21 Best Eggplant Companion Plants

Are you looking to grow some best eggplant companion plants? Did you know this purple-colored vegetable requires a lot of attention and care? However, growing eggplant with companion plants has good benefits if correctly done. This means both your eggplant and companion plant will benefit together.

So if you desire this bountiful harvest, don’t grow your eggplant alone. Because best eggplant companion plants will make them less complicated.

In other words, growing them together will tend to produce large crops, offer protection from pests, and put more nutrients in the soil with consistent watering.

So if you want to know more about how to grow glossy and succulent eggplants with companion plants. And how does companion planting work?

This article will provide you with all the tips regarding the best eggplant companion plants. So let’s dive in and see the best eggplant companion plants to grow in your vegetable garden this year in this article.

All About Eggplant

Solanum melongena

Eggplant, also known as aubergine (Solanum melongena), is a versatile vegetable that overgrows in many different climates.

Though it may seem bland or possibly even mushy, it’s a delicious perennial from the nightshade family.

Eggplant enjoys full sun and some days with a lot of heat. Eggplants come in different varieties of sizes, colors, and shapes.

Eggplant has a reputation for being a fussy vegetable because it needs a lot of maintenance and care.

Eggplants are native to Asia, but it is known as brinjal in India. Few of the commonly cultivated varieties of eggplants are White eggplants, Black Beauties, Ichiban, Rosa Bianca, and Little Fingers.

Keep in mind that there are more eggplants out there, including Sicilian Eggplant, Italian, and Globe Eggplant. In a single season, you can yield dozens of pounds of eggplant.

What is Companion Planting

Companion planting is a method of time-tested gardening. It is both the method of the ancient art form and modern science.

In simple words, companion planting is a simple act of grouping one or more different plant species together.

This will support the growth and well-being of both plants. In addition to this, few companion plants can improve the health of the plants by releasing chemicals into the soil.

Companion planting ensures both the plants benefit each other and boost production. Companion planting brings harmony and diversity to the home garden.

It helps to control pest attacks and offers shade and shelter.

Advantages of Companion Planting

Companion planting is all about planting some plants together that help balance the ecosystem. It is one of the tips and tricks in home gardening that many often ignore.

Companion planting is a crucial ingredient suitable for plants, people, pets, and ecosystems.

It is an excellent method of organic gardening that helps in boosting nutrient uptake pest prevention and enhances pollination.

Here are a few of the benefits of companion planting that will give you why you need to do it, especially if you are growing eggplants in your garden.

Check out the companion planting benefits right away:

1. Enhance Pollination

You can plant attractive plants like borage, nasturtium, calendula, zinnias flowers to encourage pollination.

Because these plants attract pollinators to your vegetable patch and pollinate the crops.

Because many vegetables depend on pollinators to produce fruit. So you can try to add some flowering companion plants to your home garden.

2. Improves the Nutrients of Soil

When you grow crops, they take enough nutrients from the soil. So to improve the nutrient of the soil, you need to plant companion plants that will help bring the nutrient closer to the soil.

Companion plants have deep taproots, which helps in keeping the other plants healthy and well-fed.

For example legume family is one of the beautiful companion plants that will make nitrogen available in the soil.

3. Pest Prevention

Companion plants will repel insect pests. Like cucumber beetles, cabbage worms, carrot flies plague vegetable gardens.

So planting certain crops like Sage and Rosemary near broccoli and radishes can protect the plants from cabbage worms.

Few companion plants like Mexican marigold, nasturtium, snapdragons, and sunflowers repel ants, flea beetles, whiteflies, and aphids.

So planting certain crops will ward off many totes of crops-munching insects.

4. Improving the Taste of Other Plants

Many companion plants improve the flavor of plants by releasing specific chemicals. One of the companion plants is basil, which improves the taste of the tomatoes when planted near a tomato.

Thus few companion plants like chamomile marjoram release specific chemicals which help in faster growth and better harvest and taste for other plants.

5. Supporting Your Plant

Few of the companion plants provide support like a trellis for other plants. They act as a shade for sensitive plants to protect from sun, wind, etc.

For example, corn is used as a ground cover for pole beans. Thus it conserves garden space.

Moreover, you can use tall companion plants like zucchini and asparagus as natural protection and relief for sun-sensitive plants.

You can also use hearty plants as wind protection for your fragile plants.

6. Natural Weed Control

Some of the companion plants are excellent weed controllers. They cover bare ground to naturally suppress weeds.

One of the common weed-controlling plants is buckwheat. Buckwheat proliferates and covers the bare spots in the garden.

The flowers of the buckwheat also attract beneficial insects into your garden.

These are some of the benefits of companion planting. We are sure you are convinced enough to grow some and the next one is the list of best eggplant companion plants that you can grow.

Best Eggplant Companion Plants

In this section, we’ll talk about a few of the best eggplant companion plants to grow with eggplants. Eggplant needs a lot of sunlight to thrive, which means it grows well.

So best companion plants for eggplant with a few different species will improve the soil quality and improve plant health.

1. Nightshades

Other nightshade family members are peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes, which make good companions for eggplant.

Because they share similar requirements and belong to the same family.

2. Tomatoes

Tomatoes do well with eggplants as both the crops belong to the Nightshade family. So you can harvest and grow together.

But when you are planning the garden beds, make sure tomatoes don’t shade the eggplant crop.

Related: How to Grow Plum Tomatoes?

3. Peppers

Both the hot and sweet peppers make good companions for eggplant. Because it helps in keeping the bugs out of your plant bed.

Pepper helps to control Fusarium infections in the soil.

4. Potatoes

Like peppers, potatoes are supportive and compatible plants to mingle and grow with eggplant.

Related: How to Grow Potatoes?

6. Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums is a beautiful flower that adds beauty to your garden alongside your eggplant.

These lovely blooms help keep aphids away from your vegetable garden.

So to attract aphids, these flowers are planted at a short distance away from the garden produce.

Nasturtiums are one of the best eggplant companion plants.

7. Marigolds

It is one of the flowering plants used as a companion plant because of its natural pest-controlling properties.

They attract low- maintenance pollinators like bees and birds.

Mexican Marigold helps keep beetles away from their strong scents. This is another great addition to our list of best eggplant companion plants.

8. Spinach

This leafy vegetable provides shade to eggplant during summer. Spinach helps to retain moisture in the soil by suppressing weeds.

Spinach is considered compatible, and they won’t spread any pests or pathogens near one another. Spinach helps develop eggplant.

On the other hand, eggplant provides soil equalization for the Spinach.

9. Oregano

Oregano is a versatile plant in the garden which repels aphids, beetles, cabbage moths, and spider mites because of its strong scent.

It attracts pollinators like honey bees and ladybugs.

10. Broccoli

Broccoli is a heavy feeder, which is why it’s a great companion for eggplants to grow. Broccoli requires enough nutrients to grow.

Thus if it’s planted near eggplants. It will impart some nutrients from the soil to assist eggplants to thrive.

11. Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi is a bitter leafy plant that deters insect pests like aphids, cabbage moths, and flea beetles. It acts as a ground cover for eggplant.

During summer days it will protect the eggplant from the scorching sun.

Although eggplant likes full sun, it doesn’t like the sunburn from the sun during the afternoon.

12. Borage

Borage flower attracts beneficial insects and also deters pests away from attacking your eggplants.

That is why listed in our article featuring best eggplant companion plants.

13. Pole Beans

Pole Beans are excellent for eggplants because they add nitrogen to the soil. Thus it allows it to develop with enough nitrogen.

Pole beans act as a natural climber for plants to climb.

Use a soil meter to keep tabs on the soil’s profile. if you plant pole beans as a companion plant for eggplant.

Because too much nitrogen will result in more foliage and produce smaller flesh.

14. Peas and Legumes

Another one in our list of best eggplant companion plants is peas and legumes.

These are hugely beneficial to eggplant by taking nitrogen from the air and putting it into the soil.

These veggies leach additional nitrogen into the surrounding soil. And are good companions for your N-loving eggplants.

15. Cilantro

Cilantro is a good companion plant for most plants. As it attracts natural predators to the garden to eat the beetles.

It protects your eggplant from pest attacks and keeps your garden with a good scent.

16. Lentils

Lentils plant eliminates the need for any N-supplements for eggplant.

Because it will stimulate nitrogen production into the soil, thus it helps eggplants thrive and that is why one of the best eggplant companion plants.

17. Cabbage

Cabbage attracts flea beetles and thus it steers them away from eggplants. Thus, it is used as a trap plant that is planted at a safe distance from the eggplant.

18. Radish

Just like Nasturtiums, Radish attracts lea beetles. So you can plant your Radish at a safe distance in your garden area.

So that this best eggplant companion plant doesn’t enter the garden where eggplants are planted.

19. Amarnath

Amarnath makes an excellent and best companion plant for eggplant. It takes the same amount of space as eggplant.

So you can grow them both in equal parts in the garden area.

This is one of the best eggplant companion plants that also helps in keeping the soil moist and loose for drainage. It repels pests and some insects.

20. Okra

Okra is a wonderful accompaniment to the eggplant. Since it increases nitrogen concentration in the soil. It has similar requirements to eggplants.

So you can care for both the plants at the same time and that is why listed here in our article showcasing the best eggplant companion plants.

21. Sunflowers

Sunflower is another flower companion plant for eggplant. This best eggplant companion plant is easy to grow and attracts pollinators and birds.

RELATED: How to Use Coconut Coir?

Plants to Avoid with Eggplants

There are a few plants that you should avoid growing next to eggplants. As eggplant is one of the fantastic vegetable plants, poor planning will result in a poor harvest.

So here are a few plants to avoid with eggplant. Like Fennel, Corn, Zucchini, Black walnut, and Geraniums.

1. Fennel

Fennel is the only plant that you should not plant near most of the crops. As Fennel inhibits growth so it’s best to avoid planting near eggplant.

2. Corn

Corn is another plant that competes for resources and attracts pests. Corn needs more fertilizer. So it should not be grown near eggplants.

3. Geraniums

Geraniums hosts pests and diseases. It affects the growth of eggplant leaf which makes the leaves blight and root rot.

Though this plant works well as insect repellents for other plants. It’s not good to grow near eggplants.

4. Black Walnut

Black walnut is grown from allelopathic trees. It inhibits growth and germination underneath it. So it’s best to avoid planting near eggplant.

5. Zucchini

As eggplant and Zucchini are heavy feeders. They will compete for soil resources. So it’s better to avoid growing both these plants together.

Eggplant Companion Plants

These are some of the best eggplant companion plants that you can grow. Which one do you choose? Eggplants are easy to grow if you supply them with proper growing conditions.

Eggplants can grow up to six feet tall. As it is a companion-friendly plant it can grow bigger and more abundant eggplants.

As Eggplants belongs to a nightshade family, you can also grow others nightshade vegetables with them. Eggplant thrives well in loamy rich moist soil with an equal amount of fertilizer in warm sunlight.

So companion planting with eggplant not only provides an exceptional source of nitrogen but also yields abundant growth. It requires approximately 110 days for the eggplant to reach maturity for harvest.

So these benefits of companion planting with eggplant determine that it helps in maximizing production and creating better habitat.

Do you know any other plant that can be added to our list of best eggplant companion plants?

Do let us know in the comments section below and we will update our list of best eggplant companion plants.

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