Tradition
Good
avoidgood
2 chart entries: 2 recommend, 0 advise against.
All entries cite a source.
Cucumber
Cucumis sativus
Cucurbitaceae
Garlic
Allium sativum
AmaryllidaceaeCan you plant cucumbers and garlic together?
Yes. Cucumbers and garlic grow well together. Cucumbers yielded more next to garlic in 2 studies, and garlic improved the soil or nutrient uptake of cucumbers in a greenhouse or pot trial.
Why cucumbers and garlic work together
Bigger combined harvest. In 2 studies, cucumbers yielded more next to garlic.
Better soil and nutrient uptake. In a greenhouse or pot trial, garlic improved the soil or nutrient uptake of cucumbers.
Garden charts recommend it. 2 garden chart entries recommend growing them together. Charts pass on gardening tradition; they are not tests.
Effect of garlic and onion extracts or their intercropping on suppressing damping-off and powdery mildew diseases and growth characteristics of cucumber (Morsy · 2009 · Egyptian Journal of Phytopathology)and 1 more sourceNo clear effect on growth. In a greenhouse or pot trial, growing them together made no clear difference to growth.
Responses of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) rhizosphere microbial community to some agronomic management practices. (Ezazi R · 2021 · FEMS microbiology ecology)Chemicals that hold growth back. In a greenhouse or pot trial, chemicals one plant gives off held the other back.
An Allelopathic Role for Garlic Root Exudates in the Regulation of Carbohydrate Metabolism in Cucumber in a Hydroponic Co-Culture System. (Ding H · 2019 · Plants (Basel, Switzerland))
What to plant with cucumbers and garlic
Good neighbours of both, best tested first.
LettuceWith cucumbers: 35% more harvestWith garlic: Recommended by garden charts, not tested
Sweet cornWith cucumbers: Fewer pestsWith garlic: 33% more harvest
TomatoWith cucumbers: 17% more harvestWith garlic: Recommended by garden charts, not tested
BeanWith cucumbers: 14% more harvestWith garlic: Draws in pest-eating insects
CeleryWith cucumbers: Fewer pestsWith garlic: Recommended by garden charts, not tested
What to keep away from cucumbers and garlic
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
Research
Good
avoidgood
5 papers found: 3 positive, 1 negative, 1 no effect.
yield / land use x2othernutrients / soilallelopathy
auto-classified not reviewed by a person
Yield trial
No intercropping yield trial.
Good neighbours
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.
Companion plants for both cucumbers and garlic
Plants that are good neighbours of each. Biggest harvest gain first; each cell links to the evidence for that pair.
| Plant | With cucumbers | With garlic |
|---|---|---|
| Lettuce | Fewer pests35% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 5 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for cucumbers and lettuce | No trial foundNot tested. Charts: recommend.Evidence for garlic and lettuce |
| Sweet corn | Fewer pestsField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for cucumbers and corn | 33% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 2 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for garlic and corn |
| Tomato | Lures pests away17% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 4 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for cucumbers and tomatoes | No trial foundNot tested. Charts: recommend.Evidence for garlic and tomatoes |
| Bean | 14% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 1 study. Charts: recommend.Evidence for cucumbers and beans | Draws in pest-eating insectsField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for garlic and beans |
| Celery | Fewer pestsField trial, 2 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for cucumbers and celery | No trial foundNot tested. Charts: recommend.Evidence for garlic and celery |
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
The evidence, with sources
- Goodyield / land usegreenhouse / pot trialauto-classifiedGarlic helps CucumberA green garlic (Allium sativum L.) based intercropping system reduces the strain of continuous monocropping in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) by adjusting the micro-ecological environment of soil.A green garlic (Allium sativum L.) based intercropping system reduces the strain of continuous monocropping in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) by adjusting the micro-ecological environment of soil. (Xiao X · 2019 · PeerJ)Relevance 97% · effect confidence 92%
- No effectothergreenhouse / pot trialauto-classifiedResponses of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) rhizosphere microbial community to some agronomic management practices.Responses of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) rhizosphere microbial community to some agronomic management practices. (Ezazi R · 2021 · FEMS microbiology ecology)Relevance 84% · effect confidence 33%
- Goodnutrients / soilgreenhouse / pot trialauto-classifiedGarlic helps CucumberIntercropping of green garlic (Allium sativum L.) induces nutrient concentration changes in the soil and plants in continuously cropped cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in a plastic tunnel.Intercropping of green garlic (Allium sativum L.) induces nutrient concentration changes in the soil and plants in continuously cropped cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in a plastic tunnel (Xiao · 2013 · PLOS ONE)Relevance 97% · effect confidence 67%
Show 2 more
- Badallelopathygreenhouse / pot trialauto-classifiedAn Allelopathic Role for Garlic Root Exudates in the Regulation of Carbohydrate Metabolism in Cucumber in a Hydroponic Co-Culture System.An Allelopathic Role for Garlic Root Exudates in the Regulation of Carbohydrate Metabolism in Cucumber in a Hydroponic Co-Culture System. (Ding H · 2019 · Plants (Basel, Switzerland))Relevance 91% · effect confidence 90%
- Goodyield / land usefield trialauto-classifiedGarlic helps Cucumber[Effects of rotation and intercropping on bacterial communities in rhizosphere soil of cucumber].[Effects of rotation and intercropping on bacterial communities in rhizosphere soil of cucumber]. (Wu FZ · 2008 · Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology)Relevance 86% · effect confidence 87%
- GoodGarlic helps CucumberCucumber: helped by garlicEffect of garlic and onion extracts or their intercropping on suppressing damping-off and powdery mildew diseases and growth characteristics of cucumber (Morsy · 2009 · Egyptian Journal of Phytopathology)
- GoodGarlic helps CucumberGarlic: helps cucumbersEffect of garlic and onion extracts or their intercropping on suppressing damping-off and powdery mildew diseases and growth characteristics of cucumber (Morsy · 2009 · Egyptian Journal of Phytopathology)
All neighbours of cucumber and of garlic, or every pair at once in the companion planting chart.
Have you grown cucumbers and garlic 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.