Companion planting with corn is an old age - old gardening technique that has been celebrated for its power to foster healthier flora , maximise garden space , and course deter pests .
edible corn , a staple in many area around the cosmos , play a critical role in fellow traveler planting strategies due to its unequalled growth pattern and compatibility with other crops .
fellow traveller imbed isthe pairing of certain plantsin the garden together for some reciprocal welfare . Certain plant may repulse pests , others attract pollinators .
Maize Weevils (Sitophilus zeamais).
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One of the most well - get it on examples of this is the“Three Sisters ” planting method , a traditional aboriginal American technique that pairs Zea mays with beans and squash .
Tall species can provide support for climbers , or shade for low - growing crop .
Maize Weevils (Sitophilus zeamais).
With corn specifically , companion planting provide you to save space in your garden bygrowing pumpkinsamong the stalking .
Some plants , like basil , get away pests that could plague your maize .
Still other plants add together nitrogen to the soil , which is important because corn whisky feed heavily on atomic number 7 .
But maize gain other plant , too : it represent as an ideal trellis for bean , or cucumber vines , and it can ply shade for low - grow crop .
Are you ready to learn more about the best things to establish with yourZ. Willie Mays ? Most of the plant on this list are annuals that you could grow just about anywhere – just like corn , which grows secure in zona 2 to 9 .
Here ’s what I ’ll cover :
9 Companion Plants for Corn
1 . Basil
2 . Anethum graveolens
3 . nasturtium
4 . Pole Beans
5 . Potatoes
6 . Pumpkins
7 . Radishes
8 . Sunflowers
9 . White Clover
These nine plant are not only consummate companion for corn whisky , but some of them are also tasty !
Igrow Basil the Great in my gardenevery yr , and then I impart at least one works in spite of appearance to keep in my tender home during the foresighted Alaska winter . As an one-year , sweet basil thrives in Zones 2 to 10 .
It is hard to find unfermented Basil the Great ( Ocimum basilicum ) in the winter up here . But it ’s worth growing both indoors and out – including out in the garden next to your corn .
Here ’s why : one of corn ’s chief blighter is the maize weevil ( Sitophilus zeamais ) , which can eat your sugared kernels in the garden and in storage .
That ’s where the St. Basil the Great comes in . research worker at the Ministry of Agriculture in Kenya found in a 2013 written report that crushed , dried basil parting spread out around corn deter the maize weevil from infesting the essence .
By plant mordacious basil on the border of your Zea mays maculation , it ’ll keep corn weevils out with its smell .
Sweet Basil Seeds
For extra protection , reap one or two leaves from each flora , rive them up to release the crucial oils , and scatter them at the base of each corn stalk .
This is n’t a tried - and - true method , but it ’s one I ’ll be implementing in my garden this year .
detect sweet basil seed in a variety of packet sizesavailable at Eden Brothers .
Learn about different St. Basil the Great varieties to grow at home .
Dill , Anethum graveolens , does n’t just make pickles taste good .
It can also assist to repel some of the worstZ. mayspests because , as withother Umbellifers , its flowers draw in parasitic WASP andother good insects .
These small wasps that are harmless to homo parasitize and kill many garden pestilence , including several that plague corn : aphids , Zea mays auricle worms , andcutworms .
Anethum graveolens grows well in the spring , summer , and hang in Zones 2 to 9 . expect to engraft your Anethum graveolens until the Zea mays is about four inches tall , so it does n’t block sunlight .
Dill is normally best implant in the early bound , as it will bolt in warm conditions , but in this case you want it to bloom .
Dill Seeds
Feel free to reap some dill for delectable recipes , like this grilled Salmon River with Anethum graveolens sauce fromour sister web site , Foodal . Or this easy recipe for homemade lacto - ferment garlic dill jam , also from Foodal .
Remember to rent great deal of the dill heyday , too , because that ’s what will appeal those good parasitic wasps .
Dwarf Fernleaf Dill
Find source for adorable yellow - bloom dillat Burpee , or plant this dwarf fernleaf varietyfrom True Leaf Market – which only grows up to 18 inches tall .
see how to plant and grow dill in your garden .
With bright , upbeat flush , Tropaeolum majusis theperfect lying in wait cropto keep aphid away from yourZ. mays .
tasty to aphid than corn , they’llswarm the nasturtiumsand ( hopefully ) leave your stalks , silk , and kernels alone . Be sure to institute your sacrificial craw several feet aside from your maize .
Even good , if youplant nasturtiums , gamboge , and dill all together , the nasturtium will attract aphid , while the dill weed will draw parasitic wasps . The WASP will eat up the aphids , offer additional protection and proceed them from ever arrive at your stalks and ears .
fellow traveller planting is pretty genius , do n’t you think ?
‘ Alaska Mix ’ Nasturtium Seeds
And whatever nasturtiums do n’t get eaten by aphids can be eaten by you . Toss the blooms and leaves in your best-loved salad for a zesty kick .
Find ‘ Alaska Mix ’ nasturtium seeds in a variety of packet sizesavailable at Eden Brothers .
discover about the different motley of nasturtiums here .
Squash , corn , and celestial pole beans make up the Three Sisters embed trio implemented for thousands of years by Native American peoples .
Here ’s what pole attic ( Phaseolus vulgaris ) , specifically , can do for Indian corn .
really , the relationship is reciprocally beneficial : perch beans mount the stalks , using them like a trellis , while also helping to stabilize the maize and keep it from falling over when the ears mature – an issue known as “ angry walk housing . ”
‘ Rattlesnake ’ Pole Bean Seeds
Pole edible bean grow well in zone 3 to 10 , and you could plant them a couple inch from your maize once the shoots reach a height of six inch . As the beans grow , train the shoots to meander around the stalks .
retrieve ‘ rattler ’ terminal bean seed in a variety of packet sizesat High Mowing Seeds .
Find tips on grow pole beans here .
So often , it seems we ca n’t plant things near potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum ) .
Squash , pumpkins , cucumbers , turnips , sunflowers , andraspberriesare among the plants you should n’t plant near these annuals , which are hardy to Zones 3 to 10 and thrive in cooler climate .
But is corn whisky on that inclination ?
No . No it is not .
The relationship here is most beneficial to potatoes . A 2010study published in the American Journal of Potato Researchfound that using corn as green manure for potato harvest reduced the risk of verticillium wilt , triggered by the fungiVerticillium dahliaeandV. albo - atrum , by 60 to 70 pct .
Verticillium wilting causes potato to pall before they reach maturity , so this is a significant mood of protection . The subject area also found that using Zea mays as green manure can help to increase potato yields .
Here ’s how to grow Indian corn to act as a greenish manure for potatoes : plant it in alternate rows , space about six inch aside from the tubers .
Once youthful ear develop on the maize , forfeit about half the plants by cutting them into small pieces and working those pieces – ears , leaves , stalks , and all – into the soil around the tater .
instead , at the goal of the grow time of year , after harvesting your corn , cut the stems and leaves into modest firearm and work on it into the ground .
Your potatoes will get a Brobdingnagian advantage in both increased yield and lessened susceptibility to one of the worst potato disease around .
And even if you do n’t want to sacrificeanyof your corn as green manure , you’re able to maximize your garden blank by get potatoes among the shoal - rooted angry walk .
‘ Princess Laratte ’ Potato Seedling Tubers
Find‘Princess Laratte’potato seedling tubersavailable at Burpee .
6. Pumpkins (and Other Cucurbits)
Squash and other case of cucurbits are another component of the historic Three Sisters , along with corn and bean .
The vining cucurbit act as a living mulch for the corn and beans , preserve weeds at bay and engage moisture into the soil .
‘ Waltham Butternut ’ Squash Seeds
establish your favourite cucurbit next to your corn and let the vine spread out . Your Zea mays will give thanks you ( and so will those pole beans ) .
‘ Small Sugar ’ Pumpkin Seeds
Find seeds to grow your own‘Small Sugar ’ pumpkinsor‘Waltham Butternut ’ mash at Burpee .
And , we ’ve gotgrowing template for all your favourite squash racquets here .
When allowed to run off , these root vegetables can help keep clavus stone drill away from your harvest .
Plant them alongside your Three Sisters as they help to dissuade cuke beetles and squelch rock drill from making a meal of your pumpkin .
Check out our fullradish mature guideto learn how to sow and grow , getting those radish plant to exploit !
Remember that radishes are a very quick harvest to acquire , often maturing in under 30 day , so apply successiveness planting methods to keep a steady companion craw going for your corn .
‘ Crimson Giant ’ Radish
Find seeds for ‘ Crimson Giant’available at Eden Brothers .
This beautiful , bounteous flower ( Helianthus annuus ) is the perfect Fourth Sister to spring up with maize , noggin , and pumpkins .
In a 2012 sketch published in theJournal of the Kentucky Academy of Science , research worker find that planting midget helianthus near sweet corn whiskey attracted a plethora of good , pestis - killing ladybugs .
‘ macula ’ Dwarf Sunflower seed
Other types of sunflowers – most of which are suited to growing in Zones 2 to 11 – will also attract these lovely beetles .
So flora sunflowers near your Zea mays and love the mien of beneficial predators , the beaut of the handsome happy blooms , and thetasty seeds you ’ll get at harvest time .
‘ Mammoth ’ Sunflower Seeds
Find‘Sunspot’dwarf helianthus seedsat True Leaf Market , and the large ‘ Mammoth ’ varietyavailable at Burpee .
Learn how to grow helianthus in your garden here .
This odorous - smelling legume ( Trifolium repens ) dissemble as the perfect living mulch , orcover craw , for Zea mays , agree to researchers at theAmerican Society of Agronomy .
The thick spread of trefoil bottle up harmful sess , ask less weeding workplace from you . Yet it only grow to about four to six inches magniloquent , so it wo n’t outgrow your corn whisky stalks .
Plus , like other leguminous plant , clover is capable to set nitrogen from the atmospheric state into the soil . Since corn take a lot of nitrogen from the grease , this is a double-dyed harvest to sow alongside it .
Even better , the researchers discover that if the corn acts as a shade for the trefoil , clover leafage will fall off , omit to the grunge , and decompose , adding nutrients even while the corn is still growing .
‘ White Dutch ’ Clover
White trefoil ’s usefulness does n’t stop there . The flowers attract bees to your garden , and the flowers and leaves alike can even make a tasty plus to a summertime salad .
This weed - deform - wonder thrives in zone 3 to 10 , and you may find ‘ White Dutch ’ seedsavailable at True Leaf Market .
What to Avoid Planting Near Corn
It ’s good to keep your tall Indian corn flora far awayfrom any brassica – such ascabbage , Brassica oleracea italica , orkale – because brassicas need their sun and corn wo n’t pause to steal most of it away .
You should also plant your tomato plant on the other side of the garden , as they draw standardized plague to corn – and in at least one case , thesamepest : the tomato plant fruitworm or corn earworm ( Helicoverpa(Heliothis)zea ) .
Yes , they ’re the same pest . The name that ’s used changes depending on what they ’re infesting .
Create a Harmonious Garden
Now that you know all the ways that corn and its comrade can help oneself each other fly high , you ’re one stone’s throw nearer to enjoy a garden with few payoff and spate of yield .
Have you ever advisedly plant comrade with your maize ? broadcast us your hint , tricks , or interrogative below !
And do n’t forget to check out more of our companion planting guides next :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . First write June 20th , 2020 . Last update April 15th , 2025 . Product photos via Burpee , Eden Brothers , and reliable Leaf Market . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
About
Laura Ojeda Melchor
