What to Plant with Radishes

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Companion planting is growing things together that help each other with a symbiotic relationship. Learn what the best plants are to plant with radishes.

And check out this Month by Month Vegetable Garden Planting Guide for when to plant.

You may think that all fruits and vegetables love growing together, but the truth is that many plants don’t grow well with others. I read the book Carrots Love Tomatoes years ago and I always try to plant things together that help each other.

Companion plants for radishes

Radishes make great companions for squash, melons, and other cucurbits. Squash bugs attack these plants and growing radishes repels them. The only drawback is that once the radish plants bolt (which happens pretty quickly during the season squash and other cucurbits thrive, so it doesn’t last long.

It’s also good for cucumbers to be planted with radishes because they repel cucumber beetles as well.  

Radishes also help lettuce and spinach grow by repelling bugs that like to attack and kill those plants. Radish leaves have a strong scent and are a little spicy, so they may deter rabbits from damaging these tender leaf crops as well.

Radish companion plants

Of course, the squashes, cucumbers, and melons are great with radishes. In addition, radishes grow well with beans, parsnips, carrots, and peas. They are also great companions for chervil or French parsley and edible flowers like nasturtiums. Alliums such as onions and garlic support radishes too.

You can plant an early crop of radishes among young tomato and pepper plants. They will grow, mature, and be harvested before the tomato or pepper plants get big, leaving them more space.

Overall, radishes are a pretty agreeable crop!

The crops that don’t grow well with radishes include potatoes, turnips, kohlrabi, mints, and grapes. Broccoli is not a good companion for radishes either as they attract flea beetles which will decimate radishes.

Radish seeds are small, round, and simple to plant. You can even grow radishes in containers. Simply make sure the soil is soft and easy to dig in, if not break it up and add some compost and stir it in. Make a small trench with your fingertip.

Drop the radish seeds in a line in the trench. Then cover with about ¼ in or a sprinkle of soil. Pat it down lightly and water gently until the soil is moist. You can get a great variety of radish seeds at Baker Creek Heirloom seeds. I love to get mine from there.

For more on growing radishes, click here.

Radishes can help clear up sinuses and soothe sore throats. They are full of vitamin c, so they help fight infections. Radishes help aid digestion of your food. They can also help reduce acid and bloating.

Radishes can be eaten raw or cooked. They are really delicious fried as well as roasted. The tops of radishes are totally edible, so you can use the entire plant from top to bottom. Radish tops are great in salads, but can also be cooked like greens and enjoyed that way. They are a little spicy and very delicious as well as full of nutrients.

I like to dry mine when I have too many tops to use fresh and make green powder to sprinkle in food throughout winter to add nutrients. The kids don’t even notice they are there. My very favorite microgreens to enjoy are radish sprouts. They are a little spicy and super flavorful.

Companion planting is a wonderful way to make your garden more productive. Find out more about what grows well together in this companion planting article.

Learn more about companion plants to grow with peas here.

For more about beginning gardening or starting a preschool garden, click on these links.