If you’re growing sweet potatoes this season, companion planting can be your best strategy for a thriving, high-yield garden. Certain plants don’t just coexist peacefully with sweet potatoes—they actively enhance their growth, improve soil conditions, and help keep pests at bay. This article unveils seven top companion plants that can improve moisture retention, repel harmful insects, and enrich the soil, creating the perfect environment for sweet potatoes to thrive.
Highlights 🥔🌱
- Discover the best plant partners for sweet potatoes
- Improve soil fertility with natural nitrogen fixers
- Boost pest resistance and increase overall harvest health
Fun fact: Sweet potatoes aren’t actually potatoes! They belong to the morning glory family, not the nightshade family like regular spuds.
Seven companion plants that benefit sweet potatoes
These thoughtful plant pairings can help you cultivate healthier vines, ward off pests, and enjoy a more abundant harvest.
1. Corn
Corn is a natural partner for sweet potatoes. Its tall stalks provide light shade, helping to preserve soil moisture. In return, sweet potatoes spread across the base, reducing weed growth and keeping the soil cool.
This vibrant flower is your garden’s secret weapon against pests
2. Beans
Beans are known for their ability to fix nitrogen in the soil—a critical nutrient that sweet potatoes benefit from. Their climbing growth can also provide added structure and diversity to the garden plot.
3. Marigolds
These vibrant flowers not only add color to your garden, but also work beneath the surface. Marigolds help repel nematodes, microscopic pests that can wreak havoc on sweet potato roots.
4. Cabbage family
Members of the brassica family—such as kale, cabbage, and broccoli—are excellent sweet potato companions. While they enjoy different nutrients, their cohabitation supports a balanced and enriched soil profile.
5. Pumpkins
Pumpkins act as living mulch for sweet potatoes. Their large leaves shade the ground, helping to suppress weeds and retain valuable moisture in the soil during hot summer months.
6. Squash
Similar to pumpkins, squash plants provide excellent ground cover and are ideal companions due to their shared growing conditions. Their wide foliage helps create a microclimate that supports sweet potato vines.
7. Peppers
Peppers grow well alongside sweet potatoes thanks to their mutual love of sun and warmth. In addition, peppers emit a scent that may deter certain pests from bothering sweet potato plants.
Grow smarter with companion planting
Companion planting is more than a trend—it’s a time-tested technique for improving garden health and productivity. When paired with the right neighbors, sweet potatoes can thrive in a supportive ecosystem that deters pests, improves soil, and maximizes yield. Try planting some of these companions in your next gardening cycle and see the difference for yourself. And remember—come back soon for more expert insights and planting inspiration to keep your garden thriving!
