Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum

Solanaceae

Sweet corn

Zea mays

Poaceae

Can you plant tomatoes and corn together?

It depends. The sources disagree about tomatoes and corn. Results on competition for light and water were mixed in a field trial, while garden charts disagree about it.

Why it depends

Mixed results on competition for light and water. In a field trial, results on competition for light and water were mixed.
Evaluating soil nitrate dynamics in an intercropping dripped ecosystem using HYDRUS-2D. (Chen N · 2020 · The Science of the total environment)
Garden charts disagree. 2 chart entries recommend the pair and 2 advise against it. 2 of them cite no source. Charts pass on gardening tradition; they are not tests.
Fusarium crown and root rot of tomato in Florida (Zhang · 2011 · [[University of Florida]] Institute of Agricultural Sciences)
More harvest from the same bed. In one field trial, a bed with both crops gave about 13% more harvest than the same space split into a sweet corn bed and a tomato bed.
Evaluation of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) and Maize (Zea mays L.) Intercropping on Growth, Yield and Yield Traits of the Crops in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia (Gebru · 2015)
Fewer pests. In a field trial, corn kept pests off tomatoes.
[Barrier effect against Bemisia tabaci and the control of tomato yellow leaf curl virus in a tomato-maize intercropping system]. (Wei PY · 2022 · Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology)

What to plant with tomatoes and corn

Good neighbours of both, best tested first.

BeanWith tomatoes: 18% more harvestWith corn: 43% more harvest
CilantroWith tomatoes: Less diseaseWith corn: 42% more harvest
Sweet potatoWith tomatoes: Lures pests awayWith corn: 40% more harvest
GarlicWith tomatoes: Recommended by garden charts, not testedWith corn: 33% more harvest
Squash & pumpkinWith tomatoes: 18% more harvestWith corn: 13% more harvest

All 8 plants that suit both, with the evidence

What to keep away from tomatoes and corn

RosemaryWith tomatoes: Garden charts advise against it, not tested
CeleryWith corn: 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

Disputed

avoidgood

4 chart entries: 2 recommend, 2 advise against.

2 cited, 2 uncited.

Research

Mixed

avoidgood

3 papers found: 2 positive, 0 negative, 1 mixed.

yield / land usepest suppressioncompetition

auto-classified not reviewed by a person

Yield trial

Good

0.67

0.49

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

1 field trial. 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 (4)

Pick a card to spotlight its animation in the scene.

Sweet corn TomatoSweet corn helps keep pests off Tomato: its scent and plant chemistry confuse or repel the insects that would attack it.

Researchfield trial x1

[Barrier effect against Bemisia tabaci and the control of tomato yellow leaf curl virus in a tomato-maize intercropping system]. (Wei PY · 2022 · Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology)

Tomato Sweet cornTomato and Sweet corn compete for light, water and nutrients; the studies report mixed outcomes.

Researchfield trial x1

Evaluating soil nitrate dynamics in an intercropping dripped ecosystem using HYDRUS-2D. (Chen N · 2020 · The Science of the total environment)

Tomato Sweet cornGrown together, Tomato and Sweet corn gave more food from the same ground than apart.

Researchfield trial x1

Simulation of tomato and corn growth using a modified intercropping model considering radiation interception in two-dimensional space and air temperature stress (Chen N · 2024 · European Journal of Agronomy.)

Tomato Sweet cornMedian land equivalent ratio 1.13 over 1 trial: growing them together gave 1.13 times the harvest of two separate plots of the same size.

Partial LERs (medians): Tomato 0.67 + Sweet corn 0.50. Range across treatments 0.96 to 1.46. 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 x1

Evaluation of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) and Maize (Zea mays L.) Intercropping on Growth, Yield and Yield Traits of the Crops in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia (Gebru · 2015)

Tradition saysDisputed

4 gardening-lore entries, 2 without a specific citation. Lore is a starting point, not proof.

Fusarium crown and root rot of tomato in Florida (Zhang · 2011 · [[University of Florida]] Institute of Agricultural Sciences)

Companion plants for both tomatoes and corn

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

Plant	With tomatoes	With corn
Bean	18% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 2 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for tomatoes 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
Cilantro	Less disease and fewer pestsField trial, 3 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for tomatoes and cilantro	42% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for corn and cilantro
Sweet potato	Lures pests awayField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for tomatoes and sweet potatoes	40% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 2 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for corn and sweet potatoes
Garlic	No trial foundNot tested. Charts: recommend.Evidence for tomatoes and garlic	33% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 2 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for corn and garlic
Squash & pumpkin	18% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 1 study. Charts: recommend.Evidence for tomatoes and squash	13% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 4 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for corn and squash
Cucumber	Lures pests away17% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 4 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for tomatoes and cucumbers	Fewer pestsField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for corn and cucumbers
Basil	Helpful plant chemistry, fewer pests and better soil and nutrient uptake7% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 6 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for tomatoes and basil	Bigger combined harvestField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for corn and basil

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

Parsley

The evidence, with sources

ResearchMixed3 entries

Goodyield / land usefield trialauto-classified

Simulation of tomato and corn growth using a modified intercropping model considering radiation interception in two-dimensional space and air temperature stress
Simulation of tomato and corn growth using a modified intercropping model considering radiation interception in two-dimensional space and air temperature stress (Chen N · 2024 · European Journal of Agronomy.)

Relevance 95% · effect confidence 44%
Goodpest suppressionfield trialauto-classified

Sweet corn helps Tomato
[Barrier effect against Bemisia tabaci and the control of tomato yellow leaf curl virus in a tomato-maize intercropping system].
[Barrier effect against Bemisia tabaci and the control of tomato yellow leaf curl virus in a tomato-maize intercropping system]. (Wei PY · 2022 · Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology)

Relevance 85% · effect confidence 97%
Mixedcompetitionfield trialauto-classified

Evaluating soil nitrate dynamics in an intercropping dripped ecosystem using HYDRUS-2D.
Evaluating soil nitrate dynamics in an intercropping dripped ecosystem using HYDRUS-2D. (Chen N · 2020 · The Science of the total environment)

Relevance 94% · effect confidence 18%

Yield trialGood1 entry

GoodLER 1.13field trial

Ethiopia, 2009; Additive design; median LER 1.13 over 8 treatment(s) · partial LER Sweet corn 0.495, Tomato 0.67
Evaluation of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) and Maize (Zea mays L.) Intercropping on Growth, Yield and Yield Traits of the Crops in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia (Gebru · 2015)

TraditionDisputed4 entries

GoodSweet corn helps Tomato
Corn / Maize: helps tomatoes
Fusarium crown and root rot of tomato in Florida (Zhang · 2011 · [[University of Florida]] Institute of Agricultural Sciences)
Badadvises against
Corn / Maize: avoid Tomato
List of companion plants (uncited entry) (Wikipedia)
GoodSweet corn helps Tomato
Tomatoes: helped by corn
Fusarium crown and root rot of tomato in Florida (Zhang · 2011 · [[University of Florida]] Institute of Agricultural Sciences)
Badadvises against
Tomatoes: avoid corn
List of companion plants (uncited entry) (Wikipedia)

Plan a bed with tomatoes and corn

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

Have you grown tomatoes 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.