Some people just can’t get enough of hot peppers.
They taste great, they’re packed with health benefits, and they add an extra dose of spice to just about anything. You may love peppers so much you’ve thought of growing a plant or two in your home garden. It’s probably not as hard as you think, but there’s something else to consider, and it has to do with what’s growing near your pepper plants. Essentially, a companion plant is nothing new. People use them to help with pest control, to help provide nutrients to the soil, and for things like cross-pollination and improved yield. Some plants automatically work well together and help each other in the growing season. Unfortunately for avid gardeners, it turns out some companion plants are great for pepper crops, and some of them you should probably avoid.
Peppers do great with a lot of sun.
Depending on which variety you choose from the hot pepper scale, you may be able to plant them in pots, raised garden beds, or right in the ground. If you’re looking for a companion plant, spinach helps crowd out the weeds and keeps the soil moist and cool. Herbs help protect against certain pests, while onions protect against cabbage worms and slugs. Certain types of flowers draw in pollinators and keep pests away from peppers. Basil can deter pests, and carrots help reduce weeds.
On the other hand, there are some companion plants you’ll want to avoid around peppers.
Bean vines can injure pepper plants, while kale, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and broccoli need a different type of soil. A common type of fungal disease in peppers can be bad for apricot trees, so you’ll want to keep them apart. There’s also fennel, which can sometimes inhibit pepper growth and is prone to attracting certain insects. With all this in mind, if you’re successful with your pepper plants, rejoice, because you’ve just made it even easier to add more hot peppers to your diet.