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
Looking for some cantaloupe companion plants? We recognize that there are many reasons why gardeners choose companion planting, but for the best results, it’s critical to grow the appropriate species. Some plants can grow safely around cantaloupe and others would negatively impact your cantaloupe. There is still more to learn about cantaloupe companion plants, though!
What to Know About Cantaloupe Companion Plants
It’s crucial to be aware of cantaloupes’ typical garden pests, such as striped cucumber bugs, aphids, and squash vine borers, if you intend to cultivate them this year. You’re not the only one who wonders where to plant cantaloupes in the garden. To organize our fruit and vegetable gardens this year, we were searching for the best cantaloupe companion plants. We thought you might also be interested in getting some suggestions since we also asked ourselves what to plant with cantaloupe. In the following, we will have a look at some of the best cantaloupe companion plants!
Cantaloupe Companion Plants
It’s now time to have a look at the best cantaloupe companion plants. These include:
- Basil
- Beans
- Borage
- Chrysanthemum
- Collards
- Corn
- Lavender
- Marigold
- Mint
- Nasturtium
- Oregano
- Pumpkin
- Radish
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Squash
- Sunflower
- Tomato
Basil
Basil not only adds a delightful flavor to your culinary creations but also acts as a natural pest repellent. Planting basil near cantaloupes helps your cantaloupe protect them from certain insects which would harm your garden.
Beans
Bush beans, and all legumes, are real superstars in the garden! Their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil makes them a great companion plant for melons. The beans will naturally fertilize your melon crop throughout the season!
Bush beans are a better choice for these plants as they are shorter in stature and will block less sun than pole beans. They share cantaloupe’s growing requirements, which make them fantastic cantaloupe companion plants.
More beans companion plants: Beans Companion Plants – Which Ones Should be Chosen?
Borage
Borage as a companion plant repels tomato worms and cabbage worms because borage attracts beneficial insects, such as bees and tiny wasps. As we know, these are great plant pollinators, but they also repel garden pests. Additionally, borage works well in the garden alongside many types of herbs and flowers. So bring on the borage as a companion plant!
Because borage leaves are rich in minerals and vitamins, they make a nice mulch for almost any vegetable. Use the older, larger, fading leaves for this purpose. Borage plant material is also a rich source of nutrients and bulk for your compost bin.
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums contain natural insect-repelling compounds. Including them in your cantaloupe garden help ward off pests, promoting a more robust and thriving crop. What an amazing Cantaloupe companion plant!
Collards
Collard greens are excellent companion plants for cantaloupes. They can resist aphids, preventing the sap-sucking insect from infecting your cantaloupe with black fungus and overall interfering with its growth. It is safe to cultivate cantaloupes and collard greens. Collards, when planted in your garden, will safeguard it and its neighbors from illnesses and pests. They also aid in soil dislodgement, moisture retention, and the attraction of pollinators and other beneficial insects. As a result, planting your collard greens with companion plants like cantaloupe will provide a bigger harvest.
Corn
Cantaloupe and corn go well together. They both require a lot of sunlight, water, and space to flourish. Cantaloupes are a warm-weather crop that requires a lot of area to flourish. Corn is another warm-season plant that grows tall. These two can coexist in the same garden bed or on opposite sides of a fence.
Lavender
Lavender’s aromatic qualities can serve multiple purposes in your garden. It not only attracts pollinators but also deters pests that threaten your cantaloupe plants.
Marigold
Summer plants you can plant together as companions in a garden include cantaloupes and marigolds. They make excellent companions. Cantaloupes are heavy feeders, thus the added nutrients from Marigolds will be appreciated. Marigolds will also attract pollinators to the cantaloupe blossoms.
Furthermore, these plants have similar water requirements and demand a lot of sunlight. This makes them ideal for growing in the same garden space. Cantaloupe and marigold are two plants that can coexist in the garden. Because they are both annuals and members of the same family, they will help each other develop. Marigolds are used as companion plants since they were first cultivated by the Aztecs. They have a naturally occurring chemical called pyrethrum.
Want to learn more about the benefits of marigold as a companion plant? Have a look at: Marigold Companion Plants – Definition of Beauty
Mint
Cantaloupe and mint are not only good companions, but they also taste good together. Mint is an excellent addition to cantaloupe since it helps to balance the fruit’s sweetness.
You can plant Mint with other vegetables and herbs too! You can find them here: Mint Companion Plants – Do They Even Exist?
Nastrium
Cantaloupe plants should be planted near other plants that have similar requirements. That’s why nastrium and cantaloupes make excellent companion plants. Because they share a symbiotic relationship, you can plant them in the same garden or near each other. The cantaloupe plant is a heavy feeder that requires a lot of water, and Nastrium is a wonderful source of nitrogen for it.
Oregano
A nice illustration of how two plants can support each other is the cantaloupe and oregano companion planting. Cantaloupes are heavy feeders, therefore the presence of oregano close will benefit them. The oregano will benefit as well because it is a light feeder and will absorb nitrogen from the cantaloupe. Oregano is a wonderful companion plant for a wide variety of vegetables, particularly cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, pumpkins, and tomatoes. Cantaloupe and oregano are both plants that thrive in hot weather. They both require little care and you can plant them together to help each other grow well. Cantaloupes are high in beta-carotene, potassium, Vitamin C, and other nutrients. Because of its ability to defend, oregano is a good cantaloupe companion plant.
Oregano has far more great companion plants. See the full list here: 10 Fantastic Oregano Companion Plants & 5 Companions to Avoid
Pumpkin
The next great cantaloupe companion plant is pumpkin! Cantaloupes and pumpkins can be companion plants because they are both vine-like plants that do well with the same growing conditions. They need plenty of water and sunlight, but they also like to grow in the same type of soil. The cantaloupe vines will provide shade for the pumpkin vines as well as a trellis for them to climb on – making it easier for them to grow and produce more fruit. These similarities make them perfect companions for each other in the garden.
Some more pumpkin companion plants: 8 Best Pumpkin Companion Plants + 1 to Avoid
Radish
As companion plants, you can also grow cantaloupe and radish together. Cantaloupe is a vine plant that requires a trellis or other support to flourish. Radishes are short plants that do not require any assistance to flourish. Cantaloupe vines can be trained to climb a trellis or grow along the ground, whatever is more convenient for you. They both thrive in hot weather, are relatively low-maintenance plants, and prefer rich soil. They also have a few differentiating characteristics that make them good companion plants for each other. For example, cantaloupes will suffer from aphids while radishes will not. Radishes also have a strong smell that can help deter pests from attacking other plants in the garden as well as keep predators away from the cantaloupes.
Rosemary
Rosemary is a hardy herb with pest-repelling properties. Companion planting rosemary with cantaloupes contributes to a healthier growing environment.
Sage
Sage is known for its ability to repel certain pests and enhance the flavor of nearby plants. Consider planting sage to create a beneficial atmosphere for your cantaloupe plants.
Squash
Aids in the successful control of pests Squash is another excellent cantaloupe companion. By growing squash as a companion plant, you may also keep pests like cucumber beetles, bugs, and aphids at bay. Keep in mind that you may keep pests away from your squash plants by growing plants that prevent pests from entering your garden, such as garlic and marigold.
Other great squash companion plants: Squash Companion Plants – 10 Best and 4 Bad
Sunflower
The sunflower is an excellent cantaloupe companion plant. Sunflowers, which attract pollinators and beneficial insects like butterflies and bees, are widely used as companion plants for crops that require insect pollination.
Tomato
Nutrient-hungry plants (or heavy feeders) coexist with low-demanding plants (light feeders) to keep the soil from deteriorating. Plants that are friendly with one another can protect one another from pests and illnesses. That is why tomatoes are excellent cantaloupe companion plants.
What not to Plant with Cantaloupe
Nevertheless, there are also some plants we have to avoid combining in our garden! Therefore, don’t choose the following plants as cantaloupe companion plants:
Watermelon
Fortunately, there is a multitude of excellent companion plants to consider while attempting to plant cantaloupes. Apart from the different pests that may attack them, we must also consider the plants that may limit their growth.
Watermelon is a big plant that we should avoid growing near our cantaloupes. For one thing, both of them attract many of the same pests. So if an infestation goes untreated, it can swiftly spread.
Furthermore, these two plants may compete for space and, as a result, nutrients, moisture, and light. It is needless to risk agricultural success in this manner, especially given the prevalence of dampness and fungal infections in dense vegetation.
Cucumber
Cucumber is another potential source of worry. Cucumbers and cantaloupes are too distantly related to cross-pollination, so even if you have inedible fruits or a bad crop, you can’t blame it on cross-pollination. Cucumbers, like watermelon, should be avoided for the most part because they may attract pests and illnesses that attack both plants.
Potatoes
Furthermore, you should avoid planting potatoes near cantaloupes since they will fight for sunshine, soil, nutrients, and space in general. Worst of all, potatoes can attract a variety of aphids, particularly melon aphids. This insect is known to feed on cantaloupe and related plants such as watermelon and squash. It may even destroy the plant if you don’t react quickly.
More Plants to Avoid
Finally, plants like broccoli, kale, cabbage, and cauliflower tend to be heavy feeders, so consider avoiding this companion plant combination. Likewise, you want to avoid attracting cantaloupe pests such as cucumber beetles by planting too many enticing plants together for them in the same space.
References
- Jorge, N., da Silva, A. C., & Veronezi, C. M. (2022). Antioxidant and pharmacological activity of Cucumis melo var. cantaloupe. In Multiple Biological Activities of Unconventional Seed Oils(pp. 147-170). Academic Press.
