One of the smartest things you can do in the garden is companion planting, which means putting together different kinds of plants to help them grow and stay healthy. This can often get rid of the need for pesticides.
It comes from the idea that some plants can help each other by attracting good bugs, keeping pests away, giving shade or support, or making the soil healthier.
Planting yarrow next to other plants can help keep your garden’s ecosystem healthy because it attracts bugs that eat common garden pests like aphids and caterpillars.
We will talk about the benefits of planting yarrow with other plants and how to use it to bring good bugs into your garden.
The plant yarrow, whose scientific name is Achillea millefolium, grows back every year and is native to temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere.
Yarrow is known for its feathery leaves and small, flat-topped flower clusters that can be red, yellow, pink, or white.
The plant can grow up to three feet tall and is hardy and tolerant of drought. It is also easy to grow in most soil types and light conditions.
Yarrow grows well in gardens that face west. It’s also a great plant for wildflower meadows and a great choice if you want to make your front yard a wildflower meadow.
One of the main benefits of planting yarrow is that it attracts beneficial insects to your garden.
These bugs are very important for the growth and development of many plants, like fruit trees like apple trees and vegetables.
Different kinds of pollinators may be drawn to the different colors of yarrow flowers, such as white, pink, yellow, and red.
For instance, bees are most interested in yellow and white flowers, while butterflies like pink and red flowers.
Yarrow flowers are flat-topped and composed of many small florets, which provide a landing platform for pollinators.
Also, the flowers bloom for a long time, giving pollinators a steady supply of nectar and pollen.
The yarrow plant is hardy and can grow in many places, from gardens and roadside ditches to meadows and prairies.
Yarrow is a versatile perennial known for its fern-like foliage and colorful blooms. It’s an excellent companion plant for attracting beneficial insects and enhancing pollination. However, yarrow does have particular growing requirements and must be paired carefully. Mismatched companions can compete with yarrow for light, water, and nutrients. They may also spread disease or create unfavorable growing conditions.
When integrating yarrow into your garden, it’s important to know what not to plant next to it. Avoiding unsuitable companion plants will ensure your yarrow and its neighbors can thrive. Here we’ll look at 6 plants that don’t pair well with yarrow and better companion options.
Yarrow’s Growing Needs
Before exploring incompatible companions let’s look at yarrow’s ideal growing conditions
- Full sun – Requires at least 6 hours of direct sun daily
- Well-drained soil – Dislikes wet, compacted soil
- Average fertility – Tolerates poor soil but prefers moderate fertility
- pH of 6.0-8.0 – Grows best in neutral to slightly alkaline soil
- Average watering – Needs regular watering but not excessive moisture
- Good air circulation – Prone to fungal issues in humid conditions
With these requirements in mind, here are 6 plants you’ll want to avoid interplanting with yarrow.
6 Plants Not to Grow with Yarrow
1. Shrubs and Trees
Tall shrubs and trees don’t make good yarrow companions, as they can block needed sunlight. Insufficient light leads to weak, leggy growth and reduced blooms in yarrow. Choose shorter companion plants or give yarrow full sun exposure.
2. Heavy Feeders
Nutrient-hungry plants like corn, tomatoes, and melons are not ideal companions, as they rapidly deplete soil nutrients also needed by yarrow. Intercropping heavy feeders with yarrow often results in one or both plants declining.
3. Spreading Perennials
Vigorous perennials like mint, lemon balm, and goldenrod spread aggressively and will outcompete yarrow. Their invasive roots rob water, nutrients, and space. Give them separate garden areas instead
4. Low-Light Plants
Shade-lovers like hostas, coral bells, and begonias won’t thrive alongside sun-worshipping yarrow. Insufficient light causes weak growth. Grow them elsewhere or add artificial lighting.
5. Dense Groundcovers
Thick groundcovers such as ajuga and sedum hinder air circulation around yarrow, encouraging fungal issues like powdery mildew. Opt for less dense companions.
6. Drought-Tolerant Plants
Succulents, lavender, thyme and other drought-tolerant plants dislike yarrow’s moisture demands. They’re prone to rot in damp soil. Give them excellent drainage or separate planting areas.
Better Companion Plant Options
While certain plants are incompatible with yarrow, many make excellent companion plants, such as:
- Marigolds – Repel pests, encourage pollination
- Cosmos – Attract pollinators, provide vertical interest
- Oregano – Shared growing needs, pest protection
- Dahlias – Complementary blooms, pollinator appeal
- Coneflowers – Mutually beneficial flowering display
- Sages – Tolerate similar conditions, increase biodiversity
Focus on pairing yarrow with plants that have complementary attributes and compatible growing requirements for best results.
Tips for Successful Companion Planting
Here are some tips to ensure yarrow and its neighbors thrive together:
- Check mature sizes to prevent overcrowding and competition
- Amend soil with compost to provide nutrients for all plants
- Mulch to conserve moisture, prevent weeds, and improve soil
- Allow sufficient space for air circulation to minimize disease
- Water early in the day so foliage dries by nightfall
- Group plants with similar light, water, and soil preferences
- Monitor for issues and remove diseased plants immediately
With thoughtful plant selection, proper spacing, and care tailored to plants’ needs, yarrow makes an excellent addition to garden beds and containers. Avoid pairing it with incompatible companions and you’ll reap the benefits of this versatile flowering plant.
The Takeaway
Certain plants like shrubs, heavy feeders, and moisture-lovers don’t complement yarrow’s growing requirements. But many flowering annuals, herbs, and vegetables make ideal companions. Knowing what not to plant with yarrow enables successful interplanting that boosts the health and productivity of all garden residents. With smart companion planting, your yarrow will enhance biodiversity, attract pollinators, and create a thriving landscape for years to come.
Does Yarrow Repel Pests in the Garden?
Even though yarrow doesn’t really keep pests away, it does attract many helpful bugs that can help keep garden pests under control and lessen or eliminate the need for pesticides.
The flowers of the yarrow plant produce nectar, which attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs, hoverflies, and lacewings.
Common garden pests like aphids, whiteflies, and caterpillars are eaten by these insects. If you don’t get rid of them, they can hurt or kill plants.
If you plant yarrow near other plants, it can help bring these good bugs to the area. This can help control pests and keep the garden’s ecosystem healthy.
Not only does yarrow attract good bugs, but its strong roots can also help make the soil more stable and fertile, making it an important plant to have in any garden.
Because of its bitter taste and fragrant oils, some gardeners think that yarrow can keep pests away.
However, more research is needed to confirm this and to determine the specific pests that yarrow may repel.
Yarrow makes an excellent companion plant for many plants in your garden. Some of the best companion plants for yarrow include:
Yarrow can bring good bugs to the garden, like parasitic wasps and braconid wasps, which are natural enemies of tomato hornworms.
These bugs lay their eggs on or inside tomato hornworms. The hornworms’ larvae then hatch and eat the pest, which keeps the population down.
Here are the tomato seeds I recommend:
Another plant that can help peppers grow is yarrow. This plant attracts ladybugs, lacewings, and hoverflies, which eat aphids, which are a common pest of peppers.
Here are the pepper seeds I recommend:
Parasitic and braconid wasps, which eat cabbage moths and their larvae, will be drawn to your garden by yarrow.
If you plant yarrow near cabbage and other Brassica plants, it can help bring these good bugs to the area. They can help control the cabbage moth population and keep the plants from getting damaged.
Additionally, some gardeners think that the bitter taste and aromatic oils of yarrow may keep pests away, including cabbage moths, but more research is needed to be sure of this.
Learn more about Growing Cabbages in Containers.
Here are the cabbage seeds I recommend:
Yarrow and chamomile are both members of the Asteraceae family and have similar growth habits and soil requirements.
When you plant yarrow next to chamomile, it can help both plants grow and bring in helpful bugs like hoverflies, which are important pollinators.
Learn more about chamomile in our guide Harvesting Chamomile: From Garden to Teacup.
My favorite chamomile seeds:
Yarrow is a good companion for many aromatic herbs, including basil, oregano, and thyme.
It can attract beneficial insects like bees and parasitic wasps, which can help control pests.
Check out our guide to Herbs That Can Be Planted Together: The Best Combinations to learn more about how to grow them.
Yarrow plants prefer full sun and well-drained soil. They are easy to grow and require minimal maintenance.
Here are few easy gardening tips for how to plant yarrow:
Yarrow thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Some light shade is okay for it, but too much shade can make the plant weak and leggy.
In your garden, pick a spot that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight every day and has soil that drains well.
Yarrow grows best in soil that is slightly alkaline (pH 6.0 to 8.0) and rich in organic matter.
If your soil is too acidic, you can add lime to raise the pH.
You can use compost, sand, or perlite to help the soil drain better if it is too heavy or doesn’t drain well.
You can plant yarrow seeds or transplants.
If youre planting seeds, sow them in the spring or fall, just barely covering them with soil.
If youre planting transplants, space them about 12 to 24 inches apart, depending on the variety.
Here are my recommended yarrow seeds:
Water the yarrow deeply after planting and then water it regularly.
However, make sure not to overwater, as yarrow doesnt like wet feet. This is a great chance to use rainwater collected in a water butt.
Put a layer of mulch around the yarrow to help keep the soil moist, keep weeds away, and keep the soil at the right temperature.
Check out my guide: The Best Alternatives to Traditional Mulch for Your Garden.
Yarrow doesn’t need much pruning, but you can remove the spent flowers to make the plant flower more and keep it from getting too tall.
Cut the entire plant back to the ground in the fall to prepare it for winter.
Yarrow is a hardy plant that can tolerate a wide range of growing conditions.
However, it is susceptible to powdery mildew, especially in humid conditions.
To prevent powdery mildew, plant yarrow in a location with good air circulation and avoid overhead watering.
This Plant Does Everything (And Grows Itself!) | Yarrow Grow Guide
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