Marty Baldwin
Peas are one of the most rewarding crops to grow in vegetable gardens, spring or fall.
Andcompanion plantingpeas offers several benefits for this quick-growing, prolific crop.
The best companion plants for peas tend to be othercool-weather vegetableswith similar growing needs.
Credit:Marty Baldwin
Companion planting peas with the following veggies, herbs, and flowers will help your garden thrive.
On top of that, peas fix nitrogen in the soil, which helps root crops grow more productively.
Beyond that,cucumbersand peas have similar care needs.
Credit:Bob Stefko
When planted around the base of pea plants, basil can repel thripsone of the most common pea pests.
In return, pea plants provide basil with extra shade and protect the herbs sensitive leaves from sunscald.
Planting shortlettuce plants beneath climbing peasfills empty soil space and gives you more homegrown produce from a small garden.
Credit:Cameron Sadeghpour
Plus, lettuce plants benefit from the extra nutrients produced by nitrogen-fixing peas.
Nasturtiums
Nasturtiumsare famous for being excellent companion plants for most vegetables, and peas are no exception.
Research has found that alliums contain chemicals that can negatively affect the growth of legumes like peas.
Credit:Denny Schrock
Hoverflies, lacewings, and parasitic wasps are beneficial insects that keep the pest problem down in garden plots.
Attract them to your peas by plantingcoreopsis(tickseed),yarrow, orzinniasnearby.
African Journal of Agricultural Research, 11(43), 4304-4312.
Credit:Dean Schoeppner
Credit:Bob Stefko
Credit:Denny Schrock
Credit: Kritsada Panichgul
Credit:Dean Schoeppner
Credit:Kindra Clineff
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
