Companion plants for lettuce
What to grow next to lettuce, what to keep away from them, and why. Each reason is tagged by how well it’s supported.
Good companions
Carrots and radishes Practical reason
Share cool-season timing and space.
Tomatoes and cucumbers Practical reason
Provide summer shade for late lettuce.
Chives and onions Garden tradition
Traditionally said to deter aphids.
Keep apart
Celery and cabbage (crowded) Practical reason
Larger plants shade and outcompete lettuce if spaced tightly.
Planning the bed
Space lettuce 8 inches apart (4 per square foot in square-foot gardening); the spacing calculator works out how many fit. For timing, see when to plant lettuce, and the full companion planting chart compares all 16 vegetables at once.
Questions gardeners ask
What are the best companion plants for lettuce?
Carrots and radishes, Tomatoes and cucumbers, Chives and onions. Carrots and radishes: Share cool-season timing and space.
What should you not plant with lettuce?
Celery and cabbage (crowded). Celery and cabbage (crowded): Larger plants shade and outcompete lettuce if spaced tightly.