Cucumbers and tomatoes are both members of the same plant family but why you should not plant them near each other?
This is because cucumbers are prone to a variety of diseases like mosaic virus and phytophthora blight that can easily spread to tomato plants.
Apart from this, they have different nutrient needs, and when planted near one another, the nutrients from one crop may be taken away by the other.
Cucumber plants tend to take up a lot of space in garden beds, leading to overcrowding if planted too close to tomatoes.
If you want to grow cucumbers and tomatoes in your garden, make sure to keep them apart. Also, regularly trim the leaves and stems so that the plants can stay healthy and grow well.
Planting these two vegetables separately also makes it easier for you to keep track of the specific needs of each plant.
Why You Should Not Plant Cucumbers Near Tomatoes?
Companion planting is great for gardening, but you should avoid a few plants to plant together.
Cucumbers and tomatoes are one such combination that can’t go well.
The reasons are poor air circulation, the easy spread of diseases, and competition to absorb nutrients from the soil.
Below mentioned are detailed reasons why you shouldn’t plant tomatoes and cucumbers together.
Cucumber Mosaic Virus
Yellow patches, curly leaves, stunted plant growth, and reduction in yield are signs of mosaic virus.
It is common in cucumber plants and can easily spread to tomatoes when planted close together.
The virus can be passed from one plant to another through insect pests such as aphids and whiteflies.
Aphids spread this virus in less than a minute and if left unnoticed this virus can go all over the garden in a few hours.
Along with tomatoes cucumber mosaic virus can affect a wide range of plants like beans, peppers, spinach, carrots, celery, lettuce, legumes, and squash.
To combat you must cut off the affected part or remove the whole plant from the garden to stop the spread of this disease.
Phytophthora Blight
Phytophthora capsici when comes in contact with another type of P. capsici it spreads the disease.
This plant disease is common in cucumbers, tomatoes, melon, pumpkin, legumes, and eggplants.
Infected parts of the plant will start to turn yellow, rot, or develop black lesions on the foliage.
Fruit rotting and wilting can also be seen in plants affected by this fungi.
This disease spread rapidly through water or travel aerial when the wind blows.
Competition for Nutrients
When cucumbers and tomatoes are planted nearby, they compete for the same resources including sunlight, moisture, and nutrients.
As a result, both plants may fail to get enough of these resources, resulting in stunted growth or even death.
Additionally, the growth of one plant can shade out the other – preventing it from receiving adequate sunlight.
Common nutrients between tomato and cucumber plants are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
These three elements are essential for the development of healthy fruits, vegetables, and leaves.
Nitrogen helps plants to obtain energy from photosynthesis and is needed for plant growth.
It also allows for more robust fruits and vegetables with larger yields.
Phosphorus helps with root development as well as flowering and is necessary for photosynthesis.
Potassium increases a plant’s ability to tolerate heat, frost, and drought – making them more resilient.
If both tomatoes and cucumbers are vying for the same nutrients, their growth may be stunted due to limited resources available.
Lastly, competition from tomato roots can also prevent cucumbers from accessing the moisture they need to stay healthy.
In some areas, tomato plants have a longer and stronger root system than cucumber plants.
This can make it hard for cucumbers to absorb enough water to sustain their growth.
Check this out: Are Worm Castings Good for Tomatoes?
What are the Best Companion Plants for Cucumbers?
Good companion plants for cucumbers include beans, squash, peas, corn, onions and garlic.
These plants are known to increase the yield of cucumbers and enhance their flavor.
Beans add nitrogen to the soil which helps to stimulate cucumber growth.
Squash provides shade for cucumbers, keeping them cooler in hot weather and blocking out some weeds.
Peas also fix nitrogen into the soil helping it retain moisture which benefits nearby cucumber plants.
Corn can trap worms away from cucumber plants because of its tall stature and dense foliage – making it an effective pest deterrent.
Onions and garlic protect against a range of fungal diseases such as powdery mildew and blight that could otherwise harm your cucumber crop.
Additionally, marigolds are beneficial companion plants for cucumbers as they attract helpful predators that feed on destructive insects like aphids and other pests.
When planted around cucumber plants, marigolds can act as a non-toxic natural insect repellent.
Overall, companion planting is an effective way to keep your cucumbers healthy and productive.
With a careful selection of the right companions, your cucumber crop can thrive!
Check this out: How Deep Should a Raised Bed Be for Cucumbers?
Avoid these Worst Cucumber Companion Plants
Bad companion plants for cucumbers include melons, potatoes, peppers, and eggplant.
These plants can stunt the growth of cucumber or cause it to become diseased.
Melons, in particular, require a great deal of space and nutrient resources which can prevent cucumbers from getting enough.
Additionally, they require long warm summer days and are more susceptible to disease than cucumbers.
As such, planting them nearby can cause both plants to be affected by the same diseases and pests.
Potatoes are another bad companion for cucumbers as they tend to take up too much of the same soil nutrients needed by cucumbers for healthy growth.
Both crops use nitrogen and phosphorus but cucumbers require much higher amounts during the growing season.
Similarly, peppers don’t share well with cucumber plants because they also need high levels of nitrogen – often more than what is available to them when planted near cucumbers.
Eggplant is also a bad companion plant as its roots may compete with those of the cucumber plant for moisture as well as nutrients like potassium and calcium that are necessary for healthy growth.
The large leaves of eggplants can also shade out smaller nearby plants like cucumber which will prevent them from getting enough sunlight – leading to poor yields and stunted growth.
Weeds can be an issue when planted near cucumbers – competing for water, light, air, and soil nutrients.
Warm climates especially foster the growth of cucumbers, so it’s essential to remain aware and take action if you’re hoping to cultivate healthy and productive cucumber plants.
Also Read: How Much Water Does a Cucumber Plant Need?
Conclusion
To avoid the spread of disease and stunted plant growth, you should avoid planting cucumbers near tomatoes. It is also important to choose the right companion plants for cucumber and avoid those that are known to be bad companions.
If you pick the right plants to grow next to your cucumbers, your cucumber plants will stay healthy and you will have a good crop.
Good companion plants include beans, squash, peas, corn, onions, garlic and marigolds – all of which can help increase cucumber yields and flavor.