By Ethan BrooksUpdated November 2026
A garden companion planting chart is a simple reference that shows which vegetables, herbs and flowers grow well side by side and which ones should be kept apart. This guide walks you through building your own chart for your specific beds, so you can plan spacing, rotate crops and avoid the pairings that stunt growth. You will finish with a usable one-page reference you can print and tape inside your shed door.
Start With Your Own Growing Space
A generic chart is a starting point, but your chart should reflect what you actually grow. List every crop you plan to plant this season, then note the bed or container each will occupy. If you garden in raised beds, measure each one in feet so you can see how much room each plant truly has. A 4-by-8-foot bed holds about 32 square feet, which is enough to plan a tidy layout before you buy seed.
Shopping for one? See our guide: 6 Best Garden Layout Free Printable Printable Companion Planting Charts (2026): Our Picks.
Keep the list short at first. Ten to fifteen crops is manageable, and you can expand the chart in future seasons. If you are new to layout planning, the guide to Vegetable Garden Layout Companion Planting: A Step-by-Step Guide shows how to translate a crop list into bed diagrams.
Record Pairings, Spacing and Conflicts
Build your chart as a table with three columns: the crop, the plants it grows well with, and the plants to keep away from it. Add a fourth column for spacing, since companion benefits mean little if the plants crowd each other. Use the spacing printed on your seed packet as your baseline, then adjust for your climate and soil. We also found Plan for a Companion Planting Garden Design: 7 Steps to Layout Beds useful on this point.
| Crop | Good Partners | Keep Apart | Spacing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Basil, carrot, marigold | Potato, fennel | 18 to 24 inches |
| Cucumber | Bush beans, radish, dill | Potato, sage | 12 inches |
| Pepper | Basil, onion, carrot | Fennel, kohlrabi | 12 to 18 inches |
| Lettuce | Carrot, radish, strawberry | Cabbage family (as a crowding issue) | 8 to 10 inches |
Treat the table as a guide rather than a rulebook. Many “conflicts” are really about competition for water and nutrients, so a well-watered, well-fed bed often tolerates pairings that would struggle in poor soil. For a crop-specific example, compare the notes in Tomato Companion Planting Chart: Best Partners, Spacing and Pitfalls.
Add Rotation and Bed Layout to Your Chart
A companion chart shows what grows together, but rotation tells you what should not return to the same spot next year. Add a column for the bed family, such as nightshades, brassicas, legumes or cucurbits, and mark the bed where each family grew last season. Avoid planting the same family in the same bed for at least three years to reduce soilborne disease and pest buildup.
Next, sketch each bed on graph paper at one inch equals one foot, and place the tallest plants on the north side so they do not shade shorter crops. Tomatoes, sunflowers and pole beans belong on the north edge, while lettuce and radishes can sit near the front. The layout approach in Raised Bed Garden Layout Companion Planting: A Step-by-Step Guide covers this in more detail.
Print, Test and Revise Your Chart
Once your table and bed sketches are complete, print a copy and keep it where you plan. Note what actually happened at the end of each season: which plants thrived, which were crowded, and which pests showed up. Revise the chart each year based on these notes. Over two or three seasons, your chart will reflect your own garden better than any published version.
If you want a starting template, browse Printable Companion Planting Chart: How to Build and Use One (2026), then adapt it to your own crop list.
Common Mistakes
- Copying a chart without checking spacing, which leads to crowded plants and poor airflow.
- Ignoring climate, since some pairings that work in cool regions struggle in heat.
- Forgetting that herbs and flowers also need room and water.
- Planting the same family in the same bed year after year.
- Treating companion claims as guarantees rather than helpful patterns to test.
Recommended Gear
A sturdy clipboard keeps your printed chart and bed diagrams protected while you work outdoors. View on Amazon
A soil thermometer helps you confirm when soil is warm enough for each crop, which affects planting dates you record on the chart. View on Amazon
FAQ
Do companion planting charts really improve yields?
Results vary by garden, and many benefits come from pest deterrence, shade or better use of space rather than guaranteed boosts. Track your results over a few seasons to see what works for you.
How often should I update my chart?
Review it once a year, ideally after harvest, while your notes on pests and spacing are fresh.
Can I use one chart for containers and raised beds?
Yes, but adjust spacing for container size, since pots dry out faster and often hold fewer plants per square foot.
Conclusion
A garden companion planting chart turns scattered advice into a practical plan for your own beds. Build it from your real crop list, record spacing and rotation, and revise it each season. With a clear reference on the wall, planting decisions become faster and your garden layout improves year after year.
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About Ethan Brooks
Ethan Brooks is part of our editorial team and reviews and edits our vegetable & edible gardening guides, checking product details against manufacturer specifications and owner feedback.
