Companion Planting – Do Carrots really love Tomatoes?

While a growing number of people are realising the benefits of companion planting, there is still a certain mystique about why some specific vegetables thrive with others. Similarly, those not in the know find it puzzling that it can be disastrous to combine plantings of certain other vegetable types together.

For example, carrots love tomatoes; or do they?

While many people grow both tomatoes and carrots in the same garden beds, alongside one another, quite successfully, there is no real evidence that either plant does better in the same neighbourhood. In fact there is some suggestion that tomato plants can stunt the growth of carrots – which stands to reason if they are grown too close to one another, since the one is a root plant and the other grows above the ground.

Why We Imagine Tomatoes Love Carrots

Whether the late Louise Riotte, author of the world-famous 1975 book Carrots Love Tomatoes came up with the book title, or her editors suggested it, the idea has taken root, and writers and vegetable growers have perpetuated this idea ever since.

Certainly tomatoes are compatible with carrots, but they are also compatible with chives, onions, parsley, marigolds and nasturtiums

Furthermore there are other plants that carrots appear to “love” even more than tomatoes; and plants that do more good to tomatoes than carrots will do. For example:

• Leek and carrots are true companions, with leeks repelling carrot flies, and carrots repelling leek moths and onion flies.
• Tomatoes and asparagus are also good companions because tomatoes contain solanine that repels the dreaded asparagus beetle.
• Tomatoes also have the effect of protecting gooseberries against insects.
• It also seems that tomatoes protect roses against damaging black spot.
• Basil, on the other hand, has qualities that repel insects from tomato plants.
• Stinging nettles, which are rich in nitrogen, also benefit tomatoes.
• Garlic, specifically protects tomato plants from red spider mites.
• Carrots seem to have the capacity to help beans grow, and both vegetable types will thrive if interplanted with one another.
• Onions and tomatoes grow well together.
• Parsley will add “vigour” to tomatoes if planted in the tomato patch.
• Peas also grow particularly well with carrots.

In fact, other than stating that “carrots love tomatoes”, Louise Riotte doesn’t give any evidence of why this is so. Probably it is the volatile alkaloid, solanine that is contained in tomato leaves.

Consider What Tomatoes and Carrots DON’T Like

At the end of the day, when it comes to growing tomatoes, carrots, or any other veggies, it’s probably more important to be aware of the plants they don’t do well with.

Carrots, for example, do not grow well if planted next to potatoes, cabbage, fennel, broccoli or cauliflower. They all stunt each others growth. Tomatoes particularly dislike kohlrabi and fennel.

For more detailed instructions on how to grow tomatoes, read our book How To Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes.