Did you know that some plants thrive better when planted near certain other plants? It’s a practice called companion planting. Last year, I planted marigolds in and around our garden, especially near the tomato plants. Marigolds are known to help repel insects that love to feast on tomatoes—and sure enough, they made a noticeable difference. Something as simple as the right pairing in the garden helped protect and support growth.
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In many ways, our lives of faith work the same way. The people, practices, and truths we surround ourselves with can either help us flourish—or leave us vulnerable. Just as tomatoes benefit from being near marigolds, we benefit from being near kindness, prayer, encouragement, and spiritual community. These “companions” protect us, nourish us, and help us grow into who God created us to be.
Here are some suggestions of what to plant and what not to plant.
🌿 Best Companion Plants for Tomatoes:
- Basil – Repels aphids, hornworms, and whiteflies; may enhance tomato flavor.
- Marigolds – Repel nematodes and many insect pests.
- Chives or Onions – Deter aphids and other soft-bodied insects.
- Garlic – Helps prevent fungal diseases and keeps pests away.
- Carrots – Can be tucked underneath tomatoes; loosen the soil.
- Lettuce or Spinach – Grow well in the shade of taller tomato plants.
- Borage – Attracts pollinators and may deter tomato hornworms.
- Nasturtiums – Trap crops for aphids and whiteflies, plus they add color.
🚫 Avoid Planting Near Tomatoes:
- Corn – Attracts tomato pests like corn earworms (also called tomato fruitworms).
- Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, etc.) – Compete for nutrients and space.
- Potatoes – Increase the risk of blight spreading.
- Fennel – Inhibits growth of many plants, including tomatoes.
There are also square-foot planting methods for your garden spaces. This method works well for smaller spaces and helps maximize your garden growth. If you are interested in learning more about this method, check out this great book: https://amzn.to/42QQyVh
Here is an example with tomatoes as your focus produce.
🍅 4×4 Square Foot Garden Layout Example (Tomato-Focused)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Basil | Tomato (1 plant) | Basil | Marigolds |
| B | Lettuce | Carrots (16/sq) | Spinach | Chives |
| C | Nasturtium | Tomato (1 plant) | Borage | Garlic (4/sq) |
| D | Marigolds | Radishes (16/sq) | Basil | Onions (9/sq) |
🪴 Key Tips:
- Tomatoes: 1 per square (train vertically on cages or trellises).
- Carrots, Radishes, Onions: Plant 9–16 per square foot depending on size.
- Herbs (Basil, Chives, Garlic): Great companions—plant several per square.
- Flowers (Marigolds, Nasturtium, Borage): Add color, deter pests, and attract pollinators.
https://hippiebillyhomestead.substack.com/p/maximizing-yields-with-companion has shared an image of what this might look like. Be sure to check them out.
🌿 Why Companion Plants Matter for Tomatoes:
🐛Pest Control is a big reason to have companion plants. Plants like basil, marigolds, and nasturtiums naturally repel pests like tomato hornworms, aphids, and whiteflies that love to munch on tomato plants.
🍅 Improved Growth & Flavor for your tomato plants. Some herbs, especially basil, are believed to enhance tomato growth and even improve the flavor of the fruit when planted nearby.
🐝 Attract Pollinators & Beneficial Insects flowers like borage and nasturtiums attract bees and other pollinators, while also inviting predatory insects (like ladybugs) that eat pests.
🌱 Better Use of Space because compact plants like lettuce or carrots can grow in the shade beneath tomato plants, making the most of every square foot.
🦠 Soil Health & Disease Reduction is the final reason. Certain plants (like onions and garlic) help reduce soil-borne diseases and fungi that could otherwise harm tomato roots.
Faith
“She turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ Thinking he was the gardener, she said…” (John 20:14–15)
Gardening and Faith
Faith, like a garden, doesn’t flourish unattended. It requires care, patience, and presence. Jesus, as the divine Gardener, walks with us, prunes us, and brings fruitfulness from our lives—even when we don’t recognize His hand at work.
Just as Mary Magdalene didn’t recognize Jesus because He appeared in a setting she didn’t expect, our lives often reflect that same truth. Things are not always as they seem. In moments of confusion, fatigue, or discouragement, we may not see the presence of God right away—but that doesn’t mean He isn’t there.
There will be times when it feels difficult to be kind or to tend to every area of our life. Yet even in those times, we’re invited to keep planting seeds—of love, of faith, of hope. The gifts God has placed in our lives may not always look like we expect them to. A difficult conversation, a long day, or a painful season may be the very soil in which something new is being nurtured.
We need to look for the good and ask ourselves: How can I create good in this situation? Life rarely arrives in the exact shape we anticipate, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t full of grace and blessing.
We are called to care for our whole selves—spiritual, emotional, and relational—even when it’s hard. In those efforts, no matter how small, we reflect the love and patience of the Gardener who never stops tending to us.
So today, let us be mindful. Let us recognize the holy in the ordinary. Let us never stop planting seeds of goodness, trusting that in time, they will bear fruit.