Welcome to the league of basil companion plants! They come from different species, but they all have the same goal: to grow with your single sweet herb in the garden. It’s easy to get lost in the many benefits this fragrant plant will receive, but they all have to do with keeping the soil healthy and the agroecosystem healthy. If you plan to incorporate some plants in your basil garden, discover their secret wonders in this article!.
Basil is one of the most popular herbs for home gardens thanks to its aromatic flavor and versatility in the kitchen. But basil is not only useful for culinary purposes – it can also be an important component of your garden’s pest management and pollination when paired with beneficial companion plants.
Understanding the best and worst neighbors for basil will allow you to design a garden that supports robust basil growth while deterring pests. This guide covers optimal companion plants as well as what not to plant near basil. Follow these companion planting recommendations, and you’ll be rewarded with thriving, flavorful basil harvests.
Why Practice Companion Planting?
Companion planting is the practice of strategically planting different crops together so they can benefit each other’s growth and pest resistance The right plant companions can
- Deter pests like aphids, beetles and mites that affect basil
- Attract beneficial pollinators like bees to your garden
- Provide structural support for climbing plants
- Enhance flavor and essential oil production
- Complement growth habits and space usage
On the other hand, unsuitable neighbors can hinder basil’s development and vigor. Understanding these important plant relationships is key to building a successful kitchen herb garden.
The Best Companion Plants for Basil
Here are some of the best friends to plant with basil:
Tomatoes
The classic pairing. Basil helps repel pests like mosquitoes, aphids and hornworms that attack tomato plants. Meanwhile grouping basil near tomatoes is said to improve the flavor of both. They are natural partners in the garden and kitchen.
Asparagus
Asparagus benefits from having basil nearby, as the herb’s pungent scent can deter asparagus beetles. Basil also attracts beneficial predatory insects.
Peppers
When grown together, basil and peppers help protect each other from common pests like aphids, mites and beetles. Basil is also thought to enhance pepper growth and flavor.
Oregano
The two herbs have complementary scents that confuse pests. Being near oregano also increases the essential oil content and flavor of basil.
Chives
Onions and chives make great neighbors for basil in an herb garden. Their scents mask each other from pests and help enhance essential oil production.
Marigolds
The roots of marigolds emit chemicals that deter nematodes and other garden pests, creating a healthier soil environment for basil. Marigolds also provide a burst of color among the herbs.
Petunias
Petunias add lovely flowers to a basil planting and their fragrance can help deter asparagus beetles, leafhoppers and aphids. Like marigolds, they beautify and protect.
Nasturtium
This ornamental edible plant deters pests like aphids, squash bugs and beetles that may prey on basil. Plus its cheerful blooms draw pollinators.
Bee Balm
With its minty fragrance, bee balm attracts pollinators to the garden. Its presence may also enhance the aroma and flavor of nearby basil plants.
Borage
The borage flower’s nectar attracts bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects that will pollinate your basil. Companion planting with borage can increase the size, aroma and flavor of your basil.
Plants to Avoid Growing Near Basil
On the other hand, some plants are unsuitable neighbors for basil and should be kept away:
Rue
Rue and basil have antagonistic growth habits and flavors. Rue’s bitter scent may impair basil’s sweetness and production.
Sage
Like rue, the strong scent of sage can inhibit basil’s growth and negatively impact flavor when grown too closely together.
Fennel
Most plants, including basil, will suffer when planted near fennel. All parts of the fennel plant emit a substance that hinders neighbors.
Thyme
Although from the same family, thyme requires much drier conditions than basil. Plant them separately to prevent stress and stunted growth.
Garden Beets
While beets themselves aren’t harmful to basil, issues arise if you let the beet leaves grow too large near basil. They will overshadow and compete for resources.
Mint
Mint’s vigorous spreading roots can easily take over space and starve basil roots. Plant mint by itself in containers or confined garden beds.
Cilantro
Like mint, cilantro can become invasive. Its shallow roots may spread under and choke out basil plants if planted too closely together.
Companion Planting Tips for Basil
Follow these tips to maximize the benefits of companion planting with basil:
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Use taller plants like tomatoes or borage to provide partial shade and wind protection for lower-growing basil.
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Include flowers like petunias, nasturtiums or calendulas to attract pollinators who will help fertilize basil blossoms.
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Interplant quick-growing herbs like parsley or chives to maximize space efficiency. They mature faster than basil.
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Use aromatics like oregano and marigolds strategically to confuse pests and protect all your herbs.
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Research your basil variety’s mature height and width to allow enough space between companions.
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Group 3-5 basil plants together for better pollination and to create a pest-deterring environment.
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Include plants with contrasting leaf shapes and textures to basil for visual interest.
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Mint, comfrey, stinging nettles and other potent herbs should be kept in pots, not planted in beds with basil.
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Basil dislikes having its roots disturbed, so choose companion plants accordingly.
Sample Basil Companion Garden Designs
Here are a few sample companion planting schemes to incorporate in your herb garden:
Basil with Tomatoes & Marigolds
Team tall indeterminate tomato varieties with basil planted at their base. Add marigolds along the border to deter nematodes. The marigold flowers will also attract pollinators who will help fertilize your tomatoes and basil.
Basil with Peppers & Petunias
Try mixing basil with assorted pepper varieties. Include petunias for their pest protection and graceful flowers. Choose purple petunias to complement the green and purple shades of basil and peppers.
Basil with Asparagus & Chives
Plant a perennial bed of asparagus, chives and basil. The chives will enhance flavor while protecting from pests. Basil will attract beneficials to keep beetles off your asparagus spears. The asparagus fronds will provide dappled shade for the herbs.
Container Basil with Borage
For potted herbs, combine bushy Genovese basil with trailing borage. The borage will hang over the container edges, attract pollinators and improve your basil production and flavor.
How to Use Basil Companion Plants Effectively
Some key tips for companion planting success:
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Remove competing weeds frequently that can obscure aromas.
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Use crop rotation to prevent pest or disease buildup in the soil.
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Mulch beds to retain moisture for basil’s shallow roots.
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Check for signs of overcrowding and thin basil or companions as needed.
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Group quick-maturing plants with slower-growing basil to maximize space.
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Monitor for pest or disease issues and treat organically at first sight.
Common Pests and Diseases of Basil
Even with smart companion planting, it’s important to watch for any pest or disease issues arising so they can be promptly managed. Here are some potential basil problems:
Aphids
Small, green, red or black sap-sucking insects that cluster on stems and leaves. Natural ways to control aphids include insecticidal soap, neem oil, or introducing ladybugs and other beneficial insects.
Japanese Beetles
Metallic green and copper beetles that devour leaves between veins. Hand pick them off plants into soapy water. Lure traps can also control infestations.
Fusarium Wilt
A fungal disease that causes leaf yellowing, brown spots and wilting. It spreads through the soil. Avoid overhead watering and improve soil drainage to deter its spread.
Gray Mold
This fungal disease encouraged by cool, wet conditions causes spotty gray fuzz
Benefits of Companion Plants for Basil
If you’re still not sure about planting basil with other plants, these surprising benefits might change your mind:
- Improves soil nutrition and texture
- Better utilization of space
- Enhances beneficial insects’ activity
- Suppresses weed emergence
- Reduces disease incidence
- Aids in natural pest control
What Grows Well with Basil
Even though science hasn’t proven some of these plants to go well with basil yet, most of them are used by experienced gardeners. That includes various food and ornamental plants.
What plants do well with basil? You shouldn’t ask this of vegetables, because they can grow with the kitchen herb master.
Here comes the broccoli, along with cauliflower, kale, and cabbage, all trying to get a good spot next to your basil. Cole crops secrete glucosinolates with insecticidal properties. When mixed with basil’s scent, they become more unpleasant to bugs.
USDA Zones: 2-11
Benefits: Broccoli not only makes cabbage worms smell bad, but it also brings in other bugs that can eat the caterpillars. Basil also acts as a trap crop for snails and slugs that don’t feed on broccoli.
Companion planting basil is incomplete without tomatoes. Many studies have shown that planting it with basil is a subtle way to keep pests away, which is something to be proud of. Along with its sisters, sweet peppers and eggplant, tomato plants can guard themselves against most bugs.
USDA Zones: 5-8
Benefits: Thrips, tomato hornworms, and armyworms would not dare to encroach on your pest-proof mix of plants. Plus, picking your own food is a very satisfying experience. After a long day of tending to your garden, a Caprese salad is a great way to relax.
Lettuce is a short-season crop that goes along with the presence of basil. Due to their limited canopy root spread, sunlight competition is unlikely to occur. Other leafy vegetables, like spinach and chard, are also friends, but they help each other out by stopping weeds from growing and keeping the soil healthy.
USDA Zones: 2a-11b
Benefits: Weeds won’t be able to grow easily because there isn’t enough light on the soil because it is covered with natural biomass (the leaves). If it rains, water splashes that can transmit diseases and erode soil will also be prevented.
If you ask what to plant with basil in a container, you might consider flowering plants as well!
You can find real treasure in your garden in marigolds. They make it look nice and keep the soil healthy. Deep in the roots, its flowers may look so delicate, fragrant, cute, and harmless, but they are actually nematodes killing other plants nearby before they become root victims of these microscopic worm-like creatures.
USDA Zones: 2-11
The beautiful flowers of marigolds not only catch our eye, but they also attract pollinators and parasitic wasps, turning your garden into a biodiverse insectary that can get rid of bugs naturally without using pesticides.
Borage, also a candidate basil companion plant, is the gardeners favorite. With its bright blue flowers that look like stars, this low-lying annual herb can help bring in butterflies, bees, and insects that eat other insects. Sow the seeds along the borders for maximum benefits.
USDA Zones: 3-10
Benefits: These plants are relatively easy to grow. Simply sow them, and they need less attention. Also, they are reportedly a flavor enhancer to basil. So, if you are a fearless culinary adventurer, give them a go!.
A close cousin of chrysanthemum, Chamomile is also considered a garden guardian – it has pest-thwarting capabilities. When grown with basil, it won’t compete with the nutrients and sunlight; instead, it will make the plants stronger against pests!
USDA Zones: 3-9
Advantages: You can make tea from both fresh and dried flowers. If you don’t want to pick the flowers yet, you can also take advantage of the fact that helpful bugs love to hover around the white petals.
Companion plant basil may also include some unusual backyard partners, such as the following:
The tropical grass herb lemongrass has a strong citrusy smell and taste that concentrates below its club-like base. It is an important part of Southeast Asian cooking, like in Hainanese Chicken rice, and it is also used in medicine.
USDA Zones: 9-10
Benefits: Indian scientists found that growing lemongrass and basil next to each other improves the chemical profile of the plants’ essential oils (citral I and citral II), making them smell more like citrus.
If you’re still not sure what to plant with basil, start with maize or sweet corn. This popular crop is loved all over the world for its sweet taste and crisp texture. In temperate regions with pronounced winter seasons, its cropping time is usually in summer.
USDA Zones: 2-11
Advantages: Basil can grow during the seedling stage, which is the first stage of plant growth, without stopping the growth of maize stalks. According to studies, it can also quantitatively and qualitatively improve the essential oil levels of sweet basil.
Purslane is a creeping succulent plant that is sometimes thought of as a weed but is also grown and eaten as a leafy green vegetable, like in Mediterranean salads. Some people cook it and eat it as a vegetable or in soups and stews. It has a slightly sour or lemony taste.
USDA Zones: 5-10
Benefits: Purslane is a drought and saline-tolerant plant, making it a perfect choice in sandy soils. Its mat-like shape helps keep the soil moist, which helps its partner plant, basil, stay fresh and healthy all growing season! As it grows, it can also leave behind organic matter, which is a natural way to make compost.
A Better Way to Grow Basil Plants All Summer Long: Plant Once, No Deadheading or Reseeding Needed!
What plants grow well with Basil?
Luckily, companion plants like asparagus, dill, tomatoes, and peppers can help provide a better environment for basil. Well-chosen companion plants will help keep destructive and harmful insects away from basil, enhance its flavor by enriching the nutrients within the soil, and create a growing environment that will help both plants thrive.
Can Basil be used as a companion plant?
Basil is a plant with fragrant, peppery leaves that add a lot of flavor to dishes like pasta sauces, Genovese-style pesto, or can be used fresh on salads or pizza. Use basil as a companion plant in your garden to help attract beneficial insects for your other crops. What Is Companion Planting?
Is Basil a good plant to grow?
Basil is a delightful plant to grow. It tastes fantastic, looks beautiful in your garden and has so many uses. The best advice I can give is to have a go. You will be thankful you did when you are harvesting fresh leaves for all of your favorite recipes.
Does Basil get along with other plants?
Basil generally gets along with many garden plants, but it can suffer when grown near mint. Mint’s strong odor repels certain pests that basil attracts. However, basil’s sweet, nectar-rich flowers are a hit with bees and other pollinators.