What to Plant Next to Zucchini for a More Prosperous Harvest
Zucchini is one of the most popular crops in the home garden due to its easy cultivation and abundant fruit production with minimal effort. Even those without a green thumb find it appealing. Today, I will talk about the best companion plants to grow alongside the zucchini plant. As you may know, plants can affect each other when grown together in the same space, so choosing the right companions can be beneficial.
Some plants may not get along well together, but many can significantly improve your yield. Combining zucchini with compatible “friend” plants enhances pollination, soil fertility, and parasite control, leading to better flavor and increased harvest while saving garden space. One such companion is corn. Zucchini and corn have similar requirements, thriving in plenty of sunlight, frequent watering, and proper nutrition. When grown together, they create a harmonious environment that benefits both crops, resulting in healthier and more bountiful produce for your garden.
The second companion crop is Blue Hubbard squash, an ancient winter variety with bluish-green skin and a very sweet pulp inside. It is a very interesting addition that we could define as a “trap” for harmful insects that attack pumpkin plants. Cucumber beetles and grapevine borers are particularly destructive to all plants in the cucurbit family. To benefit from this trap plant, we need to plant it before the pumpkins. By doing so, it will attract these insects towards itself, keeping them away from our other plants and ensuring their safety from potential damage.
If your zucchini plants aren’t producing fruit, consider growing borage alongside them. A poor harvest may indicate a lack of pollinators for your zucchini. Borage is a plant known for attracting bees and other pollinators. By planting some borage near your zucchini crop, you’ll ensure better pollination, leading to a significant increase in fruit production every year, thanks to the natural reseeding by the pollinators.
