Bean

Phaseolus vulgaris

Fabaceae

Potato

Solanum tuberosum

Solanaceae

Can you plant beans and potatoes together?

It depends. The sources disagree about beans and potatoes. Results on soil and nutrients were mixed in a field trial, while a shared bed gave about 36% more harvest than separate beds in 3 field trials.

Why it depends

Mixed results on soil and nutrients. In a field trial, results on soil and nutrients were mixed.
Nitrogen and phosphorous uptake by potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and their use efficiency under potato-legume intercropping systems (Gitari HI · 2018 · Field Crops Research.)
More harvest from the same bed. In 3 field trials, a bed with both crops gave about 36% more harvest than the same space split into a bean bed and a potato bed.
Productivity, economic viability and energy efficiency of intercropping winter maize (Zea mays) and rajmash bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in potato (Solanum tuberosum) with border ridge technique (Tripathi · 2014)
and 2 more sources
Garden charts recommend it. 2 garden chart entries recommend growing them together. Charts pass on gardening tradition; they are not tests.
Yield-density relationship for potato (Solarium tuberosum) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in intercropping (Raey · 2009 · New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science)
and 3 more sources

What to plant with beans and potatoes

Good neighbours of both, best tested first.

GarlicWith beans: Draws in pest-eating insectsWith potatoes: Recommended by garden charts, not tested

How each one was tested, with the evidence

What to keep away from beans and potatoes

KohlrabiWith beans: Garden charts advise against it, not tested
ChivesWith beans: Garden charts advise against it, not tested
CarrotWith potatoes: Garden charts advise against it, not tested
CucumberWith potatoes: Garden charts advise against it, not tested
Squash & pumpkinWith potatoes: Garden charts advise against it, not tested
AsparagusWith potatoes: 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

Mixed

avoidgood

2 papers found: 0 positive, 0 negative, 2 mixed.

nutrients / soilyield / land use

auto-classified not reviewed by a person

Yield trial

Good

0.54

0.81

Potato gains more. Partial LER is each crop's share of the yield it would give alone.

3 field trials. Published LERs lean high.

It's complicated

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.

What is going on (3)

Pick a card to spotlight its animation in the scene.

Bean Potato MixedStudies disagree. At best, bean, a legume, fixes nitrogen from the air in root nodules and shares some with Potato; fungal threads in the soil link their roots.

Potato Bean MixedStudies disagree. At best, potato changes the soil for Bean, sharing nutrients or feeding the fungal threads that link their roots.

Researchfield trial x1

Nitrogen and phosphorous uptake by potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and their use efficiency under potato-legume intercropping systems (Gitari HI · 2018 · Field Crops Research.)

Bean PotatoPotato yielded differently (results vary) when grown beside Bean.

Researchfield trial x1

Revisiting intercropping indices with respect to potato-legume intercropping systems (Gitari · 2020)

Bean PotatoMedian land equivalent ratio 1.36 over 3 trials: growing them together gave 1.36 times the harvest of two separate plots of the same size.

Partial LERs (medians): Bean 0.54 + Potato 0.83. Range across treatments 1.25 to 1.47. Medians are taken separately, so the parts need not add up to the median LER. LER above 1 is biased upward by publication bias.

Yield trialfield trial x3

Productivity, economic viability and energy efficiency of intercropping winter maize (Zea mays) and rajmash bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in potato (Solanum tuberosum) with border ridge technique (Tripathi · 2014)

Effect of nitrogen application to intercrops on yield, competition, nutrient use efficiency and economics in potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) plus French bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.) system in north-western hills of India (Dua · 2017)

1 more source

Revisiting intercropping indices with respect to potato-legume intercropping systems (Gitari · 2020)

Tradition saysGood

2 gardening-lore entries. Lore is a starting point, not proof.

Yield-density relationship for potato (Solarium tuberosum) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in intercropping (Raey · 2009 · New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science)

Garden bugs: Insect pest management in the home vegetable garden (ANR-1045) (Zehnder · 1997 · Alabama Cooperative Extension System)

2 more sources

Microenvironmental effects on potato and bean yields grown under intercropping system (Sharaiha · Lucrări ştiinţifice)

Companion planting: Myth or reality? (2010 · Utah Pests News)

Companion plants for both beans and potatoes

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

Plant	With beans	With potatoes
Garlic	Draws in pest-eating insectsField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for beans and garlic	No trial foundNot tested. Charts: recommend.Evidence for potatoes and garlic

The evidence, with sources

ResearchMixed2 entries

Mixednutrients / soilfield trialauto-classified

Nitrogen and phosphorous uptake by potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and their use efficiency under potato-legume intercropping systems
Nitrogen and phosphorous uptake by potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and their use efficiency under potato-legume intercropping systems (Gitari HI · 2018 · Field Crops Research.)

Relevance 95% · effect confidence 49%
Mixedyield / land usefield trialauto-classified

Revisiting intercropping indices with respect to potato-legume intercropping systems
Revisiting intercropping indices with respect to potato-legume intercropping systems (Gitari · 2020)

Relevance 92% · effect confidence 52%

Yield trialGood3 entries

GoodLER 1.44field trial

India, 2006-2008; Replacement design; median LER 1.44 over 2 treatment(s) · partial LER Bean 0.535, Potato 0.9
Productivity, economic viability and energy efficiency of intercropping winter maize (Zea mays) and rajmash bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in potato (Solanum tuberosum) with border ridge technique (Tripathi · 2014)
GoodLER 1.36field trial

India, 2007-2009; Replacement design; median LER 1.36 over 6 treatment(s) · partial LER Bean 0.66, Potato 0.695
Effect of nitrogen application to intercrops on yield, competition, nutrient use efficiency and economics in potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) plus French bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.) system in north-western hills of India (Dua · 2017)
GoodLER 1.25field trial

Kenya, 2015-2016; Additive design; median LER 1.25 over 2 treatment(s) · partial LER Bean 0.42, Potato 0.825
Revisiting intercropping indices with respect to potato-legume intercropping systems (Gitari · 2020)

TraditionGood2 entries

GoodPotato helps Bean
Potato: helps beans
Yield-density relationship for potato (Solarium tuberosum) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in intercropping (Raey · 2009 · New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science)
Garden bugs: Insect pest management in the home vegetable garden (ANR-1045) (Zehnder · 1997 · Alabama Cooperative Extension System)
Microenvironmental effects on potato and bean yields grown under intercropping system (Sharaiha · Lucrări ştiinţifice)
GoodBean helps Potato
Potato: helped by beans
Companion planting: Myth or reality? (2010 · Utah Pests News)
Yield-density relationship for potato (Solarium tuberosum) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in intercropping (Raey · 2009 · New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science)
Garden bugs: Insect pest management in the home vegetable garden (ANR-1045) (Zehnder · 1997 · Alabama Cooperative Extension System)
Microenvironmental effects on potato and bean yields grown under intercropping system (Sharaiha · Lucrări ştiinţifice)

Plan a bed with beans and potatoes

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

Have you grown beans and potatoes 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.