuce growing ventures, nor do they cause harm. Consider these neutral companions and intersperse them with lettuce and the other vegetables on this list to maximize space utilization.
12. Carrots
These tasty root vegetables (Daucus carota subsp. satisfied) help loosen the soil as they grow. As such, carrots help prevent root rot in lettuces and other shallow-rooted greens.
13. Corn
Like pole beans, corn (Zea mays) can provide good shade for your lettuces if you are in a hot climate.
14. Cucumbers
Lettuces grow very quickly, while cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) take a long time to expand and develop. As a result, you can grow multiple lettuces around your cukes long before they ripen.
This is ideal for taking full advantage of your growing space. Plus, cucumber leaves provide shade and water retention to help your lettuces thrive.
15. Eggplant
This vegetable (solanium melongena) is a great way to maximize the space between your lettuce crops. Plant it in the same spot as your spring lettuce after harvesting it. Then, once your eggplant has ripened in late summer, pull it up. Then plant your fall lettuce in the same spot.
16. Garlic
Some aphids, mites, cutworms and caterpillars despise garlic (Allium sativum). Therefore, planting it in and around your lettuces can protect them from those little jolts.
17. Onions
All alliums are beneficial to lettuces as they help deter various pests. Many mammals and insects hate their scent and, therefore, will give your delicious greens plenty of room.
Meanwhile, interplanting the two makes great use of limited space. From the onion (Allium cepa) bulbs thrive underground, they won’t compete with your lettuces for surface growing space.
18. Parsnip
Like carrots, parsnips (Pastinaca sativa) helps aerate and drain the soil. They can also be planted very close to lettuces as they do not compete for space.
19. Peas
Like beans, these climbing legumes (Pisum sativum) help fix nitrogen in the soil. Plus, they can help provide the aforementioned much-needed shade for your low-growing lettuces.
20. Potatoes
Potatoes (Tuberous solanum) behave like the other root/tuber vegetables mentioned here. They will loosen the soil for better drainage and nutrient uptake, and won’t compete for surface area.
21. Pumpkins
Remember all those good things we said earlier about cucumbers? They also apply to pumpkins (Cucurbita spp.).
22. Radish
Radishes (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. satisfied) don’t do much for lettuces other than break up the soil and share the space nicely. That said, we love them as lettuce companion plants because of what those flavorful greens do to them.
Lettuces enhance the texture and flavor of radishes, keeping them juicy and sweet throughout the season.
23. Squashes
Squashes offer the same benefits as their pumpkin and cucumber cousins.
24. Turnips
Although turnips (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa) belong to the cabbage family, they do not have the same negative impact as cabbages or kale. In fact, turnips naturally repel aphids, which can wreak 50 shades of havoc on your lettuces. Interplant them with your green vegetables to keep them healthy!
Fruits
Lettuce goes well with some fruits, and less well with others. Let’s see which fruity friends make the best lettuce companion plants.
25. Fruit trees
Lettuce is often a great option for growing within a fruit tree guild. If you’re trying to figure out what to grow between the tree and its drip line, incorporate lettuce cultivars. Just be sure to grow them around larger species so they have enough shade.
26. Melons
Since they are part of the Cucurbitaceae family (along with cucumbers, squash, and pumpkins), all melon cultivars grow well with lettuce.
27. Strawberries
These luscious berries (Fragaria × ananassa) have a wonderful symbiotic relationship with lettuce. Strawberries create a living mulch, keeping more moisture in the soil. In turn, the lettuce protects the berries from potential predators by blocking them from view.
Strawberries also enhance the flavor of lettuce, making it sweeter.
28. Tomatoes
They are fruits rather than vegetables, remember? Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are great for lettuces as they provide much-needed shade. Also, since they are climbers, they will not compete for growing space at ground level.
bad neighbors
Now that we’ve covered the best lettuce companion plants, let’s also take a look at their not-so-helpful neighbors.
blueberries
Although it may be tempting to plant lettuces around your blueberry bushes, it will end up being sad. Blueberries need acidic soil to thrive, while lettuces like their neutral pH. Thus, if one of these species thrives, the other will fail. Unfortunately.
Brassicaceae
Almost all cruciferous vegetables (for example in the Brassicaceae family) secrete a substance that prevents the germination of lettuce seeds. These include cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, arugula, kohlrabi, mustard, and cabbage.
Also, if any of the lettuces manage to sprout, the crucifers will fight them for nutrients. They all need nitrogen to thrive, and members of the cabbage family are serious nitrogen hogs.
By the way, a great way to add extra nitrogen to the soil is to use rabbit or deer droppings. These do not need to be aged like cow or horse manure. If you have pet rabbits or live near a forest where deer are plentiful, pick up their droppings. Then scatter them throughout your green beds to promote lush, healthy leaf growth.
Fennel
Although tasty, fennel acts as a growth inhibitor for many other species. As a result, lettuce grown nearby will be severely stunted and the seeds may not even germinate.
Parsley
This weed attracts pests that will wipe out your lettuce plants. Additionally, parsley (Petroselinum crispum), lettuce will bolt and bolt before it is fully ripe.
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