There are many advantages to growing eggplant next to other crops. All plants benefit from the attention you give your eggplants, but there are some plants—herbs in particular—that will support your efforts by warding off garden pests. You could also get more fruit by attracting pollinators. Growing eggplant is simple when you allow companion plants to assist you.
Let’s talk more about those companion plants that will help your eggplant grow better.
1. Oregano
Oregano is a woody perennial plant that belongs to the lamiaceae, or mint, family. It is a strong herb with a sting of pepper and a minty scent.
Due to its strong scent, oregano helps deter aphids, cabbage moths, and spider mites. Additionally, it attracts beneficial insects like bees and ladybugs. When grown beside eggplant, oregano also enhances the taste of eggplants.
The perennial has long trailing branches that look lovely flowing over a container or acting as a lush groundcover, particularly next to a walkway. In the late summer, white flowers blossom.
2. Marigolds
Marigolds have daisy- or carnation-like flower heads that are produced singly or in clusters. They can often withstand very hot summers and thrive in direct sunlight.
Flowers make excellent eggplant companions. Marigolds attract a lot of pollinators, and their aroma may repel some pests, such as flea beetles.
Aside from that, marigolds can also add color to your garden.
3. Spinach
Spinach is a common crop that may be sown in the very early spring, as well as in the autumn, and even in winter in certain locations. It is a leafy green that is quite resistant to cold temperatures.
Because eggplants are such tall plants, they can offer shade for their partner plants when it is very hot outside. As a result, many types of leafy greens make great companion plants for eggplants.
Eggplant can provide shade for spinach, which is beneficial, and at the same time, the spinach acts as a groundcover that helps the soil retain moisture and prevents weed growth.
4. Legumes
Pole and bush beans, which draw nitrogen from the air and move it into the soil, may be quite helpful to eggplant, as it improves the soil’s fertility.
Eggplant often attracts Colorado potato beetles, which will eat the foliage and damage the plant. Planting bush or pole beans in your garden will deter the bugs. Colorado potato beetles can develop a resistance to pesticides, but they cannot stand any variety of green beans.
Legumes come in a variety of forms, from climbing groundcovers to vines. All legumes are blooming, and most flowers have a thicker petal or keel made of two merging petals.
Therefore, in addition to the advantages that legumes may provide for your eggplant, they also bring color to your garden.
5. Rosemary
Rosemary is a perennial shrub that has evergreen leaves and blue blossoms. It is an herb with a sweet and resinous taste and a unique scent.
Rosemary is just one example of the many fragrant herbs that may deter pests like aphids, cabbage moths, and spider mites. It will simultaneously attract beneficial insects like bees, ladybugs, and other pollinators. This makes it a wonderful companion plant for eggplant.
6. Tomatoes
Eggplant is a member of the nightshade family. If you grow it with other nightshade plants, you know that their needs are comparable. Tomatoes are one such example.
Keep in mind that plants that are members of the same family may be more susceptible to insect attacks. This is because pests that are attracted to one member of the family would likely target all other members of the family as well.
To prevent your soil from being depleted over time, it is important to either engage in crop rotation or feed your plants on a consistent basis. Plants that come from the same family, like tomatoes, will demand the same nutrients from the soil.
7. Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums are cheerful flowers. Their bold blooms and edible leaves, flowers, and seed pods make them a favorite companion plant in the garden.
They are loved for their rich, saturated, jewel-toned colors. Plant them in the spring after the threat of frost has passed. These easy-to-grow plants thrive even when slightly neglected.
Nasturtium can be grown as groundcover to keep weeds at bay and also as a trap crop. Aphids, for example, love nasturtiums. They will attack them but keep away from your eggplant.
