Pumpkin Companion Plants: What to Grow with Pumpkin?

When you start your garden, you envisage a smooth growing season and an even better harvest. But most times, this is not the case. In this feed we will particularly focus on Pumpkins and Pumpkin Companion Plants  that will benefit each other in certain ways. So stayed hooked and get some beneficial tips for your vegetable garden.

You are constantly bombarded with new garden needs like adding fertilizer because of the depleting nutrients in the soil, weeding the unwanted plants choking your garden plants, or using harmful chemicals to remove the pests and diseases ravaging your garden.

All these challenges make gardening stressful and a chore. 

But what if I told you all these stressful garden needs could be significantly reduced or eradicated while giving you an even better harvest. 

Pumpkin is a popular green vegetable that is used in meals all over the world. It is rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, beta-carotene, and many more essential nutrients. That is why it has become so popular in homes. 

If you’re growing your pumpkin, you may realize it requires some maintenance in its growing stage; you may also be looking to grow other plants in your garden to maximize your garden. This is particularly important for people with small yard spaces who may use raised beds for their gardening.

There’s something called companion planting, and that is the key to growing a healthier, less stressful garden.

Let us see what companion planting is.

pumpkin companion plants

What is Companion Planting?

Growing particular plants around each other because of the benefits they derive from each other is companion planting.

You’ll notice a significant improvement in your garden once you start practicing correct companion planting. Your plants will improve, your garden will look better and more organized, even your health will improve.

What does companion planting mean for the pumpkin plant?

Pairing your pumpkin with other vegetables, herbs, or grains successfully will help you achieve your garden needs.

You do not just take any plant and pair with your pumpkin; that plant must be serving a purpose. The companions and the pumpkin need to benefit each other without harming themselves. When you get this symbiotic relationship in your garden, you’re on your way to a bountiful harvest.

Talking about benefits, let’s look at the benefits of companion planting in your pumpkin garden.

Benefits of Pumpkin Companion Planting

what to grow with Pumpkin

If there are no benefits then, there isn’t any use in pairing your pumpkin with your plants. However, the advantage of practicing companion planting in your pumpkin garden is numerous, and we’ll be seeing some.

  • To provide support for the pumpkin
  • Improve the flavor of the pumpkin
  • To save space in your garden
  • It reduce pests and diseases infestation
  • More plants to consume
  • Brings beneficial insects to the garden
  • Save resources 

The benefits of growing beneficial plants close to your pumpkin are numerous. You can decide to start companion planting to satisfy any of these reasons.

What to Grow with Pumpkin?

This is a question many of you have been asking, and I’ll be answering them right away. I’ll be simplifying it by matching the plants with the benefit they bring to the table.

1. Plants That Provide Support

what to grow with pumpkin

Pumpkin is a vegetable with long vines that love to climb. If you allow your pumpkin to grow entirely on the ground, you’ll be exposing it to dirt and even pests and diseases.

Growing tall and firm plants near your pumpkin will serve as a natural trellis on your farm. It will save you the cost of setting up a trellis and provide you with an extra plant to enjoy during harvest.

Example of Plants

  • Corn

2. Plants That Attract Beneficial Insects

Pumpkin needs pollination to reproduce and so having pollinators in your pumpkin garden is a must. 

Certain plants are natural pollinator attractors and will bring pollinators to help your pumpkin reproduce. When you pair these pollinator attractors with your pumpkin, you provide a stable pumpkin environment to boom and full your garden.

Some of the plants in this category release pleasant scents that’ll fill up your garden and make it magical.

Example of Plants

  • Lavender
  • Nasturtium
  • Oregano
  • Thyme
  • Sage
  • Mint
  • Cosmos 
  • Rosemary 

3. Pumpkin Companion Plants That Repel Pests 

Some plants naturally repel insects, so when you pair the plants that repel pumpkin pests with pumpkins, then you’ve gotten a winning combination.

Pumpkin Companion Plants What to Grow with Pumpkin

Not all plants in this category repel insects, some act as a sacrificial lamb by attracting the insects to itself, thereby allowing your pumpkin to grow.

Insects can also serve as vectors for diseases, so keeping them at bay will mean fewer diseases to fight. 

When you use Pumpkin Companion Plants to rid your garden of harmful insects, you’re saving the cost of purchasing insecticides and protecting yourself and your plant from toxic chemicals used in making these products.

Example of Plants

  • Dill
  • Nasturtium
  • Oregano
  • Marigold
  • Korean licorice mint

4. Plants That Improve the Pumpkin Flavor and Help it Grow Better

While the effect of other groups of beneficial plants can be felt almost immediately, this group’s benefit is subtle. It may take till harvest to notice its significance.

pumpkin companion plants

Some of the pumpkin companion plants in this group not only help your pumpkin taste better but are also great in meals themselves. So, you have another plant to enjoy when you pair them.

Example of Plants

  • Marjoram: improves the taste of your pumpkin
  • Tansy: adds potassium to the soil, which helps the pumpkin
  • Beans: adds necessary nitrogen to the soil

What NOT to Plant with Pumpkin?

Pumpkin does well with most plants or at least is neutral when around most plants. There are still some plants you should avoid growing near your pumpkin if you want a good harvest.

  • Potatoes: because of its allelopathic nature, it can inhibit the growth of the pumpkin. Also, their roots can disturb the roots of the pumpkin during harvest. Same with
  • Beets
  • Onions
  • Cauliflower
  • Brussels sprouts

Summary

Companion planting is fun and rewarding if done right. Follow this pumpkin companion plants guide and select plants from the numerous listed to pair with your pumpkin.

Have you successfully paired any other plant not listed here with pumpkin? Let us know in the comment section.

About Jennifer Igra

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York City known for it’s green gardens. Jennifer, a 30 year old gardener and green living fanatic started Igra World to share her gardening journey and increase gardening awareness among masses. Follow Igra World to improve your gardening skills.

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