Rosemary is the go-to plant when starting an herb garden – or if you want something green and beautiful.
Not only can you use the rosemary you grow in your cooking, but this herb makes for a great companion plant. From repelling insects to increasing the health and quality of the plants it’s paired with, rosemary is guaranteed to make a great addition to your garden.
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But what should you plant with rosemary?
Rosemary is easy to care for and grows well alongside many herbs, flowers, fruits and vegetables.
A Quick Care Guide For Rosemary
Rosemary is an easy plant to care for, needing only a few conditions to thrive.
When growing rosemary, provide it with well-drained soil and plant it in an area that receives a lot of sunlight.
These plants flourish in warm, humid environments and cannot survive cold temperatures below 30° F / -1° C. Thus, it is best to plant them in containers that can be moved indoors for the winter.
These plants prefer to stay on the dry side, only needing to be watered every 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the plant’s size and the climate.
Terra cotta pots are a great choice when choosing a container as these pots allow the plant to dry out faster, but drainage holes, as a general rule, are a must for rosemary.
Additionally, don’t keep stones or other objects on the soil surface as it makes it more difficult for water to evaporate.
Rosemary can be grown through propagation and transplants.
Luckily, rosemary has a variety of companion plants that can keep it company in your garden. Here are ten of the best herbs, flowers and vegetables that grow well next to rosemary.
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10 Best Companion Plants For Rosemary
1. Lavender
Rosemary and lavender both have roots in the Mediterranean and enjoy the same warm climates. These two plants get along well with nearly identical care requirements – lots of sun and weekly watering. Furthermore, rosemary and lavender both attract a variety of pollinators.
However, lavender is a lot more tolerant to cold weather than rosemary. If you live in a cool climate area, you may need to add another companion plant into the mix.
2. Marigolds
Marigolds make great companions to many plants, rosemary being one of them. Both rosemary and marigolds have insect repellent properties, making them natural companions to plant around vegetable gardens or in containers around outdoor living areas.
3. Alyssum
Alyssum is one of the most beneficial flowers to plant with rosemary. While the tiny flowers of an alyssum attract pollinators and other beneficial insects, rosemary is equipped to repel any pests.
Together, these plants make an excellent team for protecting the rest of your garden from aphids and other pests that may be plaguing your plants.
4. Sage
Rosemary and sage grow extremely well when planted together due to them thriving in highly similar conditions.
Companion planting these two herbs together will not only save some space in your garden, but rosemary is known to boost and improve the overall health of sage, as well as magnify its flavor.
5. Thyme
What goes together, grows together. Rosemary and thyme make for lovely herb companions, with thyme giving more benefits than it receives. Thyme is a cabbage worm deterrent, and rosemary is an insect repellent; with these two herbs planted together, they are sure to protect your garden from many pests.
Yet another Mediterranean herb, thyme, enjoys the same growing conditions as rosemary, making it a viable companion choice.
6. Oregano
Rosemary and oregano can be effortlessly paired together due to their complementary growing conditions.
But these plants can do more than benefit each other. Oregano is a low-growing plant that spreads across the ground, acting as a blanket over the soil.
Suppose you pair rosemary and oregano with a third plant that prefers cooler temperatures. In that case, the oregano will protect it from the sun without disturbing the rosemary – which grows taller than oregano, so it can capture all the sun it wants.
7. Marjoram
Planting your rosemary with marjoram is guaranteed to promote its general health and success. Marjoram is a plant that releases specific chemicals into the soil that encourages faster growth and better taste in the plants they are paired with.
Giving more than it receives, marjoram makes for a fantastic companion plant – especially to the plants and herbs you want to use in the kitchen.
8. Strawberries
Planting strawberries and rosemary together is a brilliant gardening strategy. These two plants being companions will improve the fertility of both plants.
Strawberries are known to react strongly to their companion plants, including experiencing a significant improvement in their flavor.
Moreover, strawberries often fall victim to pests and slugs. But a plant like rosemary, which is known for its insect repelling qualities, will be able to protect your strawberries from several threats while also increasing the strawberries’ resistance to these pests.
9. Chives
Chives make good companions to almost all herbs and vegetables as it enhances the taste and growth of the plants it is paired with. Much like rosemary, chive is an herb that wards off pests like aphids, keeping your garden safe from these problematic insects.
10. Brassicas
Rosemary is a good companion for any plant in the cabbage family.
A common problem with brassica plants is their attractiveness to cabbage moths and certain butterflies, meaning they are constantly under threat from caterpillars. Rosemary, however, has a strong aroma that masks the scent of brassicas and has pest repellent qualities. Thus, rosemary is excellent at protecting your garden from insects looking to eat any of your plants.
5 Plants To Keep Away From Rosemary
We’ve looked at what grows well with rosemary, now let’s see which plants you should keep well away.
1. Mint
Rosemary and mint should be kept far away from each other. Mint can be an overpowering herb and take over a lot of space in your garden. With rosemary growing up to four feet tall, putting these herbs together may result in them competing for space.
Additionally, rosemary needs dry and drained soil, whereas mint thrives in damp soil. It would be impossible to maintain these two herbs if they were planted together due to the different conditions they require to survive and flourish.
2. Basil
Although both of these herbs require lots of time in the sun, basil prefers damp soil and a lot of moisture. With rosemary’s need for dry soil and only weekly watering, it won’t be able to handle the levels of moisture needed for basil.
There are no benefits for either herb when they are planted together, making the amount of effort required for them to co-exist redundant.
3. Pumpkins
Any mildew-prone plants, such as pumpkins, should be kept away from rosemary. Though rosemary is a very pest-free plant due to its insect repellent qualities, it can still easily fall victim to root rot and powdery mildew. Thus, planting rosemary with pumpkins is putting the herbs’ health at risk.
4. Tomatoes
Tomatoes and rosemary are two plants that are recommended to keep apart. Though rosemary and tomatoes can thrive in similar climate conditions, tomatoes need significantly more water than rosemary can handle.
Additionally, rosemary can easily deprive tomatoes of necessary nutrients in the soil, meaning the tomato plant will suffer.
5. Cucumbers
Aromatic plants and herbs are generally never planted near cucumbers. Flowering plants are helpful for the growth of cucumbers as they will attract pollinators. However, it is improbable that rosemary will be able to survive alongside cucumbers; due to the drastic difference in their water intake, the rosemary would drown.
Moreover, cucumber requires a high nitrogen level in the soil, yet another condition the rosemary may not do well in.
Conclusion
Rosemary makes for a fantastic companion plant with an extensive range of flowers, vegetables, and even some other herbs. Although it can experience conflicts with some herbs and vegetables, there are at least 10 viable companion plants your rosemary can thrive with.
When it comes to pairing any plant with rosemary, it is ideal that both plants flourish in the same conditions so they can grow healthy. Rosemary often supports the growth of its partner as well as protects it from insects and other pests.