7 Lettuce Companion Plants


Lettuce plants grow best when they are grown near beneficial plants. Which companion plants should you consider?
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Lettuce is the most common vegetable planted in the United States; it is quick and easy to plant and harvest.

Surrounding lettuce with plants that can defend against unwanted pests and disease or that promote pollination can promote faster and healthier growth for all plants in the garden. 

Here’s a list of 7 plants, ranging from veggies to aromatic herbs and flowers, that make great companions for lettuce.  

1. Radishes

Radishes often develop faster than lettuce, which makes them great companion plants for lettuce. Planting radishes near lettuce can help you identify lettuce rows before they sprout.

Planting radishes and lettuce near one another is also advantageous because radishes tend to grow softer and more flavorful. They also seem to last longer when harvested.

red radish plant in garden

2. Beans

Beans, whether bush or pole, nourish the soil for neighboring plants resulting in higher yields. Be careful not to plant beans in soil with diseased plants to prevent the disease from spreading to bean plants.

ripe beans growing in green leaves bush

3. Nasturtiums

The combination of lettuce and nasturtiums is also ideal. Nasturtiums deter hungry caterpillars from eating lettuce plants as well as broccoli and cabbage.

Nasturtiums also have lovely flowers that attract insects to the garden to pollinate the surrounding plants. 

Many gardeners grow nasturtiums near lettuce and other vegetables because this flowering plant also acts as a natural repellant for aphids, which can feed on and destroy lettuce.

beautiful bright orange of nasturtiums flower

4. Beets

Beets are considered root crops that produce fruit above ground. On the other hand, lettuce plants have shallow roots and develop underground. This makes beets and lettuce good companion plants since they don’t have to compete for root space.

Beets also deposit magnesium into the soil as they grow, which benefits leafy greens like lettuce.

beets plant growing in the farm

5. Dill

Dill contributes to the health and growth of a wide variety of plants, including lettuce. Planting dill near lettuce and beans results in rich soil that’s filled with beneficial minerals. 

Dill also deters pests like cabbage loopers, spider mites, and cabbage worms that feed on growing lettuce. In return, lettuce can be used as mulch for neighboring plants.

6. Marigolds

Marigolds attract helpful animals that can help pollinate blooming flowers. The calendula marigold, in particular, is good for attracting pollinating insects for this purpose. 

Marigolds act as a pest repellant while adding brilliant color to the gardening space.

beautiful orange marigold flowers in backyard

7. Onions

Onions and their odor repel would-be pests and rabbits from feeding on nearby plants, which makes them perfect companion plants for leafy plants like lettuce. 

Although onions make good companion plants for lettuce, avoid planting them in the same vicinity as legumes (i.e., beans and peas) and cabbages; onions can stunt their growth.

Alaine Connolly
Alaine has been working way too hard in horticulture since 1992, beautifying golf courses, resorts, and hotels. She is a part time landscape designer who works full time caring for a 28,000 square foot public garden. At home, she maintains her own 400 square feet plot. Alaine lives in northern Illinois - zone 5b.
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