Pepper Companion Planting
Capsicum annuum
Nightshade (Solanaceae) -- warm season
Good Companions for Pepper
Basil volatile emissions reduce populations of thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) and aphids on adjacent pepper plants. The mechanism is olfactory disruption of host-finding behavior.
Interplant basil freely among pepper plants. Similar spacing benefit as tomato-basil pairing.
- Effect of intercropping on thrips populations in pepper -- Journal of Applied Entomology (2014)
- Managing Thrips in Pepper and Tomato -- NC State Extension (2020)
Oregano volatiles (carvacrol, thymol) deter aphids and spider mites. Flowering oregano attracts parasitoid wasps and predatory hover flies that control pepper pests.
Allow oregano to flower near pepper beds. Both prefer warm, well-drained conditions.
- Essential oils from oregano as insect repellents -- Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (2010)
- Aromatic Plants as a Tool in Pest Management -- University of Florida IFAS Extension (2018)
Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) flowers attract green lacewings (Chrysoperla spp.), minute pirate bugs (Orius spp.), and parasitoid wasps that control pepper aphids, thrips, and caterpillars.
Plant cosmos borders around warm-season vegetable beds. Easy to grow from seed and blooms profusely.
- Flower strips as ecological compensation areas for pest management -- Biological Control (2008)
- Habitat management for natural enemies of pests -- Annual Review of Entomology (2000)
Okra's tall stature (1-2 meters) provides windbreak protection for shorter pepper plants. Both are heat-loving crops with similar soil and water requirements.
Plant okra on the windward side of pepper rows. Both thrive in hot conditions.
- Intercropping systems with okra in warm-season vegetable production -- HortTechnology (2010)
French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) volatile compounds deter aphids and general garden pests through olfactory disruption. Low-growing habit provides ground cover between pepper plants.
French tarragon is perennial and prefers well-drained soil. Site for long-term use.
- Essential oils from Artemisia species as insect repellents -- Journal of Applied Entomology (2011)
Crops to Avoid Near Pepper
Fennel allelopathic compounds (primarily trans-anethole and fenchone) suppress germination and reduce fruit set in Capsicum species. Root zone overlap amplifies the effect.
Keep fennel at least 4 feet from pepper plants. Part of the broad fennel allelopathy pattern.
- Allelopathic potential of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) -- Allelopathy Journal (2007)
Related Tools and Pages
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