Companion planting herbs is an excellent natural way to keep unwanted pests away and also encourage growth. It’s a win-win situation! Consider some of these herb companion planting tips when planning your herb and vegetable garden.
In this post, you will learn:
- Expert Tips for Companion Planting Herbs
- What Herbs Can Be Planted Together?
- Companion Planting Herbs
- Basil
- Borage
- Catnip
- Chives
- Cilantro/Coriander
- Dill
- Lavender
- Mint
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Thyme
- Frequently Asked Questions About Herb Companion Planting
- How to Care for Herbs
Expert Tips for Companion Planting Herbs
- When planning your garden, pay close attention to which plants have similar growing conditions and pair them together.
- For herbs, consider accessibility—where does it make sense for you to place your herb garden so that it’s easy to access?
- Some herbs, such as mint, can be rather invasive, so it’s best to keep them in pots rather than in your garden bed.
What Herbs Can Be Planted Together?
When planning for your garden, you want to always pair plants with similar growing conditions. This means plants who like the same soil, amount of light, amount of water, fertilizer, etc. So that’s your first step!
Then, you always want to plan what you intend to use them for. For instance, I like to put all my culinary herbs right outside my kitchen and near my patio to access them easily. This is a big part of growing a permaculture-focused garden.
You can also make plant groupings for other purposes. For example, you might want to combine all your Mediterranean herbs or make a mosquito-repelling container!
Companion Planting Herbs
Companion planting herbs is a natural way to repel pests from your garden. Rather than deter pests based on their presence, certain herbs can mask the smell of the host plant that the pest wants. They can also attract predatory insects and confuse pests.
In some cases, herbs can also promote the growth of others (like how borage can make strawberries sweeter) or inhibit the growth of others (like rosemary with other herbs).
This is a quick reference herb companion planting guide with some of the most popular herbs and what to plant them with.
However, you can plant most of these herbs with other plants not on this list; the ones mentioned are just exceptional pairings!
Basil
- Pests it repels: whiteflies, carrot flies, and asparagus beetle.
- Plant with: tomato, asparagus, carrots, beans, cabbage, peppers, potatoes, beets, and eggplant.
- Avoid planting with: rue, sage, and most other herbs besides oregano and chamomile. Prefers being planted with vegetables.
Borage
- Pests it repels: tomato hornworm, asparagus beetle, and cabbage moth caterpillars.
- Plant with: tomato, asparagus, strawberries, squash, melons, and cucumbers.
- Avoid planting with: nothing, it works with everything!
Catnip
- Pests it repels: ants, flea beetles, aphids, Japanese beetle, squash bugs, weevils, Colorado potato beetle, cabbage looper, and cockroaches.
- Plant with: potato, brassicas, cabbage, and squash.
- Avoid planting with: parsley.
Chives
- Pests it repels: carrot flies, Japanese beetle, aphids.
- Plant with: lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, peas, celery, and tomatoes.
- Avoid planting with: all-around good to plant with everything.
Cilantro/Coriander
- Pests it repels: aphids, spider mites, Colorado potato beetle.
- Plant with: potato, tomato, spinach, basil, dill, lavender, and mint.
- Avoid planting with: fennel.
Dill
- Pests it repels: aphids, squash bugs, spider mites, and cabbage looper.
- Plant with: lettuce, squash, brassicas, cucumber, corn, onions, and asparagus.
- Avoid planting with: lavender, peppers, potatoes, carrots, and eggplant.
Lavender
- Pests it repels: moths, fleas, and mosquitoes.
- Plant with: lettuce, tomatoes, squash, brassicas, rosemary, thyme, sage, and oregano.
- Avoid planting with: mint.
Mint
- Pests it repels: ants, aphids, cabbage looper, flea beetles, squash bugs, and whiteflies.
- Plant with: lettuce, squash, brassicas, cabbage, kale, radish, carrots, onions, and tomatoes.
- Avoid planting with: mint gets along with everyone but can be invasive.
Oregano
- Pests it repels: cabbage moth caterpillars, cucumber beetles, and mosquitoes.
- Plant with: brassicas, asparagus, basil, lavender, tomatoes, garlic, onions, and thyme.
- Avoid planting with: cabbage, broccoli, collards, and celery.
Parsley
- Pests it repels: asparagus beetles, aphids, thrips, cabbage loopers, cabbage works, and gypsy moths.
- Plant with: asparagus, corns, carrots, tomatoes, peas, onions, peppers and chives.
- Avoid planting with: mint, lettuce, carrots, and alliums.
Rosemary
- Pests it repels: carrot flies, cabbage loopers, cockroaches, mosquitoes, slugs, snails, and Mexican bean beetle.
- Plant with: sage, broccoli, beans, cabbage, and hot peppers.
- Avoid planting with: carrots, potatoes, pumpkins, and other herbs except for sage and lavender.
Sage
- Pests it repels: cabbage moths, carrot flies, flea beetles, snails, and black flea beetles.
- Plant with: brassicas, strawberries, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, lavender, and rosemary.
- Avoid planting with: other herbs except for rosemary and lavender, and cucumber.
Thyme
- Pests it repels: cabbage moths, whiteflies, and corn earworms.
- Plant with: brassicas, strawberries, lavender, potatoes, eggplants, shallots, and blueberries.
- Avoid planting with: mint, basil, tomatoes, pumpkins, and celery.
Frequently Asked Questions About Herb Companion Planting
Tomatoes will need to be spaced differently based on the variety and size. Consult the seed packet or requirements for your specific variety. After planting and their upward growth, you’ll likely need to prune the bottom to prevent pests and diseases. Use this empty space between rows to plant some of your herbs, like basil.
Basil should not be planted with rue or sage. Typically, it prefers the company of vegetables.
Fennel should not be planted with other herbs and vegetables. It’s known to change the flavours of things it’s planted with!
Mint is also quite invasive and can take over the space of other herbs. Typically, mint is best planted in its own container or needs to be strictly watched in the garden lest it takes over.
Rosemary and sage also shouldn’t be planted with most other herbs (with a few exceptions), though they do enjoy each other’s company.
Avoid planting fennel with most vegetables, as it can inhibit their growth or change their taste.
Cucumber is also known to disapprove of aromatic herbs like sage, rosemary, and basil.
Carrots also don’t typically like being close to herbs.
Alliums and lettuce also don’t get along well.
How to Care for Herbs
Now that you know how to companion plant your herbs and find them the best place in your garden, learn more about how to care for them in these helpful posts: