Can you plant garlic and tomatoes together?

Charts say yes. Nobody has tested garlic with tomatoes, as far as we could find.

Why we can't give a firm answer

Garden charts recommend it. 2 garden chart entries recommend growing them together. Charts pass on gardening tradition; they are not tests.
Evaluation of yield and its components of intercropped tomato – garlic in New Valley Governorate (Nassef · 2012 · Research Journal of Agriculture and Biological Sciences)

What to plant with garlic and tomatoes

Good neighbours of both, best tested first.

EggplantWith garlic: 25% more harvestWith tomatoes: 12% more harvest
BeanWith garlic: Draws in pest-eating insectsWith tomatoes: 18% more harvest
CucumberWith garlic: Bigger combined harvestWith tomatoes: 17% more harvest
CeleryRecommended by garden charts for both, not tested yet

How each one was tested, with the evidence

What to keep away from garlic and tomatoes

AsparagusWith garlic: Garden charts advise against it, not tested
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

Tradition

Good

avoidgood

2 chart entries: 2 recommend, 0 advise against.

All entries cite a source.

Research

No papers found on this pair.

Yield trial

No intercropping yield trial.

Untested folklore

Companion plants for both garlic and tomatoes

Plants that are good neighbours of each. Biggest harvest gain first; each cell links to the evidence for that pair.

Plant	With garlic	With tomatoes
Eggplant	Fewer pests and better soil and nutrient uptake25% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 3 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for garlic and eggplant	12% more harvest from the same spaceSame family (Solanaceae): shares pests and diseasesField trial, 2 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for tomatoes and eggplant
Bean	Draws in pest-eating insectsField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for garlic and beans	18% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 2 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for tomatoes and beans
Cucumber	Bigger combined harvest and better soil and nutrient uptakeChemicals that hold growth backField trial, 5 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for garlic 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

Celery

The evidence, with sources

TraditionGood2 entries

GoodGarlic helps Tomato
Tomatoes: helped by garlic
Evaluation of yield and its components of intercropped tomato – garlic in New Valley Governorate (Nassef · 2012 · Research Journal of Agriculture and Biological Sciences)
GoodGarlic helps Tomato
Garlic: helps tomatoes
Evaluation of yield and its components of intercropped tomato – garlic in New Valley Governorate (Nassef · 2012 · Research Journal of Agriculture and Biological Sciences)

Plan a bed with garlic and tomatoes

All neighbours of garlic and of tomato, or every pair at once in the companion planting chart.

Have you grown garlic 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.