Companion Planting with Herbs

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Companion planting with a few of my favourite herbs!

What does companion planting mean exactly, well it is the theory that some plants will flourish well with others, and some will do particularly poor in the presence of others. Many companion plants also help attract beneficial insects and some deterring harmful insects and pests. Most herbs are beneficial in the vegetable garden with the exception of fennel, why fennel? Well it could be nothing but folklore, but seems as though the majority of gardeners out there simply say to keep fennel away from your veggies – science I suppose?!?! I did grow fennel among my strawberry patch one year and all seemed to grow happily together!

Here are some of my favourite combinations:

Basil benefits most vegetables but will not grow well near rue.
Borage encourages strawberries, cucumbers and tomatoes.
Chamomile helps wheat, onions and cabbage.
Chervil grows well with radish, even given them a hotter flavour!
Chives help increase the size of carrots, but keep them away from beans.
Dill encourages the growth of cabbages and corn, but not carrots.
Horseradish grows well with potatoes.
Hyssop attracts cabbage butterfly – helps to keep it away from your cabbage. Increases the growth of grapes if planted nearby, keep away from radish.
Marigolds improves the growth of tomatoes, helps deter flies and is beneficial anywhere in the veggie garden!
Nasturtiums attract aphids, helping to keep them away from others in the garden.
Parsley planted near roses and tomatoes will all thrive.
Peppermint protects cabbage by deterring cabbage butterfly.
Rosemary helps deter carrot fly.
Sage and rosemary grow well together, but keep away from cucumbers.
Valerian help most root vegetables.
Winter Savory helps slow down germination of weeds.
Yarrow is beneficial to all vegetables.

Why not experiment with companion planting in your garden this season!