15 Best Pumpkin Companion Plants & What To Avoid

While you try to grow pumpkins with other vegetables including cucumbers, squash, and zucchini, it might not be as good as companioning with oregano because these plants are all heavy feeders competing for soil nutrients and space and are prone to pests and diseases. 

However, strongly scented herbs like oregano attract aphid-eating hoverflies and help protect pumpkins from pest damage and their strong scent may repeal them, keeping pumpkins healthier.

Also, these plants can act as living mulch around the pumpkin plants, suppressing weeds that compete with pumpkins for water and nutrients.

There are several varieties of beans like bush beans, green beans, and others which can be a perfect companion to these pumpkin plants. Alongside beans, peas also carry unique benefits that help these pumpkin plants grow well. 

Both beans and peas are legumes, which means they have a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their root nodules. These bacteria take nitrogen from the air and convert it into a usable form so plants can absorb it.

Similar growing requirements such as cool weather, moderate watering, and well-drained soil help to eliminate the need to cater drastically to several needs in the same space.

Corn is the first choice that you can plant with your pumpkin plants as a companion due to their support to improve the soil conditions, providing fruitful results in growth. 

They are also used traditionally in the sisters' planting method and grow well with pumpkins as long as you give these plants space to spread out. Also, pumpkin leaves suppress weeds around the base of cornstalks, benefiting from sheltering shade cast by tall corn plants.

They are heavy feeders, so to grow them together in a better way, the soil should be enriched with compost and organic fertilizer properly.

Marigolds are sturdy plants that work well with pumpkins as they can last well into late fall. They don't need much water and prefer well-drained soil. 

Also, they deter all kinds of beetles like cucumber beetles and squash bugs, keeping your pumpkins safe. They are also great at attracting beneficial insects such as ladybugs and wasps, considered as good pollinators.

The marigold also carries a potent scent due to the presence of a compound called thiopenes. It's strong aroma helps to deter various pests, which can create havoc on your pumpkins including squash bugs, aphids, and whiteflies.

Pumpkins are mesmerizing growers that can compete with many other vegetable plants, these flowers can hold their own with pumpkins as long as you follow proper spacing while planting. 

As with corn, sunflowers provide some light shade to pumpkin vines during the summer's heat, but their nectar and pollen-rich blooms attract pollinators to pumpkin flowers.

Place these flowers around the perimeter of your garden to prevent these two plants from competing with each other for soil nutrients and space. 

These are the varieties that can be grown with the pumpkin plants, a great choice for the garden area. They can even grow up at a faster pace and help you to break up the soil around your pumpkin plants. 

Insects like flea beetles are troublesome insects that penetrate tiny holes in plant leaves. Growing radishes can help your pumpkin keep away flea beetles and can harvest fast-growing radishes before the pumpkins are ready to harvest. Also, the cooler weather is ideal for growing radishes and can even tolerate cold temperatures.

Borage is not like other companion plants on the list but it packs a punch in the organic garden. Not only these flowers are highly attractive to bees but borage also lures in wasps that feed on pumpkin pests.

Beyond that, these plants are pretty and their edible leaves and flowers have a refreshing flavor reminiscent of cucumbers. You can sow these seeds directly amongst the pumpkin plants. It also maximizes the exposure of the borage flowers to pollinators and beneficial wasps.

Chamomile is a great aromatic herb that suits well if you love teas and ointments. It is considered a wonderful herb that can be a great companion to pumpkin plants. 

These plants are grown chiefly for herbal teas and are also fascinating pollinator plants, that can increase pumpkin pollination rates and boost harvest yields.

They are irresistible to predatory wasps and hoverflies that feed on pumpkins. Also, its pest-repelling properties are not as strong as other companion plants, like marigolds.

Majoram are the ones that can help keep voracious insects at bay and are another great companion plant. It also improves the flower of nearby vegetables and if allowed to flower, these tiny blooms attract pollinators. 

You can plant marjoram at the edges of your pumpkin patch or in between pumpkin rows, ensuring it doesn't crowd your pumpkins. Having it readily available in your garden allows you to harvest fresher leaves. 

Nasturtiums are one of the plants that are farmers' favorite choices as a companion to the pumpkin plants. It is one of the common crops, that is the companion of the pumpkin plants. They can repel the pests that harm the plants and do not let them grow. 

These pests, including aphids and squash bugs, are attracted to nasturtiums first, feeding on them instead of your pumpkin plants. Also, the leaves and flowers of nasturtiums contain chemicals and may deter certain pests, like cucumber beetles, from venturing near your pumpkins. 

It is a great idea to grow lavender in your garden as it is a companion to the pumpkin plants. It is a flower with a beautiful purple color that attracts not only humans but also bees. This flower helps to improve the flavor, if you plant lavender with pumpkin plants.

Its fragrant blooms release essential oils that some pests find unpleasant. This may help deter aphids, squash bugs, and even whiteflies, all of which can damage your pumpkin vines and reduce yields. Also, its fragrant purple blooms create a visually pleasing contrast with the orange pumpkins as they mature. 

Catnip can be a moderately beneficial companion plant for pumpkins, offering several benefits with its successful implementation. Its strong scent may deter some soft-bodied insects like aphids and flea beetles.

While not as powerful as a pest deterrent as marigolds or nasturtiums, it can offer a certain level of protection for your pumpkins. You can use catnip if you have a limited pest problem with soft-bodied insects and can attract hoverflies to keep pumpkins away from the pests.

With its bright yellow button flowers, Tansy is a supportive companion plant for pumpkins in your fall garden. Despite being not as popular as other options, tansy offers a strong aroma that can help deter pests like Japanese beetles, which can damage pumpkin leaves. 

Also, the plant is also known to concentrate potassium in its tissue, and with decomposing, the potassium is released back in the soil, benefiting the pumpkins to improve overall plant health and help boost their flavor. 

Dill is considered a fantastic companion plant for pumpkins, offering a surprising range of benefits to your fall harvest. These plants are growing in everyone's yard and have a pleasant aroma, which helps in preventing cabbage worms, harmful to the plants.

The delicate feathery foliage and fragrant flowers create a welcoming habitat for hoverflies and ladybugs. These beneficial insects are natural predators, which helps to control populations of aphids and soft-bodied insects.

Also, these busy insects transfer pollen between flowers, leading to better fruit development of your pumpkins.

Due to its shorter roots, lettuce doesn't risk competing with pumpkins and can be a good choice as a companion. Interplanting lettuce with pumpkins can increase soil diversity, attract beneficial insects, and prevent plant diseases. 

It is considered an unnoticeable plant but carries several health benefits and is grown easily. These plant even grows at a faster pace so it would help the pumpkin plants to grow quicker.

Although often treated as a vegetable, Pumpkin is a winter squash in the Cucurbitaceous plant family along with melons, spaghetti, squash, and cucumbers. They have a thick outer rind, smooth and ribbed, as well as a stem that connects the pumpkin to its leafy plant. 

Companion planting with pumpkins is a way of preventing or protecting these plants from pests and diseases, attracting the beneficial insects for pollination, enhancing nutrient uptake, and increasing crop production, simply by growing specific plants together with pumpkins.

Here are some of the benefits of companion planting with pumpkins:

1. Repellent Properties

Certain companion plants, like marigolds and nasturtiums, contain strong scents that repel common pests such as squash bugs, aphids, and whiteflies. They act as a shield, preventing these harmful insects from reaching pumpkins.

2. Trap Crops

Plants, like nasturtiums, act as "trap crops", which attract the pests, feeding on them instead of pumpkins. This helps protect your pumpkins from damage and potential diseases spread by these pests.

3. Attracting Beneficial Insects

Borage and dill have flowers that attract beneficial insects like ladybugs, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps. These predators can control pests population of your pumpkins, feeding on aphids, squash bugs, and other harmful insects.

4. Improved Soil Health

Lavender may help suppress soilborne diseases and even nematodes, microscopic worm-like organisms that can harm plant roots, contributing to healthier soil for pumpkins.

5. Provides Natural Support

Some companion plants can physically support each other, reducing the need for staking, Planting corn, beans, and squash together with pumpkin can provide tall stalks to climb so that they are not out-competed by sprawling squash vines. 

6. Enhances Flavors

Some plants can enhance the flavor of other plants when planted nearby. Most herbs have been found to enhance the fruit's flavor and vegetables grown together. Chamomile has an aromatic scent, believed to improve the growth and flavor of cabbages, cucumbers, and onions when grown beside them. 

Consulting a companion planting chart will show what to plant and what not to plant together. For example, pumpkins don't typically make good companions for potatoes or any other from the brassicas families like cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, or kale. 

Also, the zucchini and other squash are considered bad companions for pumpkins as they can compete for the same nutrients, so planting together is not recommended. Here are some plants to avoid as a companion for pumpkin plants:

1. Fennel

Fennel are known for its allelopathic properties, which means it contains compounds that can hinder the growth of nearby plants. Also, these plants a vigorous growers with extensive root systems. It can compete with your pumpkin plants for water, nutrients, and sunlight, leading to potentially lower-yielding pumpkins. 

2. Potatoes

Potatoes are pumpkin's biggest threat because potatoes are deep-rooted vegetables that can cause crucial disruption to the delicate root system of your pumpkin plants. 

Not only it will hinder the root system, but planting them together can lead to intense competition for essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Planting them nearby can increase the risk of these diseases spreading between the plants.

3. Cabbage

Avoid planting cabbage with pumpkins as both plants are heavy feeders, competing for water, nutrients, and sunlight. This competitive spirit from both plants stunts the growth and reduces the yields. Additionally, cabbage belongs to the brassica family, which can attract pests, that can trouble pumpkins. 

4. Zucchini

Belonging to the same family, these two plants are susceptible to similar pests and diseases. Planting them nearby can increase the risk of these problems, spreading between plants, and causing significant damage. 

Also, they consume the same amount of nutrients, sunlight, and water which can lead to intense competition between the two when planted together. 

5. Broccoli

Broccoli, similar to cabbage, is of brassica family and gobbles up massive amounts of water, nutrients, and sunlight from the soil. Their competition can hinder their growth, leading to smaller pumpkins and potentially fewer broccoli florets. 

Being of the brassica family, these plants attract pests that love feasting on pumpkins as well. The pests like aphids and squash bugs can multiply and wreak chaos on your entire fall harvest. Also, being vulnerable to similar fungal diseases, planting them together increases the risk of the diseases spreading rapidly.