🌱 Companion Planting in New Zealand

Grow healthier plants, boost your harvests, and create a resilient, chemical-free garden.

Companion planting is one of the oldest gardening traditions — pairing certain plants together so they support each other. In New Zealand’s unique climate, where we garden through four seasons, sudden cold snaps, and a huge range of pests (whitefly, aphids, cabbage butterflies, psyllids, slugs, and more), companion planting becomes an incredibly useful tool.

Whether you grow in pots, raised beds, or a full backyard garden, these simple combinations can help you grow more food with less fuss.

🌿 What Is Companion Planting?

Companion planting is the practice of growing specific plants together to improve growth, deter pests, attract beneficial insects, or make better use of space. Some companions mask scents, others attract predators like ladybirds, and some simply improve soil health.

In NZ, companion planting pairs beautifully with organic gardening and fits our climate extremely well — especially because we often deal with insect pressure during warm, humid periods.

🌼 Top Companion Planting Combinations for NZ Gardens

🥕 1. Tomatoes + Basil + Marigolds

Why it works:

• Basil improves tomato flavour and helps repel whitefly (a big issue in NZ, especially in greenhouses).

• Marigolds help deter nematodes and attract pollinators.

NZ Tip: Basil hates cold nights — plant after Labour Weekend or grow inside a tunnel house.

🥬 2. Lettuce + Spring Onions

Why it works:

• Spring onions repel aphids.

• Lettuce provides ground cover to keep soil moist.

NZ Tip: Great for Canterbury’s dry summers — conserve moisture with this pair.

🧅 3. Carrots + Onions

Why it works: Each plant repels the other’s biggest pest:

• The onion smell confuses the carrot fly.

• Carrot tops deter onion fly.

NZ Tip: Plant in alternating rows for best effect.

🌱 4. Cucumbers + Dill

Why it works:

• Dill attracts beneficial insects, such as hoverflies and predatory wasps.

• These natural predators keep aphids and whitefly under control.

NZ Tip: Don’t plant cucumbers too early — they sulk in cold spring soil.

🥦 5. Broccoli/Cabbage/Kale + Nasturtiums

Why it works:

• Nasturtiums act as a sacrificial trap crop for cabbage white butterfly caterpillars.

• They draw pests away from your brassicas.

NZ Tip: In Canterbury, cabbage whites are relentless in summer — plant nasturtiums at the edges of raised beds.

🌽 6. Sweetcorn + Beans + Squash (The Three Sisters)

A classic method that works surprisingly well in NZ.

Why it works:

• Corn acts as a pole for climbing beans.

• Beans fix nitrogen into the soil.

• Squash shades the ground, keeping moisture in.

NZ Tip: Works best in warm regions or sheltered Canterbury microclimates.

🧄 7. Roses + Garlic/Chives

Why it works:

• These help repel aphids and black spot (a common issue in NZ summers).

• Also improves flowering.

NZ Tip: Plant garlic around rose bases in winter for summer benefit.

🌿 8. Silverbeet + Herbs (Dill, Parsley, Coriander)

Why it works:

• Herbs attract beneficial insects.

• They fill the gaps and reduce weed growth.

NZ Tip: Excellent for small gardens — mix and match in pots or raised beds.

🍓 9. Strawberries + Borage

Why it works:

• Borage brings in bees and improves strawberry pollination.

• Some gardeners say it enhances strawberry flavour.

NZ Tip: Borage self-seeds easily — let one or two plants stay each year.

🥔 10. Potatoes + Horseradish

Why it works:

• Horseradish helps deter pests and reduce fungal issues.

NZ Tip: Plant horseradish in a buried pot — it spreads aggressively.

🚫 Plants That Don’t Play Well Together (NZ Edition)

• Tomatoes + Potatoes → Share similar diseases (blight). Keep them apart.

• Beans + Onions/Garlic → Alliums stunt bean growth.

• Broccoli + Strawberries → Compete for nutrients.

• Corn + Tomatoes → Both attract similar pests (corn earworm/tomato fruit worm).

  
  

🐞 Attracting NZ Beneficial Insects

Encourage natural predators by planting:

• Alyssum (hoverflies love it)

• Dill

• Fennel

• Calendula

• Cosmos

• Nasturtium

• Borage

These attract ladybirds, hoverflies, lacewings, parasitic wasps, and bees — your best allies in organic gardening.

🌧 NZ Climate Tips for Companion Planting

South Island (Cooler Regions like Canterbury, Otago, Southland)

• Delay heat-loving companions (basil, marigold, cucumbers) until the soil warms.

• Focus on brassicas, peas, lettuce, and herbs early in the season.

  
  

North Island (Warmer Regions)

• You can sow many warm-season companions earlier.

• Whitefly and psyllids are more intense — use basil, marigolds, and dill generously.

  
  

🌻 Final Thoughts

Companion planting isn’t strict science — it’s a gentle guide that helps you grow stronger, healthier plants with natural support systems. Try a few combinations this season, observe what works in your microclimate, and enjoy watching nature create its own balance.