Tradition
Bad
avoidgood
1 chart entry: 0 recommend, 1 advise against.
0 cited, 1 uncited.
Beet
Beta vulgaris
Amaranthaceae
Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
SolanaceaeCan you plant beets and tomatoes together?
Yes. Garden charts say to keep tomatoes away from beets, but the tests we found say otherwise. Tomatoes had less disease next to beets in a greenhouse or pot trial. That rests on a single study, so treat it as a lead, not a rule.
Why the tests and the charts disagree
Less disease. In a greenhouse or pot trial, tomatoes had less disease next to beets.
Co-cultivation of Beta vulgaris limits the pre-harvest colonization of foodborne pathogen (Salmonella spp.) on tomato. (Karmakar K · 2020 · International journal of food microbiology)Garden charts advise against it. 1 garden chart entry says to keep them apart. It cites no source. Charts pass on gardening tradition; they are not tests.
List of companion plants (uncited entry) (Wikipedia)
What to plant with beets and tomatoes
Good neighbours of both, best tested first.
CilantroWith beets: 119% more harvestWith tomatoes: Less disease
OnionWith beets: 64% more harvestWith tomatoes: Better soil and nutrient uptake
CabbageWith beets: 14% more harvestWith tomatoes: 34% more harvest
CucumberWith beets: Recommended by garden charts, not testedWith tomatoes: 17% more harvest
BroccoliRecommended by garden charts for both, not tested yet
What to keep away from beets and tomatoes
RosemaryWith tomatoes: Garden charts advise against it, not tested
The evidence in detail
For readers who want to dig in: every chart entry, study and yield trial behind the answer above, with the numbers.
Tradition, research and yield trials
Research
Good
avoidgood
1 paper found: 1 positive, 0 negative.
disease suppression
auto-classified not reviewed by a person
Yield trial
No intercropping yield trial.
Myth busted
What happens above and below ground
Each animation illustrates a mechanism a study reported for this pair. Pick a card to focus on it.
Everything at once.
Companion plants for both beets and tomatoes
Plants that are good neighbours of each. Biggest harvest gain first; each cell links to the evidence for that pair.
| Plant | With beets | With tomatoes |
|---|---|---|
| Cilantro | 119% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for beets and cilantro | Less disease and fewer pestsField trial, 3 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for tomatoes and cilantro |
| Onion | 64% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 1 study. Charts: recommend.Evidence for beets and onions | Better soil and nutrient uptake and bigger combined harvestMixed results on soil and nutrientsField trial, 7 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for tomatoes and onions |
| Cabbage | 14% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 5 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for beets and cabbage | 34% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 4 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for tomatoes and cabbage |
| Cucumber | No trial foundNot tested. Charts: recommend.Evidence for beets and cucumbers | Lures pests away17% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 4 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for tomatoes and cucumbers |
Harvest from the same space compares a bed with both crops against the same area split into single-crop beds, counting the harvest of both crops (the land equivalent ratio in yield trials).
Recommended by garden charts for both, not tested yet
The evidence, with sources
- Gooddisease suppressiongreenhouse / pot trialauto-classifiedBeet helps TomatoCo-cultivation of Beta vulgaris limits the pre-harvest colonization of foodborne pathogen (Salmonella spp.) on tomato.Co-cultivation of Beta vulgaris limits the pre-harvest colonization of foodborne pathogen (Salmonella spp.) on tomato. (Karmakar K · 2020 · International journal of food microbiology)Relevance 92% · effect confidence 92%
- Badadvises againstTomatoes: avoid beetrootList of companion plants (uncited entry) (Wikipedia)
All neighbours of beet and of tomato, or every pair at once in the companion planting chart.
Have you grown beets and tomatoes together?
Tell other gardeners what happened: spacing, pests, harvest, or ask a question. Reader notes are not checked by us and do not change the verdicts on this page.