Best and Worst Companion Plants for Sugar Baby Watermelon

The Sugar Baby watermelon is a popular choice for home gardens because of its manageable size. Its compact vines produce small, round melons with sweet, red flesh, making it ideal for smaller garden spaces. To help these plants flourish, gardeners can use companion planting. This practice involves growing specific plants nearby to improve soil health and manage pests.

Best Companion Plants for Sugar Baby Watermelon

Aromatic herbs are useful when planted near watermelons. Oregano is known to deter pests like aphids, while the strong scent of onions and garlic can repel various insects. Planting green onions or chives between watermelon rows is an effective use of space. Larger bulbing onions should be kept at the ends of rows to avoid disturbing the watermelon’s shallow roots.

Certain flowers offer practical benefits to a watermelon patch. Marigolds help control nematode populations in the soil and repel pests like squash bugs. Nasturtiums deter aphids and squash bugs while also acting as a trap crop, luring pests away from the watermelon vines. Flowers like cosmos and dill attract predatory insects that feed on common melon pests.

Legumes are also advantageous companions. Peas and beans perform nitrogen fixation, a process that enriches the soil and provides a nutrient boost for heavy-feeding watermelon plants. Corn can be used as a natural trellis for pole beans and also provides some shade for the developing melons.

Plants to Avoid Near Sugar Baby Watermelon

Avoid planting watermelons near other members of the cucurbit family, such as cucumbers, pumpkins, and other melons. These plants are susceptible to the same pests and diseases. Planting them together increases the risk of an infestation or outbreak spreading through the entire crop.

Potatoes should also be kept at a distance from your watermelon patch. They can release substances into the soil that may inhibit the growth of watermelon vines.

Avoid overly aggressive plants that can outcompete watermelons for sunlight, water, and nutrients. Plants that spread rapidly or have dense foliage can cast too much shade. This prevents the melons from getting the sun they need to thrive.

Planting Strategy with Companions

Proper spacing is an important part of a successful companion planting strategy. Ensure there is enough room between your watermelon vines and their companions for good air circulation and sunlight exposure. For sprawling watermelon vines, this might mean planting companions along the border of the patch or in alternating rows.

Consider the growth habits of your chosen companions when planning the garden layout. Tall plants like corn or sunflowers can be positioned to provide some afternoon shade without completely blocking the sun. Low-growing herbs and flowers can be interplanted among the watermelon vines to fill gaps and maximize garden space.

Using companions as a living mulch is another effective technique. As watermelon vines spread, they naturally suppress weeds by shading the soil. Planting a low-growing cover crop like cowpeas or hairy vetch before the watermelons can enhance this effect and attract beneficial insects as the vines grow over them.