Cucumbers (Cucumis Sativus) are the epitome of summer. The flavour of shop-bought cucumbers does not even come close to the delicious taste of those grown at home. Cucumbers are the perfect addition to summer salads or even as a refreshing cocktail garnish.
If you want to improve the chances of a successful yield then companion planting is the way forward.
But there are good and bad companion plants out there which can make choosing the right plants a little tricky. This is why I’ve provided lots of helpful advice to make this growing method a whole lot easier so you can choose the perfect partners for your cucumbers.
Companion Planting Explained
Companion planting is the practice of positioning different crops near a view to these plants improving one another’s performance and enhancing the growing environment. This growing technique has a multitude of benefits and has been used by gardeners for centuries.
Companion planting is completely organic and can be used as a way of reducing pests, boosting growth, improving flavour or assisting the growth of other plants to name just a few of its advantages.
A perfect example of companion planting has been used by gardeners in China for at least a thousand years to improve the growing success of rice plants.
To maximize yields, rice growers actively encourage an aquatic mosquito fern called ‘Azolla’, using the flooded growing conditions to their advantage.
This fern although very small can increase its numbers rapidly which creates a weed-suppressing blanket around the rice plants on the surface of the water.
In addition to keeping competing weeds at bay, the Azolla plants also release nitrogen into the water which encourages fast and healthy growth of the rice plants. The fern also acts as a water purifier which keeps harmful bacteria to a minimum.
A Few Benefits of Companion Planting
Using this technique can have a positive impact on surrounding nature by creating the perfect ecosystem for healthy plant growth. Companion planting allows gardeners to work in harmony with nature by taking advantage of their growing environment in a completely organic way without the need for pesticides or chemicals.
The most notable benefits of companion planting are:
Encourages Plant Diversity: Using a garden more efficiently and growing a diverse range of plants in the same area can improve harvest potential. This approach will also promote insect diversity which naturally keeps parasite numbers to a minimum.
Improved Soil Health: Healthy, nutrient-rich soil is a must when growing fruits and vegetables and growing certain plants together can increase the nutrient density of the soil.
Plants from the ‘Fabaceae family’ such as peas, beans and legumes are perfect for this purpose. Known as ‘nitrogen fixers’ these plants absorb nitrogen from the air which is then converted and released into the soil which in turn, can benefit all nearby companions.
Assists Pollination: Without pollinators, the human race wouldn’t last very long. Bees and other beneficial insects are responsible for pollinating over a third of the world’s food crops, so any assistance we can provide is vital.
Using native and cultivated plants as companions is a great way to give nature a nudge in the right direction and will also help to avoid problems with poor plant pollination and fruit not setting.
What To Consider When Selecting Companion Plants
Choosing the wrong planting combination can have disastrous consequences so there must be plenty of thought given before planting begins.
It’s worth carrying out a little research into how fast potential companions mature to utilize the space available in your garden as efficiently as possible. Good companion combinations include choosing fast-growing plants such as salad crops to grow amongst slow-maturing plants like tomatoes.
Think about whether the choice of plants enjoys similar growing conditions. For instance – if one companion plant enjoys moist growing conditions and the other has a preference for dry arid surroundings then this combination is never going to be a good partnership.
Don’t forget to consider what is happening beneath the soil too. A clever way to use companion planting is to think about the roots each plant has. Pairing a plant with very deep roots such as carrots with very shallow-rooted produce like lettuce makes good use of the growing space as neither plant will be competing for nutrients, water or growing space beneath the soil.
Best Companion Plants for Cucumbers
Some of the best companions for cucumbers are plants which naturally increase the biodiversity in the growing space. This organic approach encourages natural predators to assist with pest control thus protecting cucumbers without the need for chemicals.
Cucumbers will certainly benefit from a little extra attention from pollinators. Flowering plants are a great choice as companions as their fragrance and vibrancy attract bees and other beneficial insects, aiding pollination and increasing yield.
Vining varieties of cucumbers such as ‘Sweet Success’ or ‘Burpee Hybrid’ tend to sprawl and stretch their vines out as much as they possibly can.
Providing a tall and sturdy growing companion will encourage the long vines to grow vertically rather than horizontally across the garden. This helps to free up growing space and allows the garden to be used more efficiently.
Here are some more great companion plant examples to grow with cucumbers:
Vegetables
Sweetcorn: Vining cucumbers will make use of the tall, sturdy sweetcorn plants using them to climb and support themselves. In return, the cucumber plants will provide shade to the base of the sweetcorn which also acts as a weed suppressant.
Because the cucumber plants are growing vertically rather than horizontally, this will use the growing space much more effectively too.
Lettuce: Lettuce plants are a great choice as cucumber companions thanks to their tolerance of growing in dappled shade. Squeezing lettuce plants in amongst cucumbers is also a great use of space and will help to increase the amount of produce harvested.
Beans, Peas and other Legumes: Plants from the legumes family absorb nitrogen from the air and fix this much-needed nutrient in the soil allowing cucumber plants to take full advantage.
The extra nitrogen provided by beans, peas or other legumes promotes quicker and stronger growth and healthy plants are better equipped if subjected to pest attacks or disease.
Onion, garlic and other alliums: Plants from the allium family are great for deterring pests such as aphids or Japanese beetles away from cucumber plants thanks to their strong scent.
These plants help to mask the scent of cucumber plants and keep unwanted visitors away.
Herbs and Flowers
Borage: With its stunning blue star-shaped flowers, borage assists cucumber plants by attracting pollinators and beneficial predators. It is also a great pest deterrent, helping to keep wireworms, armyworms and cabbage worms away.
Dill: This aromatic herb helps to attract predatory insects such as wasps, ladybugs and hoverflies. In return, these beneficial insects prey on pests which would normally feast on cucumber plants and their fruits keeping thrips, aphids and cucumber beetle populations as low as possible.
Sunflowers: Much like sweetcorn – sunflowers can be used as a living support structure allowing cucumber plants to snake up their sturdy stalks.
The bonus to using sunflowers as companions is their ability to attract pollinators which can assist with cucumber pollination, leading to an increased yield.
Bad Companion Plants For Cucumbers
There are of course lots of bad companion plants for cucumbers which are best avoided thanks to the detrimental effects they can have.
Here are some examples of what to avoid locating near cucumbers:
Mint: A commonly used companion due to its strong scent but one that should be avoided for cucumber pairings. If grown together the flavour of cucumber fruits can be affected thanks to the overpowering fragrance of the mint plant.
Mint plants are also very aggressive growers and can take over a garden bed if left unmanaged.
Fennel: Fennel is known to stunt the growth of cucumber plants and is best grown in containers to avoid it inhibiting the growth of any neighbouring plants.
Sage: Much like mint, sage has many pest-deterring qualities as a companion thanks to its strong fragrance and ability to attract natural predators and pollinators. However, sage is thought to stunt the growth of cucumber plants so is best to avoid it as a plant companion.
Citations
- NC State University – ‘Cucumis natives
- earthisland.org – ‘Azolla’
- Encyclopaedia Britannica – Fabaceae family
Ben's horticultural interest grew when graduating from Hertfordshire University in 1997. Having contributed to numerous publications including Better Homes & Gardens, Garden Design Magazine, and The English Garden. He is also the author of Propagating Houseplants Made Easy.
