Are Squash And Tomatoes Companion Plants?

No matter if you're growing a variety of colorful flowers, fruits, vegetables, or even native plants for a pollinator-friendly garden, gardening is a craft that those gifted with a green thumb cherish. While those not in the know may assume that you can grow whatever you want in your home garden, and that every plant will thrive as long as they receive water and sunlight, that couldn't be further from the truth. Every avid gardener knows that it's essential to grow plants that are compatible with one another in order for them to grow successfully, and a key tip for novice vegetable gardeners is that some forms of produce are easier to grow than others. Among the most commonly grown vegetables in American home backyards are tomatoes and squash, which raises the question: Are they suitable companion plants? 

Chowhound spoke to Sunshine Chapman, gardening expert and president of Garden Works (@gardenworksusa on Instagram), to get to the bottom of this. The good news is that squash is not on the list of tomato companion plants to avoid; in fact, it's the opposite. "Squash is an excellent companion for tomatoes, since they both prefer full sun and well-drained soil," Chapman told us. She also emphasized that the low-vining growth from squash provides valuable "living mulch," which shades the soil, retains moisture, and suppresses the growth of weeds.

While tomatoes and squashes are suitable companion plants, Chapman also alerted us to the fact that the vines from the squash can get out of hand and may overcrowd the tomatoes. Her recommended solution is to "prune tomato suckers from the bottoms of the plants to allow them to grow taller." She also suggests using supports that will help guide the squash away from the tomatoes.

Now that you know you can grow two of the key ingredients of a classic Ratatouille in tandem in your home garden, Sunshine Chapman also provided additional valuable tips for a successful garden. One way to bring more benefits to your squash and tomato harvest is to include planting blue-flowered borages in the mix. Not only is it one of many edible flowers that you can grow, but it's also among the best things to plant alongside tomatoes. Plus, the lovely, contrasting hues from the flowers are a sight for sore eyes. Including borage offers advantages to both squash and tomato plants. For starters, it attracts pollinators to the garden, which in turn reflects in the bounty of your harvest. It's also beneficial as a pest repellent, shunning the likes of squash bugs and tomato hornworms. Borage adds minerals like calcium and potassium to the soil, enriching it with nutrients that squash and tomatoes thrive with.

We then asked Chapman about the optimum conditions for both plants to ensure a successful outcome, and one of the important factors to consider is spacing. "When planning a companion planting of tomatoes, squash, and borage, make sure to give adequate spacing," she said. "Each tomato needs about 2 feet, and squash plants require at least 3 to 4 feet to sprawl." She also suggests planting it between the tomatoes and squash or at the edge of the rows. Alternatively, the Florida weave is also a suitable trellising method with this trio. It's crucial to grow them where they will receive full sunlight, and provide them plenty of mulch so you can truly savor the literal fruits of your labor of love.