Geranium Companion Plants

Choosing the right geranium companion plants is the secret to creating a garden that’s both beautiful and healthy. When you pair your geraniums with good neighbors, you help everything grow better and look more vibrant.

This guide will show you the best plants to grow with geraniums. We’ll cover flowers, herbs, and vegetables that make perfect partners. You’ll learn how to plan your beds for color, pest control, and strong growth all season long.

Companion planting is like creating a supportive community in your garden. Some plants help each other by deterring pests, improving soil, or providing shade. Geraniums are fantastic team players because they have a strong scent that many insects don’t like.

This natural pest repellent quality makes them a great friend to many other plants. Let’s look at the best companions, organized by what they offer your garden.

Companions for Pest Control

Geraniums, especially scented varieties, are known to repel certain pests. Their fragrance can confuse or deter insects looking for a meal. This protects not just the geraniums, but the plants growing nearby.

Here are some plants that benefit from this protection:

Roses: Geraniums can help repel Japanese beetles and other rose pests. The bright flowers also look lovely at the feet of rose bushes.
Tomatoes: The scent of geraniums may deter tomato hornworms. Plant them around the border of your tomato patch.
Cabbage and Kale: Geraniums can help keep away cabbage loopers and other leaf-eating bugs from your brassicas.
Corn: Some gardeners find geraniums help protect corn from earworms and other pests.

Companions for Vibrant Color and Design

Geraniums come in many colors like red, pink, white, and purple. You can create stunning visual displays by pairing them with plants that complement or contrast their blooms. Think about flower shapes and foliage textures, too.

Excellent color partners include:

Purple Salvia: The spiky blue or purple flowers create a beautiful contrast with rounded geranium blooms.
Dusty Miller: Its silvery, soft foliage makes the bright colors of geraniums really stand out.
Marigolds: The warm oranges and yellows of marigolds look cheerful next to red or pink geraniums.
Lobelia: The trailing habit and deep blue flowers spill nicely over the edges of containers with upright geraniums.
Snapdragons: Their vertical spikes add height and structure behind mounded geranium plants.

Creating a Cohesive Color Scheme

Stick to a simple palette for a professional look. For a cool, calming bed, pair white or lavender geraniums with blue salvia and silver artemisia. For a hot, vibrant border, combine red geraniums with orange marigolds and yellow coreopsis.

Companions for Improved Growth and Health

Some plants just seem to help each other grow better. They might attract beneficial insects, improve soil conditions, or provide light shade. Geraniums have moderate water and nutrient needs, so they pair well with plants that have similar requirements.

Good growing companions are:

Basil: This herb enjoys similar sun and water. It also attracts pollinators and its scent may further confuse pests.
Alliums (Ornamental Onions): Their strong scent adds another layer of pest protection, and their globe-shaped flowers add unique form.
Catmint (Nepeta): It’s drought-tolerant once established and attracts loads of bees and other beneficial insects to pollinate your garden.
Lavender: Shares similar needs for well-drained soil and full sun. The gray-green foliage and purple flowers are a classic match.

Plants to Avoid Planting With Geraniums

Not every plant makes a good neighbor. Some have competing needs or might attract pests that also bother geraniums. It’s best to keep geraniums away from plants that need constant wet soil, as this can cause root rot for your geraniums.

Plants to generally keep seperate include:

Most Shade-Loving Plants: Like hostas or ferns. They need less sun and more moisture than geraniums prefer.
Aggressive Spreaders: Some mints or bee balm can quickly overtake the space and resources geraniums need.
Heavy Feeders: Plants like dahlias that require a lot of fertilizer might outcompete geraniums for nutrients if planted to closely.

How to Plant Your Geranium Companions: A Step-by-Step Guide

Planning is key to success. Follow these steps to create your vibrant geranium bed.

Check Sunlight: Most geraniums and their best companions need at least 6-8 hours of full sun per day. Choose a spot that meets this need.
Prepare the Soil: Geraniums like well-drained soil. Work in some compost to improve texture and fertility. Avoid soil that stays soggy.
Plan Your Layout: Sketch your bed on paper. Place taller plants (like snapdragons) in the back or center. Put geraniums in the middle layer, and trailing plants (like sweet alyssum) at the edges.
Consider Mature Size: Check plant tags for how wide each plant gets. Give them enough room to grow without crowding. Good air flow prevents disease.
Plant and Water: Dig holes as deep as the root balls. Place the plants, fill in with soil, and water them in thoroughly to settle the roots.
Add Mulch: Apply a 2-inch layer of mulch around the plants. This helps retain moisture, suppress weeds, and keep the roots cool.

Tips for Container Gardening

Geraniums are excellent in pots. Use a large container with drainage holes. Plant a thriller (a tall geranium), a filler (like a basil plant), and a spiller (like lobelia) in the same pot for a full, lush look. Water container more frequently, as they dry out faster.

Maintaining Your Companion Plant Garden

A little regular care keeps your garden looking its best. Geraniums are relatively low-maintenance, but they do appreciate some attention.

Here’s your simple maintenance checklist:

Deadheading: Regularly remove spent geranium flowers. This encourages the plant to produce more blooms instead of setting seed.
Watering: Water at the base of the plants, not overhead. Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings to prevent disease.
Fertilizing: Use a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at planting time. You can feed with a liquid fertilizer every 4-6 weeks during the growing season.
Pruning: If geraniums get leggy, don’t be afraid to cut them back by a third. They will bush out again nicely.
Monitoring: Keep an eye out for pests like whiteflies or caterpillars. The companion planting should reduce problems, but check your plants regularly.

FAQ: Geranium Companions

What are the best companion plants for geraniums in pots?
For containers, try pairing geraniums with trailing plants like ivy, bacopa, or vinca. Herbs like rosemary or thyme also work well, as they like similar conditions.

Can I plant vegetables with my geraniums?
Yes! Many vegetables benefit from geraniums. Try them near tomatoes, peppers, or leafy greens to help with pest control. Just ensure the vegetables get enough sun.

Do geraniums attract bees?
Geraniums do attract some pollinators, especially certain bee species. For more pollination power, add companions like catmint or salvia, which are highly attractive to bees and butterflies.

What should I not plant next to geraniums?
Avoid plants that need wet, shady conditions. Also, be cautious with very aggressive growers that might crowd out the geraniums roots over time.

Can lavender and geraniums be planted together?
Absolutely. Lavender and geraniums are excellent companions. They both love full sun and well-drained soil, and their colors and scents work wonderfully together.

By choosing the right geranium companion plants, you build a garden ecosystem that is more than the sum of it’s parts. You’ll see fewer pests, more pollinators, and a beautiful mix of colors and textures. Start with one or two companion pairs and see how your garden thrives. The combinations are nearly endless, so you can enjoy creating new looks each season.