Cucumbers and tomatoes are two of the most popular home-grown vegetables, so it’s no surprise that gardeners are always searching for ways to get even greater yields from these plants – especially if you have limited space. If you have a small vegetable patch and can only accommodate one plant of each, or if you want to create a smaller space in order to make your greenhouse more manageable, then companion planting is an excellent way to get the very best out of your plants. We love the idea of combining these two tasty fruits – both are vine crops, which means they have similar growing requirements. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of planting them together.
Can You Plant Tomatoes And Cucumbers Together?
Yes, you can plant tomatoes and cucumbers together. They are both vine plants and will grow well together. However, you will need to stake the tomato plants so they don’t droop over the cucumber plants. Tomatoes and cucumbers are both in the Cucurbitaceae family, which also includes melons, squash, and zucchini. So they have similar cultural requirements. They both like full sun and rich, well-drained soil. They also need regular watering during the growing season.
What You Need To Know Before Planting Tomatoes And Cucumbers Together
When to Plant
The ideal time to plant cucumbers and tomatoes together is when they are both at least 5cm tall. If you can’t wait for them to reach this height, then you should plant them separately in the same bed and keep them watered until they have reached the required size.
What You Can Plant Together
You can plant cucumbers and tomatoes together, but it is important that you choose varieties that complement each other. For example, a bushier variety of tomatoes will make a much better companion than a slender one, since it will require more room to grow and produce fruit. Likewise, a bushier variety of cucumber will enjoy growing alongside this fruit!
How Deep To Plant Cucumbers and Tomatoes Together
Cucumber plants should be planted at least 6cm deep, while tomatoes can be grown at any depth – although they don’t need as much space as cucumbers do!
How Often do Water Cucumbers and Tomatoes Together
Watering cucumbers and tomatoes together is a very simple process, and can be done daily during the growing season.
What To Do With Pests in the Garden
If you have pests in your garden, then planting cucumber plants next to tomatoes will help to deter them from eating your tomatoes. For example, slugs will tend to avoid a plant that is already producing fruit, as it is more difficult for them to find any left for them!
What Is Your Reasoning For Planting Them Together?
- Cucumbers and tomatoes are both fruits, but they do not take up the same amount of space in the garden. Cucumbers can be grown in a space as small as a 10-inch pot, while tomatoes will need at least a 15-inch pot to be happy. By planting cucumbers next to tomatoes you’re giving them extra room to grow, and all that space means more fruit!
- Cucumbers and tomatoes both have a similar growing season. Both produce fruit from June onwards, so they can be planted together at any time of year. There is no need to wait until one plant has finished flowering before planting another – you can plant cucumbers alongside tomatoes in late spring or early summer, for example.
- Cucumber vines are long-lived plants and can produce fruit for many years, whereas tomato vines only live for around 3 or 4 years before dying back completely. This means that if you have two plants of each in close proximity, the cucumber vines will be able to produce lots of fruit over a longer period of time.
The Benefits Of Planting Tomatoes And Cucumbers Together
They both love the heat – and so do you!
Tomatoes and cucumbers are both members of the Solanaceae family, which includes all nightshades. Nightshades are plants that are highly sensitive to heat, so if you have a greenhouse or conservatory where the temperature is kept at around 25-30 degrees Celsius, then planting these two together will allow you to get even more yield from your tomatoes and cucumbers.
They both like a certain amount of water – and so do you!
Cucumbers love a lot of water and tomatoes need just as much – but not too much. They also like a good amount of sunlight and fresh air, but they also need to be protected from extreme temperatures, especially in winter when they’re not producing much fruit or vegetables. If you plant tomatoes with cucumbers in your greenhouse or conservatory, then this will ensure that your tomato plants are getting plenty of water all year round (and so will your cucumber plants).
They both like a certain amount of sunlight – and so do you!
If you find that your tomatoes are not getting enough sunlight, then plant them with cucumbers to help them out. Cucumbers also like lots of sun, but they tend to be more sensitive to heat than tomatoes. If you have a greenhouse or conservatory where the temperature is kept at around 25-30 degrees Celsius, then planting these two together will allow you to get even more yield from your tomatoes and cucumbers.
They both like some shade – and so do you!
If you’re growing tomatoes in a greenhouse or conservatory where there’s no adequate shade, then planting cucumbers with them is an excellent way of providing some extra protection against the harsh summer sun. Cucumbers are known as “cool-season vegetables” because they don’t need much sunlight to grow, so you need to be careful not to over-expose them.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, there’s no better way to get the most from your garden than by planting tomatoes and cucumbers together. Both of these plants are incredibly beneficial for one another, and the benefits for the grower are simply the cherry on top at the end of a bountiful harvest. If you have a small vegetable patch and can only accommodate one plant of each, or if you want to create a smaller space in order to make your greenhouse more manageable, then companion planting is an excellent way to get the very best out of your plants.
