Tradition
No chart mentions this pair.
Cucumber
Cucumis sativus
Cucurbitaceae
Sweet corn
Zea mays
PoaceaeCan you plant cucumbers and corn together?
Yes. Cucumbers and corn grow well together. Growing them together kept pests down in a field trial. That rests on a single study, so treat it as a lead, not a rule.
Why cucumbers and corn work together
Fewer pests. In a field trial, growing them together kept pests down.
Effects of plant diversity and time of colonization on an herbivore-plant interaction. (Bach CE. · 1979 · Oecologia)
What to plant with cucumbers and corn
Good neighbours of both, best tested first.
SpinachWith cucumbers: Better soil and nutrient uptakeWith corn: 57% more harvest
BeanWith cucumbers: 14% more harvestWith corn: 43% more harvest
CarrotWith cucumbers: Recommended by garden charts, not testedWith corn: 50% more harvest
RadishWith cucumbers: Recommended by garden charts, not testedWith corn: 40% more harvest
GarlicWith cucumbers: Bigger combined harvestWith corn: 33% more harvest
What to keep away from cucumbers and corn
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.
pest suppression
auto-classified not reviewed by a person
Yield trial
No intercropping yield trial.
Good neighbours
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 cucumbers and corn
Plants that are good neighbours of each. Biggest harvest gain first; each cell links to the evidence for that pair.
| Plant | With cucumbers | With corn |
|---|---|---|
| Spinach | Better soil and nutrient uptakeGreenhouse or pot trial, 1 study. Charts: recommend.Evidence for cucumbers and spinach | 57% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for corn and spinach |
| Bean | 14% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 1 study. Charts: recommend.Evidence for cucumbers and beans | Draws in pest-eating insects, fewer pests and better soil and nutrient uptake43% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 22 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for corn and beans |
| Carrot | No trial foundNot tested. Charts: recommend.Evidence for cucumbers and carrots | 50% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 2 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for corn and carrots |
| Radish | No trial foundNot tested. Charts: recommend.Evidence for cucumbers and radishes | 40% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 2 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for corn and radishes |
| Garlic | Bigger combined harvest and better soil and nutrient uptakeChemicals that hold growth backField trial, 5 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for cucumbers and garlic | 33% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 2 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for corn and garlic |
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
- Goodpest suppressionfield trialauto-classifiedEffects of plant diversity and time of colonization on an herbivore-plant interaction.Effects of plant diversity and time of colonization on an herbivore-plant interaction. (Bach CE. · 1979 · Oecologia)Relevance 88% · effect confidence 54%
All neighbours of cucumber and of sweet corn, or every pair at once in the companion planting chart.
Have you grown cucumbers and corn 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.