A Guide to Companion Planting Carrots

For many years, I’ve been experimenting with companion planting carrots in my garden and in this article I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned from research and experimenting with planting carrots alongside other crops

Companion planting is a natural gardening method that helps to improve the health and flavor of carrots (and other crops) by fostering a healthier, more diverse garden. Carrots are a fun and delicious crop to grow in the garden and with a deep root structure, they offer some fun and interesting options for interplanting.

In this article we’ll provide some quick answers of the best and worst carrot companion plants. You can also find some general info on the benefits of companion planting as well as a few tips on growing carrots in the garden.

Looking for more guides on companion planting? Check out:

Contents

Best Companion Plants for Carrots

Onions: Onions help repel carrot flies and other pests with their strong scent. They also do not compete heavily for soil nutrients.
Leeks: Similar to onions, leeks provide a natural pest deterrent and grow well alongside carrots without competing for resources.
Chives: Chives help repel aphids and other pests that can harm carrot plants. Their small size also makes them an excellent space-efficient companion.
Lettuce: Lettuce grows quickly and can provide shade for young carrot seedlings, helping to keep the soil cool and moist.
Radishes: Radishes mature quickly and can help break up the soil, making it easier for carrot roots to grow. They also help repel pests like cucumber beetles.
Rosemary: Rosemary’s strong scent helps deter carrot flies and other insects. Its upright growth habit does not interfere with the underground growth of carrots.
Sage: Like rosemary, sage can help keep pests away from your carrot plants while also enhancing the flavor of nearby crops.
Tomatoes: Tomatoes can provide partial shade for carrots, reducing the risk of bolting in hot weather. Their root systems also occupy different soil levels, minimizing competition.
Beans: Beans fix nitrogen in the soil, improving soil fertility for nutrient-demanding carrots. Their vertical growth habit also conserves space.
Peas: Peas, similar to beans, add nitrogen to the soil and can coexist with carrots without competing for the same nutrients.

Bad Companion Plants for Carrots

Dill: Dill can stunt carrot growth and may attract pests that harm carrots. It can also cross-pollinate with carrots, potentially resulting in poor-quality seeds.
Fennel: Fennel secretes substances that inhibit the growth of many plants, including carrots, making it a poor companion.
Parsnips: Parsnips can attract similar pests and diseases as carrots, increasing the risk of infestations and infections.
Potatoes: Potatoes compete heavily for nutrients and can harbor pests such as root-knot nematodes, which can also affect carrots.
Celery: Celery can compete with carrots for nutrients and moisture, leading to reduced growth and yield.
Cabbage: Cabbage and other members of the brassica family (such as broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts) can overshadow carrots and compete for nutrients and water, inhibiting their growth.
Turnips: Turnips can attract similar pests and diseases, creating a higher risk of infestations and infections for carrots.
Anise: Anise can inhibit carrot growth due to allelopathic effects, where certain chemicals released by anise hinder the growth of nearby plants.

How to Use Companion Planting in the Garden

While we’ve found companion planting to be a powerful method of eliminating problems and boosting overall health, it can easily feel overwhelming – especially when you add in succession planting and general garden planning. We like to use companion planting selectively and typically interplant our carrots with lettuce and onions as these are the plants that seem to make the biggest impact and make it easiest to manage.

You can find our companion planting chart that shares just the plants that have the biggest positive and negative impact on each other in our general article about companion planting.