Companion Plants for Melons

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Companion plants for melons are plants that support the growth of melons and deter pests from them. There are so many wonderful growing combinations for companion plants in the garden.

canteloupe growing on the vine in the garden

There are so many reasons to think about and plan what to grow together in your garden.

Melons are easy to grow and one of the most compatible plants to grow in the garden. And it’s a superfood! Check out how to grow fruit in your garden, including melons, here.

Companion plants for melons

Growing your own food has so many benefits, it’s an important venture to do for yourself, your family, and your community. So give it a try this summer, I promise it will change your life for the better and for good! The garden is a tremendous gift!

Watermelon companion plants

Melons are one of the most compatible plants in the garden and do well when planted with most anything including beans, peas, onions, leeks, chives, and garlic. They also flourish with cabbage, broccoli, carrots, kale, okra, cauliflower, spinach, brussel sprouts, and lettuce.

Watermelons require a lot of space, the vines can grow 20 feet or more. Even the small melons grow on giant vines. They have both male and female flowers on the same plant with very sticky pollen. This requires insects to move the pollen. This is mostly done by bees.

If you grow seedless watermelons, you must also grow seeded because this is how the bees pollinate the seedless watermelons. In order to grow a great watermelon crop (and other melons) you must attract bees to your garden.

Marigold, borage, and lavender are great companion plants for melons because they flower for so long and attract pollinators to the garden. You can plant a strip of wildflowers in the garden to attract pollinators too.

melons hanging on the vine in the garden

Companion plants for canteloupe

Cantaloupe grow similarly and have similar requirements to watermelons, so we are talking about them interchangeably. The biggest pest that attacks them is cucumber beetles and aphids, so we try to avoid planting them with something else that attracts them.

Plants that deter these pests include:

Garlic
Catnip
Dill
Mint
Nasturtiums
Lettuce

Other great plants to plant next to melons for nutrient sharing include:

Corn
Broccoli
Radishes
Nasturtiums
Marigolds
Tansies

What not to plant with melons in the vegetable garden

Plants that don’t do well with melons include other cucurbits such as pumpkins, squash, summer and winter, and cucumbers. Also, avoid planting potatoes with your melons.

Tomatoes and peppers don’t thrive with melons because melons take up so much space they crowd them out. Also, don’t plant melons next to plants that will shade them, because they need full sun.