14 Lettuce Companion Plants That Will Help Your Crop Thrive

lettuce growing — Credit:
Anna Mardo / Getty Images

Lettuce is a fantastic leafy green vegetable. Not only can you pop it into a sandwich or salad, but it also works wonderfully in kitchen gardens, growing quickly and producing many leaves, which is probably why pests like it so much. For this reason, lettuce is a great candidate for companion planting, whereby plants are grown together to benefit both species.

The best lettuce companion plants include a diverse array of options, from beautiful, bur-repelling flowers to other vegetables. But not all plants make a good companion for lettuce. With this in mind, we reached out to gardening experts to find out exactly what plants they recommend growing with lettuce to ensure this tasty crop thrives.

Annette Thurmon, founder of Azure Farm and author of Simple Country Living
Kemp Harper, interior designer and gardener behind the popular Instagram account, The Colonial on Park
Nancy Trautz-Awot, horticulturist at Burpee, a company that grows and sells flowers, shrubs, edible plants, and gardening supplies.

01 of 14

Beets

Freshly harvested beet root — Getty Images

Beets (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) get along really well with lettuce. "They can coexist with lettuce without competing for the same nutrients, and their leaves can provide some shade," says Annette Thurmon, author and founder of Azure Farm.

Zones: 2 to 11
Size: 1 to 2 feet tall x 1 foot wide
Care requirements: Full to partial sun; loamy, sandy, silt, moist, well-drained soil

02 of 14

Nasturtiums

Not only are they beautiful, but nasturtiums (Tropaeolum spp.) naturally deter pests from the garden. "These attract aphids away from lettuce and entice beneficial predatory insects," Thurmon says. "Nasturtium flowers are edible too."

Zones: 9 to 11
Size: 1 to 10 feet tall x 1 to 3 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; moist but well-drained soil

03 of 14

Marigolds

Talk about flower power. Marigolds (Tagetes) can protect your lettuce (and many other plants) from pests like aphids, beetles, and nematodes while also attracting beneficial insects. Kemp Harper, interior designer and gardener, suggests planting them as a protective border around your lettuce patch. The blooms emit a scent that helps deter insects from entering, Harper says.

Zones: 2 to 11
Size: 5 inches to 4 feet tall, depending on the species, up to 1 foot wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

04 of 14

Garlic

Garlic (Allium sativum) is great in the garden for many reasons, but it is especially helpful as a companion plant to lettuce. "This allium repels pests like aphids and slugs—both of which attack lettuce," says Nancy Trautz-Awot, a horticulturist at Burpee.

Zones: 4 to 9
Size: 12 to 18 inches tall x 1 foot wide
Care requirements: Full sun; moist, well-drained soil

05 of 14

Strawberries

Strawberry plant — Helaine Weide / Getty Images

Sharing space well, strawberries (Fragaria ananassa) are a beneficial companion plant for lettuce. "Their roots have different depths and growth habits," says Trautz-Awot. And they are surprisingly effective at warding off pests. "Strawberries also attract beneficial insects such as parasitic wasps and predation mites."

Zones: 5 to 8
Size: 8 to 12 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; sandy loam, well-drained soil

06 of 14

Bush Beans

Bush beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are great for beginner gardeners because they are so easy to grow, and they can also help your lettuce plants. "These plants release nitrogen into the soil, a chemical compound great for lettuce," says Harper.

Zones: 2 to 11
Size: 2 feet tall
Care requirements: Full sun; clay or silt loam soil

07 of 14

Arugula

Sure, arugula (Eruca vesicaria) and lettuce pair great in a salad, says Harper, but they also make great garden mates for their similar soil preferences. "Both plants like cool soil," he says. At the same time, since lettuce is taller, it can offer shade to arugula, which prefers less sun, making lettuce good for arugula as well.

Zones: 2 to 11
Size: 2 feet tall to 3 feet tall, depending on the species, and up to 1.5 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; loamy, moist, well-drained soil

08 of 14

Carrots

Carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) grow deeper in soil than lettuce. As a result, carrots churn the soil for other plants. "Carrots help to break up and loosen soil from under the ground," says Harper. "This helps your lettuces not fall to root rot." Thurmon agrees, noting that "carrots improve soil aeration and allow lettuce roots to grow more easily."

Zones: 2 to 11
Size: 3 to 36 inches tall x 2 to 3 inches wide
Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-draining soil

09 of 14

Tomatoes

Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are great for creating shade, something lettuce loves. "Lettuces can become stressed and 'bolt,' making them inedible and very bitter," says Harper. The tomatoes in his garden train on a large obelisk, providing shade for the rest of the plants.

Zones: 3 to 11
Size: 3 to 10 feet tall x 1 to 4 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; loamy, well-drained soil

10 of 14

Radishes

Because they grow so rapidly, radishes (Raphanus sativus) can inadvertently make room for lettuce. "Radishes grow quickly and can be harvested before lettuce, freeing up space and reducing competition for nutrients," says Thurmon.

Zones: 2 to 11
Size: 6 to 8 inches tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; loamy, sandy, moist, well-drained soil

11 of 14

Peas

Close-up of green pea pods growing in the garden. — emholk/Getty Images

Like other great garden plants, peas (Pisum sativum) add nutrients to the soil. "Peas are legumes, which means they can fix nitrogen from the air and add it to the soil," says Thurmon. "This can help improve soil health and provide necessary nutrients for the growth and development of lettuce."

Zones: 2 to 11
Size: 12 to 18 inches tall x 6 inches to 1 foot wide
Care requirements: Full to partial sun; moist, well-drained soil

12 of 14

Basil

Basil can make the plants that grow beside it taste better. "It can enhance the flavor of lettuce when planted nearby," says Thurmon. "Plus, it can repel pests like aphids and thrips."

Zones: 10 to 11
Size: 18 to 24 inches tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; rich soil

13 of 14

Cilantro

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) grows quickly and lasts from summer through fall. Its feathery foliage helps shade the soil and reduces weed pressure. Cilantro can act as a living mulch around lettuce plants.

Zones: 2 to 11
Size: 12 to 18 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

14 of 14

Chives

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are compact, low-growing herbs that make excellent companions for lettuce. They help deter common pests like aphids, Japanese beetles, and mites. Because they take up minimal space, chives are ideal for smaller vegetable gardens or tightly packed raised beds.