List Of The Best Companion Plants For Sunflowers

When you see sunflowers, you know that summer is in full swing. They are happy plants. They have large flower heads, they are stately, and tall. Did you know that "solar tracking” is only done by a few plant species, sunflowers being one of them?

As stand-alone plants, sunflowers are fantastic. For their pollinator-attracting abilities and their size (they tend to be shade providers), they also make good companions to other plants.

If you have sunflowers or are considering growing them, you may be interested in the best companion plants for sunflowers. A dozen will be listed here, and the benefits that these companion plants all provide for each other will be explored, as well.

• Sweet Peas and Peas
• Vine Tomatoes
• Basil
• Marigolds
• Corn
• Peppers
• Garlic and Onions
• Impatiens
• Nasturtiums
• Cucumbers
• Summer Squashes
• Lettuce

Shade Provider

One of the reasons that sunflowers partner well with specific flowers and vegetables is the fact that they are great shade providers. Especially for plants that don't like a lot of hot, direct sunlight, being situated under and around sunflowers is a great respite from the heat. Planting flowers or veggies that need afternoon shade can be accomplished by planting them on one side of a bunch of sunflowers. When the sun comes around, the tall sunflowers will provide the shade they need in the afternoon.

Plants that could use a little bit of shade from sunflowers include lettuce, summer squash, impatiens, garlic and onions, peppers, and basil.

In addition to providing companion plants with shade, they also provide other attributes for their companions such as the following:

• They don't compete for nutrients or soil minerals with other plants.
• They repel certain pests.
• They attract ladybugs, which is a good thing. Ladybugs eat mites, fruit flies, aphids, and other insects.
• They attract pollinators, as well.

Ground Covering

Some of the plants listed above that make good companions for sunflowers provide ground cover, which can be extremely useful in a garden. Reasons for wanting ground cover in your garden and around your sunflowers are as follows:

• Helps keep weeds under control
• Helps keep the soil moist
• Helps keep the soil cool

Some of the plants that assist in this manner are as follows:

• Lettuce
• Summer Squash
• Cucumbers
• Nasturtiums
• Impatiens
• Marigolds

Pest Control

Some companion plants offer an added bonus of assisting with pest control. Some of these include the following:

• Onions and chives (in addition to bugs also help repel dear, squirrels, etc.)
• Nasturtiums
• Marigolds (these deter some types of worms, leaf hoppers, deer beetles, and more)

Attracting Pollinators

Some plants help attract pollinators which benefits everyone. Some of these are as follows:

• Impatiens
• Nasturtiums
• Basil
• Tomatoes

Plants to Avoid

Plants that make good companions for sunflowers were mentioned, so it's only fair to let you know what types of plants don't go particularly well with sunflowers:

• Pole Beans
• Potatoes
• Fennel

Ready to Grow Some Sunflowers and Companion Plants?

Do you need sunflower seeds? We have them. Need seeds for companion plants to go with your sunflowers? Check out all we have to offer at Freedom Farms. We also carry an impressive selection of vegetable seeds, gardening tools, supplies, accessories, and much more.