Jalapeno companion plants are highly beneficial, like eliminating pests, sheltering them from strong winds, or helping the soil keep enough moisture.

Jalapeno Companion Plants

The jalapeno needs others to enhance its growing season by getting the best out of them. To maximize your pepper’s chances of success, grow a few companions to help them out.

Here are some of the best companions you can pair together.

A List of the Best Jalapeno Companion Plants

1. Okra

Okra Growing on Plants

Characteristics 
  • Edible seed pods
  • Long heart shapes leaves
  • Tiny flowers when blooming
Companion pairs 
  • Provides shades
  • Provides protection from wind 
Growing 
  • Keep soil moist
  • Full sun 
  • Remove off the weed surrounding

Okra’s height is an excellent advantage to pepper plants as it keeps them thriving during the hot summer by providing shade from the hot sun. Okra also deters pests like aphids from the peppers protecting them from damage.

Okra or ladyfingers is a herbaceous annual grown for its edible seed pods. It has small erect stems with heart-shaped leaves and white flowers with yellow petals.

They would also provide the peppers with shade as they grow taller. They also protect them from strong winds and pest infestation. You can also pair it with sage, chamomile, coriander, dill, mint, chives, thyme, etc., all beneficial to okra.

When you are growing these green vegetables, make sure that you would place them in a proper soil which would be a well-drained sandy to medium loamy soils high in organic matter and with a pH of 5.8 to 6.8. Grow it in a location that receives full sunlight for at least six to eight hours daily.

Water frequently to maintain moist soils. Provide a standard fertilizer with nitrogen and phosphorous nutrients or spread chicken manure a week before planting. Moreover, you must remove the weeds by carefully cultivating them around the base.

2. Asparagus

Asparagus on Table

Characteristics 
  • Van be cultivated for more than 20 years 
  • Feathery foliage
  • Green and white flowers
Companion pairs 
  • Providing space
  • Can also be planted with oregano and parsley
Growing conditions
  • Hardiness zone two to 11
  • Well-draining soil 
  • Frequent watering

Asparagus is hardy and takes time to grow. To make better use of your garden as you grow them, it’s best to add other plants like peppers to make use of the available space and give you a harvest before the asparagus.

These vegetables are a tall plant that can grow up to 40 to 60 inches and live up to 15-20 years. It has stout stems with scale-like leaves and feathery foliage. Asparagus flowers are green-white to yellow and are bell-shaped.

Asparagus provides adequate growing space for jalapenos as they are widely spaced. Other companions to pair with include oregano, parsley, cilantro, sage, and thyme, among others.

They would also thrive in USDA hardiness zones two to 11 with soil pH 6.5 to 7.0. It needs well-drained soils and can grow in heavy, medium, or sandy soils. Water them frequently to keep the soil moist. Don’t harvest them in the first year because you will weaken it. Cut the foliage back after harvesting to about four inches above the soil.

3. Carrots

Carrots Plants in Garden

Characteristics 
  • They are grown for their edible root and produces 8 to 12 leaves above the ground. 
  • The foliage can reach at least 59 inches long, and the root about 2 to 20 inches deep. 
  • It can grow as an annual or biennial and originates from the western Mediterranean.
Companion pairs
  • Carrots paired with jalapeno plants are a win-win situation. 
  • They get tastier, and the peppers get a layer of mulch that keeps their roots cool. 
  • Other crops to pair carrots with are onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and marigolds, among others, that repel pests and rodents.
Growing conditions
  • They thrive in cool climates planted in early spring and left in the ground all summer to harvest in the fall. 
  • They love well-drained soils free of large rocks with pH value of 5.5 and 7.0. 
  • They require full sunlight but not extremely high temperatures and tolerate light shade well in raised beds and containers.
Care 
  • Provide adequate moisture by watering frequently. 
  • Carefully remove any weeds with your hands to avoid damage. 
  • Fertilize at least five to six weeks after sowing the seeds.

Carrots are great pepper companion plants as they control weeds and retain moisture.

These are conditions favorable to make the jalapenos grow strong and have high yields.

4. Tomatoes 

Red Tomatoes on Plants

Characteristics 
  • Grow on vine
  • Culinary use 
  • Different varieties exist
Companion pairs 
  • Boosting flavor
  • Provide shade
Growing conditions 
  • Well draining soil 
  • Full sun 
  • Weekly watering

Tomatoes are a very common jalapeno plant, as it adds a nice flavor that you will need in those peppers. They also prevent weeds from taking control of your garden while keeping some pests like aphids away.

Tomato plants have many branches that are 24 to 72 inches long. When fruiting, it trails, but several forms remain upright and compact. The flowers have five yellow petals at least one inch in diameter.

Peppers grow with tomatoes to help boost the flavor. Other crops for companion planting include onions, basil, chives, and garlic, which help deter spider mites pests. They thrive in well-drained soils with full sun daily.

The soil pH should range from 6.2 to 6.8 in USDA hardiness zones five through eight. On another note, you must also provide adequate watering at least two inches per week. Fertilize them every four to six weeks during the growing season to keep them growing consistently.

5. Eggplant

Farming Eggplant in Garden

Characteristics
  • Culinary properties
  • Perennial plants
Companion pairs
  • Deters pests away 
  • Protects from harsh winds
Growing conditions 
  • Full sun 
  • Slightly acidic soil 
  • Mulch is necessary

Eggplant brings more color to your garden with its purple flowers and fruits. They also stop weed growth and discourage pest infestation in your pepper plants.

Eggplant is a tropical perennial closely related to the tomato and grown for its edible fruit. It has a branching stem and simple long, coarsely lobed green leaves. It produces purple flowers, a large fleshy ovoid fruit, glossy smooth skin, and several seeds.

These purple vegetables are an excellent neighbor as they deter pests while protecting the peppers from solid winds. It is also a perfect pair with other crops like mint, oregano, chive, and other fragrant herbs that keep the pests away.

Whenever you are growing eggplants you must keep in mind that they would thrive in a fully sunny location. On top of this, they prefer well-drained, fertile soils with a pH range of 6.3 to 6.8.

Provide mulch to conserve soil moisture and keep the soil temperature higher. Provide a steady water supply to help with overall growth and fruit development. Use stakes to support it before harvesting the fruits.

6. Onions

Growing Onions Plants

Characteristics 
  • Annual growing vegetables
  • Culinary properties
Companion pairs
  • Repelling pests away 
  • Giving flavor to the crops 
Growing conditions 
  • Fertile and slightly acidic soil
  • Hardiness zone five to seven

Onions are neighbors to many crops, keeping common pests like slugs, aphids, and cabbageworm away. Growing them with pepper plants means they will grow pain-free. Onion is an annual that grows to a height of about 6 to 18 inches. Its leaves are a faint yellow to bluish-green.

Onions need well-drained fertile soils with pH 6.0 to 6.8. They thrive in USDA hardiness zones five through seven. Weed often by hand to protect them from damage. Water less frequently, allowing the soil to dry in between. Harvest them on time to ensure you get quality onions that last longer.

7. Cucumbers

Harvesting Cucumbers

Characteristics 
  • Culinary properties 
  • Produce little flowers when blooming
  • Annual vegetables
Companion pairs 
  • They provide humidity for the soil 
  • The vines provide shade
Growing conditions 
  • Provide space
  • Place support for the vine
  • Frequent watering

Cucumbers are excellent to grow together with peppers as they provide moist soils to keep them growing. They are also a great combo when making pickled vegetables. Cucumbers are lovers of water, keeping the soil moist for jalapenos. It can also pair with others like calendula, corn, beans, and radishes.

It is an annual grown for its edible fruit; furthermore, it is a sprawling vine with large leaves and curling tendrils that branch out of the main stem. The leaves are arranged alternately on the vine.

The cucumbers prefer warm days and nights with a temperature of at least 86 degrees Fahrenheit. They thrive in well-drained soils rich in organic matter for a slow release of nutrients. Plant them under full sunlight and provide plenty of water.

In addition to the givens you must be providing them adequate space to grow. Train the vines on a trellis to provide support. Provide a continuous supply of water to keep the soil moist.

8. Garlic 

Farming Garlic Plants

Characteristics
  • Culinary use
  • Harvested in bulbs
Companion pairs
  • repelling the pests away
  • Adding flavor to the others
Growing conditions 
  • Well-drained soil 
  • Full sun 
  • Hardiness zone one to five

Garlic is a common root vegetable to grow among peppers and other plants. Its ability to drive out pests like aphids, slugs, and beetles with its strong scent remains vital in helping them grow pest free. Garlic also adds flavor to the peppers ensuring you get that kick that you look forward to.

Garlic is a root vegetable with an intense flavor and is used in many culinary uses. It grows quickly by planting a single clove and harvesting in the summer. It has been commonly used as an insect repellant for many centuries.

Whenever you try to grow them, remember that they grow in moist soils, and the latter should be between 6.0 to 7.0. It thrives in USDA hardiness zones one to five. In addition to all this, they also need full sun and well-drained soils to thrive. Provide organic manure as you pant, and you won’t need to fertilize it later in its growth.

Conclusion

As seen in the above article, Jalapeno companion plants are plenty and give good benefits to growing them together.

Here are some points to summarize what we have discussed above.

  • Good companion plants are beneficial in helping your jalapenos grow strong and produce a bountiful harvest all through summer.
  • The best crops to use as companions if you are a new gardener would be onions, garlic, and okra, as they are easier to grow.
  • No matter what you choose to grow, you can pair them with another companion to make the most out of your garden and their relationship.

Choosing the best partners for companion planting is easy; however, you should avoid some crops like brassicas, fennel, strawberries, habanero, and bell peppers as they give poor results.

This is because they take more nutrients from your jalapeno peppers, leaving them weak with a poor harvest.

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