Steve Yoder
I'm Steve, a 30-something urban gardener fascinated by companion planting research. Growing up surrounded by greenery sparked my passion for gardening early on. I enjoy transforming my small backyard, experimenting with companion planting techniques and eco-friendly practices. Sustainability matters—I advocate for native plants and composting.
Table of Contents
Many gardeners don’t know that watermelons are good companion plants for many other crops. That’s why watermelons often don’t appear in companion planting lists. This article changes the situation. Here we will talk about the best watermelon companion plants. Watermelons are one of the most compatible plants for your garden!
Best Watermelon Companion Plants
Garlic
The two main pests that attack watermelons are aphids and cucumber beetles. These insects not only feed on the plants but can also relay viruses from plant to plant. This is often more harmful than feeding the insect.
There are many different species of aphids. The one that attacks watermelon is the melon or cotton aphid. Garlic and dill can either deter the aphids or serve as trap plants to distract the aphids from attacking the watermelon plants.
Dill
Introduce a touch of culinary delight to your watermelon haven with dill! This feathery herb not only adds a burst of flavor to your kitchen but also serves as an excellent companion for watermelons. Dill attracts beneficial insects such as ladybugs and parasitic wasps, which play a vital role in controlling pests like aphids.
Capuchin cress
Capuchin cress not only adds a zesty kick to your culinary adventures but also plays a crucial role in promoting a healthier watermelon patch. Capuchin cress attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps, offering natural pest control for your watermelons.
Catnip & Mint
The next three great watermelon companion plant is mint. As we already mentioned, aphids and cucumber beetles are the two principal pests that damage watermelons. Besides to eating the plants, these insects may spread viruses from one plant to another. This also is often more detrimental than feeding the fly.
Aphids come from a wide variety of species. The melon or cotton aphid is the pest that preys on watermelons. Mint either repels aphids or functions as trap plants to entice them away from the watermelon plants.
Mint also has other great benefits and loves to have plants around! Here is the full list of mint companion plants: Mint Companion Plants – Do They Even Exist?
Broccoli
The next members of the best watermelon companion plants is broccoli. Broccoli has one target around watermelons. This is to keep away cucumber beetles1. Cucumber beetles love to attack Watermelons. The striped cucumber beetle can also transfer bacterial wilt. That is a deadly plant virus. With the use of corn and broccoli around your watermelon plants, you hold the cucumber beetles under control!
Members of the Brassica family in general are friendly plants, especially broccoli. What else you can plant with this amazing plant is to find here: 11 Good and Bad Broccoli Companion Plants
Corn
Create a harmonious balance in your watermelon haven by planting the sturdy companion, corn! Beyond its staple role in gardens, corn provides vertical support for sprawling watermelon vines, optimizing space and sunlight exposure. This strategic pairing allows your watermelons to flourish while benefiting from the structural assistance of corn.
Marigold
Infuse your watermelon sanctuary with the vibrant hues and protective prowess of marigolds! These cheerful flowers not only add aesthetic charm but also serve as powerful companions for watermelons. Marigolds emit a natural chemical that deters nematodes and other soil-borne pests, creating a fortified defense for your watermelon roots.
Marigold is very popular as a companion plant, which makes your garden beautiful at the same time. We also listed the best marigold companion plants for you: Marigold Companion Plants – Definition of Beauty
Radish
These vibrant root vegetables act as natural soil decongestants, disrupting the life cycle of pests like nematodes. By planting radishes alongside your watermelons, you create a dynamic underground ecosystem that safeguards your melons from potential threats.
Tansy
Guard your watermelon domain with the robust and resilient presence of tansy! This herbaceous perennial acts as a natural insect repellent, deterring pests like ants, beetles, and mosquitoes. By incorporating tansy into your watermelon patch, you establish a protective barrier that safeguards your melons from unwanted intruders.
What not to Plant with Watermelons
Some plants would be terrible neighbors for watermelons. Let’s have a look at them:
Cucumbers and Squash
In the section for the best watermelon companion plants, we already saw how terrible and dangerous cucumber beetles are. Cucumber and squash are often attacked by these. They often are victims of these attacks. So, don’t ever plant either of them near your watermelons!
On the other side cucumber and squash can be good companion plants to other crops!
Cucumber: Cucumber Companion Plants – Great Idea?
Squash: Squash Companion Plants – 10 Best and 4 Bad
Zucchini & Pumpkins
Cucumber insects also prey on zucchini and pumpkins! Don’t grow your watermelons near these plants either.
On the contrary, zucchini helps your garden in other aspects. What these are and which zucchini companion plants there are is to find here: 8 Best Zucchini Companion Plants & Herbs (+ 4 Bad Companions)
Potatoes attract Enemies of Watermelons
The next enemy of watermelons is, as the name says, watermelon aphids. Potatoes often attract several aphid species, including the melon aphid. So, avoid planting potatoes next to watermelons. This companionship would ruin your garden.
Positively, potatoes can be excellent garden partners if you don’t grow watermelons. Here is the full list of potato companion plants: 8 Best Potato Companion Plants Helping your Crop Growing
Tomatoes and Peppers
In this case, the problem is not aphids or pests. The reason to avoid planting these two plants is the space! Remember that poor air circulation in a garden plot can hasten the spread of plant diseases. This is particularly the case in plants with thick foliage like tomatoes and peppers. This is why we recommend avoiding this companionship.
On the other side, peppers have a huge list of good companion plants! Here you can get the article about pepper companion plants: Best Pepper Companion Plants – Top 10 & Flop 2
Sunflowers attracting Aphids
Aphids prefer to feed on roses and members of the sunflower family. They are undesirable neighbors for watermelons. The reason is that they draw the largest number of aphids.
Watermelon Companion Planting Chart
For a better overview we also created a watermelon companion planting chart for you!
| Plant | Good | Bad |
|---|---|---|
| Garlic | X | |
| Dill | X | |
| Catnip | X | |
| Mint | X | |
| Capuchin Cress | X | |
| Corn | X | |
| Broccoli | X | |
| Radish | X | |
| Marigold | X | |
| Tansy | X | |
| Cucumber | X | |
| Squash | X | |
| Zucchini | X | |
| Pumpkin | X | |
| Potato | X | |
| Tomato | X | |
| Pepper | X | |
| Sunflower | X |
References
- Grijalva, I. (2019). Impact of Insecticides on Cucumber Beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and Spider Predators in Watermelon and Corn (Doctoral dissertation, Purdue University Graduate School).
- Bašić, F., Sjerotanović, A., Ligata, A., Gadžo, D., Gavrić, T., & Đikić, M. (2019). Investigation of the allelopathic potential of marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) on the initial growth of field watermelon (Hibiscus trionum L.) and four (Amaranthus retroflexus L.). Radovi Poljoprivredno Prehrambenog Fakulteta Univerziteta u SarajevuWorks of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences University of Sarajevo, 64(69 Part 2), 23-33.