Companion Planting with Herbs
Companion planting is the practice of growing certain plants together for mutual benefit. Herbs are some of the best companion plants in any garden — their aromatic oils repel many common pests, their flowers attract pollinators and beneficial insects, and they make efficient use of space when interplanted with larger crops. Here is a guide to companion planting focused on the culinary herbs and spices covered on this site.
How Herbs Help as Companions
- Pest deterrence: Strong-scented herbs confuse or repel pest insects that locate host plants by smell. Basil repels aphids, whiteflies, and mosquitoes. Rosemary deters cabbage moths and bean beetles. Dill attracts ladybugs and lacewings, which eat aphids.
- Pollinator support: Herb flowers — especially chive blossoms, oregano flowers, and sage flowers — are magnets for bees and beneficial wasps.
- Ground cover and living mulch: Low-growing herbs like oregano and chives can serve as ground cover, suppressing weeds and shading soil.
Good Herb Companions
- Basil + tomatoes: A classic pairing. Basil is said to improve the flavor of tomatoes and helps repel aphids and hornworms.
- Dill + cabbage family: Dill attracts predatory insects that control cabbage worms. But keep dill away from mature carrots — they can cross-pollinate.
- Chives + roses or fruit trees: Chives may help prevent black spot on roses and repel some fruit tree pests.
- Cilantro + spinach/lettuce: Cilantro provides partial shade for cool-season greens in warm weather.
- Rosemary or sage + cabbage: The strong scent of these Mediterranean herbs helps mask brassica scent from cabbage moths.
Herbs to Keep Separate
- Mint should always be in its own container — it will invade and smother other plants.
- Dill and cilantro can cross-pollinate if both go to seed at the same time, potentially affecting seed flavor.
- Mediterranean herbs (rosemary, sage, oregano) and moisture-loving herbs (basil, cilantro, mint) have conflicting water needs — group them separately.
See Herb Garden Layout Plans for visual examples of how to arrange companion plantings, and Raised Garden Bed for bed setup that accommodates different watering zones.