Companion plants for pumpkins
What to grow next to pumpkins, what to keep away from them, and why. Each reason is tagged by how well it’s supported.
Good companions
Sweet corn Garden tradition
Part of the Three Sisters: vines shade the ground under corn and suppress weeds.
Pole beans Garden tradition
Also Three Sisters; beans climb the corn while squash covers the soil.
Nasturtium Garden tradition
Commonly grown as a trap plant for aphids.
Keep apart
Potatoes Practical reason
Compete for space and water; both are heavy feeders.
Other squash (for seed saving) Backed by research
Same species cross-pollinate, so saved seed won’t come true (the fruit this year is unaffected).
Planning the bed
Space pumpkins 48 inches apart; the spacing calculator works out how many fit. For timing, see when to plant pumpkins, and the full companion planting chart compares all 16 vegetables at once.
Questions gardeners ask
What are the best companion plants for pumpkins?
Sweet corn, Pole beans, Nasturtium. Sweet corn: Part of the Three Sisters: vines shade the ground under corn and suppress weeds.
What should you not plant with pumpkins?
Potatoes, Other squash (for seed saving). Potatoes: Compete for space and water; both are heavy feeders.