What to Plant With Potatoes: Companion Plants (and What Not to Plant)

Potatoes are a little different from most vegetables. You plant pieces of tuber rather than seed, you pile soil up around the stems as they grow, and at the end of the season you dig up the whole area. That shapes which crops make good neighbors: anything that minds having its roots disturbed, or that sprawls into the potato row, is a poor fit. Here is what extension sources list, and why.

Good companion plants for potatoes

Beans

Bush beans are a classic potato neighbor in Virginia Extension's companion list. They stay low, fit in a row beside the potatoes without getting in the way of hilling, and are harvested over summer.

Corn

Virginia Extension lists corn and potatoes as companions. Plant corn in a block on the north side so it does not shade the potato row, and keep the corn far enough away that you can hill and dig without damaging its roots. See what to plant with corn.

Cabbage family

Cabbage, broccoli, kale and their relatives are listed as potato companions. Like potatoes, they are often planted early in spring, so they make a natural cool-season pairing in neighboring rows. Our cabbage guide has the full cabbage-family list.

Marigolds

Marigolds are a listed potato companion and an easy border flower. They draw pollinators and beneficial insects to the garden. Do not count on them to keep potato beetles away; see the pest section below.

What not to plant with potatoes

Tomatoes (and other nightshades)

Potatoes and tomatoes are in the same family and are attacked by many of the same pests and diseases, which is why Virginia Extension lists them as poor companions. Peppers and eggplant are in that family too. UMN Extension also warns that disease brought in on potatoes, for example by planting grocery-store or saved tubers, can stay in the soil and later affect tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Keep potatoes in a separate bed and rotate the whole family.

Cucumbers, squash, zucchini and pumpkins

Sprawling cucurbit vines crowd potato plants and get in the way of hilling and digging. Give each its own space. See what to plant with cucumbers, what to plant with zucchini and what to plant with pumpkins for their better neighbors.

Peas

Virginia Extension lists peas and potatoes as incompatible. Put peas on a trellis in a different bed, near carrots, radishes or cucumbers instead.

The full list of pairs to separate is in our keep-apart chart.

Hilling: why potatoes need space

Potato tubers form along underground stems, and tubers exposed to light turn green. UMN Extension advises hilling soil up along the plants once the green shoots emerge, and repeating as they grow. That means pulling soil from beside the row onto the plants, so the ground right next to potatoes needs to stay clear. It is the main reason low crops like lettuce or radishes squeezed in beside potatoes tend to get buried.

Colorado potato beetle: what actually helps

The Colorado potato beetle is the major potato pest across North America, and it also feeds on eggplant and related crops. Adults are oval with ten narrow black stripes on yellowish wing covers, and females lay clusters of bright orange-yellow eggs on the undersides of leaves. Companion plants are not a proven fix. UMN Extension's suggestions instead include:

• Watch early. Look for adults when plants first come up in spring, and check leaf undersides for egg clusters.
• Hand-pick in small gardens. Knock adults and larvae into soapy water, and crush egg masses.
• Mulch between plants and clean up nightshade weeds and garden debris.
• Plant an early variety (under about 80 days) to escape much of the midsummer damage.
• Take a year off. The beetles do not travel far, so a year without potatoes can reduce local numbers.

UMN notes that plants tolerate up to about 30% leaf loss before flowering, but only about 10% once tubers start sizing up, so that is the time to watch most closely.

A simple potato bed layout

1. Potatoes in their own row or bed.

   Leave a clear strip on each side for hilling.

2. Bush beans in the next row.

   A listed companion that stays low and out of the way.

3. Cabbage family nearby for spring.

   Broccoli or cabbage in the neighboring row, planted around the same time.

4. Corn on the north side.

   A listed companion that will not shade the row from there.

5. Marigolds along the edge.

   A listed companion and a pollinator magnet.

Keep tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash and peas in other beds. Our raised bed layouts show how to split crops across beds.

When to plant potatoes

Potatoes are a cool-season crop. UMN Extension says to plant seed pieces as soon as the soil warms in spring, which for many gardens is a few weeks before the last frost. New potatoes can be dug about seven to eight weeks after planting, and mature tubers after the plants have died back. Our planting calendar turns your frost date into a planting window. For dates by frost, fall planting and seed prep, see when to plant potatoes.

Potatoes in containers and grow bags

Potatoes grow well in large containers or fabric grow bags, which also keeps them away from tomatoes and cucurbits. Start with a few inches of soil, plant the seed pieces, and add soil as the plants grow, the container version of hilling. Use a well-draining mix (UMN notes potatoes prefer well-drained soil and poorly drained soil leads to more diseased tubers) and water steadily.

Frequently asked questions

What grows well with potatoes?

Extension-listed companions for potatoes in our checker are beans, cabbage-family crops, corn and marigolds. The table on this page explains why each pairing works.

What should you not plant with potatoes?

Our sources list asparagus, celery, cucumbers, peas, pumpkins (listed as incompatible in both directions; sprawling vines also get in the way of hilling and digging), squash (including zucchini), sunflowers and tomatoes (same family; attacked by the same pests and diseases) as poor neighbors for potatoes.