Tall Companion Plants

Vegetables

• Corn, tomatoes, pole beans, asparagus and Jerusalem artichokes are tall vegetables that make good companion plants. Grow corn with beans, cucumbers, pumpkin, squash, peas and potatoes. Tomatoes are good companions for asparagus, members of the Allium family, carrots, basil, nasturtium and marigolds. Pole beans grow well with corn, summer savory, cauliflower, carrots, beets, cucumber and cabbage. Grow parsley, basil and tomatoes among asparagus. Jerusalem artichokes produce yellow flowers that look like sunflowers and have a chocolate scent. The roots are used like potatoes after the first few fall frosts have sweetened them. Use this plant as a wind break in the garden.

Herbs

• Bay, dill, fennel and lovage are tall growing herbs. Bay is a tree that will grow in the ground in warm climates, or in a large pot in cool climates, and does fine indoors as a winter houseplant. The leaves repel weevils and other insects. This is a good plant to grow close to grain crops. Dill is a rampant self-seeder in the garden, so plant it where you want it to grow for many years to come. It is great for attracting bees. Grow dill with lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers and onions. Fennel is another tall herb that is a rampant self-seeder. Do not plant this herb in the vegetable garden. Instead position it close enough so the beneficial insects that visit it will find their way into the vegetable garden. Mix lovage plants throughout the garden to improve the health and flavor of the vegetables you grow.

Companion Flowers For Sun

• Agastache, flax, larkspur and lupine grow best in full sun. Agastache comes in many heights, so look for a tall variety. The flowers come in many colors; some are showy and some are not. The leaves are fragrant and attract birds, butterflies and bees into the garden. Grow this plant at the back of the border and use it as a windbreak. Plant the blue-flowered flax among carrots and potatoes. Choose one of the varieties grown for fiber instead of the shorter ornamental varieties. Larkspur helps repel aphids and thrips. Alternate crops of larkspur with winter wheat to increase the wheat's vigor. Grow lupine in poor soil to increase the fertility and workability of the soil.

Companion Plants For Shade

• Foxglove and azaleas are good choices for the shade garden. Foxglove increases the vigor of plants grown around it -- which is not surprising since the heart stimulant digitalis is made from the leaves of this plant. Avoid planting foxglove among edibles, since plant roots are known to absorb what's in the soil. Azaleas are good windbreaks. They like humus and acidic soil. Once azaleas thrive in your garden, establish plants with the same requirements next to them.