Tradition
Good
avoidgood
4 chart entries: 4 recommend, 0 advise against.
1 cited, 3 uncited.
Lettuce
Lactuca sativa
Asteraceae
Radish
Raphanus sativus
BrassicaceaeCan you plant lettuce and radishes together?
It depends. The sources disagree about lettuce and radishes. A shared bed gave about 78% more harvest than separate beds in 2 field trials, but radishes crowded lettuce out of light and water in a greenhouse or pot trial.
Why it depends
More harvest from the same bed. In 2 field trials, a bed with both crops gave about 78% more harvest than the same space split into a lettuce bed and a radish bed.
Competes for light and water. In a greenhouse or pot trial, radishes crowded lettuce out of light and water.
Intercropping affects the physiology and cadmium absorption of pakchoi, lettuce, and radish seedlings. (Liang L · 2023 · Environmental science and pollution research international)Garden charts recommend it. 4 garden chart entries recommend growing them together. 3 of them cite no source. Charts pass on gardening tradition; they are not tests.
Companion Plants (Alabama Cooperative Extension System)
What to plant with lettuce and radishes
Good neighbours of both, best tested first.
BeanWith lettuce: 48% more harvestWith radishes: 21% more harvest
CucumberWith lettuce: 35% more harvestWith radishes: Recommended by garden charts, not tested
Fava beanWith lettuce: 28% more harvestWith radishes: Better soil and nutrient uptake
EggplantWith lettuce: 16% more harvestWith radishes: Recommended by garden charts, not tested
Squash & pumpkinWith lettuce: 10% more harvestWith radishes: Recommended by garden charts, not tested
What to keep away from lettuce and radishes
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
Mixed
avoidgood
2 papers found: 1 positive, 1 negative.
competitionyield / land use
auto-classified not reviewed by a person
Yield trial
Good
0.80
0.96
Radish gains more. Partial LER is each crop's share of the yield it would give alone.
2 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.
Companion plants for both lettuce and radishes
Plants that are good neighbours of each. Biggest harvest gain first; each cell links to the evidence for that pair.
| Plant | With lettuce | With radishes |
|---|---|---|
| Bean | 48% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 2 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for lettuce and beans | 21% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 1 study. Charts: recommend.Evidence for radishes and beans |
| Cucumber | Fewer pests35% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 5 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for lettuce and cucumbers | No trial foundNot tested. Charts: recommend.Evidence for radishes and cucumbers |
| Fava bean | 28% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for lettuce and fava beans | Better soil and nutrient uptakeField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for radishes and fava beans |
| Eggplant | 16% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for lettuce and eggplant | No trial foundNot tested. Charts: recommend.Evidence for radishes and eggplant |
| Squash & pumpkin | 10% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for lettuce and squash | No trial foundNot tested. Charts: recommend.Evidence for radishes and squash |
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).
The evidence, with sources
- Badcompetitiongreenhouse / pot trialauto-classifiedIntercropping affects the physiology and cadmium absorption of pakchoi, lettuce, and radish seedlings.Intercropping affects the physiology and cadmium absorption of pakchoi, lettuce, and radish seedlings. (Liang L · 2023 · Environmental science and pollution research international)Relevance 95% · effect confidence 25%
- Goodyield / land usegreenhouse / pot trialauto-classifiedLettuce helps RadishEffects of intercropping on Se accumulation and growth of pakchoi, lettuce and radish.Effects of intercropping on Se accumulation and growth of pakchoi, lettuce and radish. (Tang W · 2023 · International journal of phytoremediation)Relevance 96% · effect confidence 30%
- GoodLER 2.06greenhouse / pot trialBrazil, 2019; Additive design; median LER 2.06 over 1 treatment(s) · partial LER Lettuce 0.85, Radish 1.21
- GoodLER 1.50field trialBrazil, 2004; Replacement design; median LER 1.50 over 6 treatment(s) · partial LER Lettuce 0.745, Radish 0.715
- GoodLettuce helps RadishLettuce: helps radishList of companion plants (uncited entry) (Wikipedia)
- GoodRadish helps LettuceLettuce: helped by RadishList of companion plants (uncited entry) (Wikipedia)
- GoodRadish helps LettuceRadish: helps lettuceCompanion Plants (Alabama Cooperative Extension System)
- GoodLettuce helps RadishRadish: helped by lettuceList of companion plants (uncited entry) (Wikipedia)
All neighbours of lettuce and of radish, or every pair at once in the companion planting chart.
Have you grown lettuce and radishes 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.