Which Herbs Do Not Go Together? | Garden Guide

There’s always a first time for everything and for me this is the first time I’ve read that herbs can’t be planted together.

Why? 

Perhaps they’re allergic to one another or maybe the soil doesn’t agree with one of them or maybe one sneezes when another is planted beside it. 

Whatever the cause it’s important to learn of the reasons why this is the case and know the herbs that cannot be planted together and those that can be.

Fennel

Fennel is a herb you should avoid planting in your garden and around other herbs as well. Practically nothing enjoys being planted near it and if they are, they either won’t grow well or give a good flavor. 

But like everything else it also has a very important function in nature. It has plenty of nectar with which it attracts pollinators to your garden and as a result you’ll get your fruit bearing plants pollinated to produce fruit.

Don’t Plant These together:

• Dill
• Pretty much any other plant especially beans, peppers, and tomatoes.

One solution to this lack of love for fennel by other plants is to plant it away from your garden, herb garden or any other containers in which you’ve planted your veggies.

This precautionary measure will protect your other plants from losing their flavor or from harm to their health and growth. 

Wormwood has a similar effect on other plants around it so you’d need to take the same precautionary measures as you did for your fennel herb plant.

One advantage that wormwood has on your garden is that it discourages the presence of snails and slugs that could negatively affect the growth and health of your garden plants.

Rue, Anise and Dill

The three herbs rue, anise and dill are received with open arms by the other plants in your garden because they are all beneficial growing companions to a few other vegetables and herbs growing there. 

However, they pose a threat to some of the other plants and can actually affect them in a negative way.

Avoid Planting Rue, Anise Or Dill Next to:

• Sage
• Basil
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Tomatoes

The herbs anise and dill will have a negative effect on your carrots, while dill goes a little further and potentially harms your garden tomatoes. 

But it’s not all harm to the other herbs and vegetables in the garden from these threesome because in actual fact, rue can benefit figs that grow in the same garden

Anise for its part has the propensity to improve the growth and health of your coriander plant and dill is known to benefit the growth and flavor of your cabbages, lettuces and onions. 

So it’s a balanced situation which may keep in mind before you throw the three out of your garden.

Garlic

It’s always a good idea to keep strict monitoring of the plants that you grow in your garden as it may ultimately impact the flavor and the health and growth of your plants.

If you succeed in keeping the antagonistic plants away from one other, you’ll definitely find a big change in your plants whether they are vegetables or other herb plants.

You will find for instance that although garlic and onions may flourish well together, they will in fact hamper the health and growth of your beans and peas. 

Avoid Planting Garlic next to: 

• Bean
• Peas
• Sage 
• Asparagus

However, on the other hand they will definitely help improve the growth, flavor and health of your roses, beets and cabbages so it pays to keep a constant watch out for how your plants are growing in relation with other plants.

Mint

There is no stopping this herb from outreaching all over your garden. Let it not surprise you because it’s an invasive plant and you have been warned before allowing it into your garden. 

If you nevertheless go ahead and plant it don’t be surprised if you find yourself always bending to pull lots of its twines when it starts invading your garden.

Avoid Planting Mint Next to:

• Lavender
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Thyme

• Beans
• Peas

Basil

Basil stands abreast with rosemary in their fondness for vegetables rather than their own kind, the herb plants, but there are also differences. 

Whereas sage is the one exception for attracting the attention of rosemary as a companion, basil has two exceptional friends in the herb plant class, chamomile and oregano. 

Avoid Planting Basil Next To:

• Rue
• Sage

The veggie-herb alignment is easier to identify and appreciate in so far as leafy friendship is concerned. It’s a non-separable relationship that resembles peas in a pod. 

No matter whether they both adorn and offer delicacy as top filling of a pizza or some other delicacy, these two will stick together like glue.

This is how they are in the garden environment where they lavish each other by complementing the other with exquisite flavor. 

If that’s not enough, basil also finds growing companions in bell peppers, potatoes, chili peppers, asparagus, eggplant, beets and cabbages. 

Basil works in consort with marigolds as perfect partners in keeping away harmful pests from themselves and their companions, so planting marigolds with basis is a good idea.

Some of the remaining herbs including those already discussed that enjoy being planted and grow well together include:

• Sun and water loving cilantro, tarragon and basil
• Mediterranean herbs sage, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, oregano and lavender go well together
• Thyme relishes the company of sage and rosemary
• Parsley, cilantro, tarragon and basil are great companions for chives all enjoy moist soil
• Parsley and basil also make good companions with both liking full sun and plenty of water.
• Lavender and rosemary can also be grown together as they also love sun and water.

Final Thoughts

There still remains a plethora of information on planting herbs. The information shared in this article should open your horizons a little wider. 

Nature is funny because I know that I may have planted something that doesn’t prefer each other, yet they still grew. 

Sometimes you can just experiment and see for yourself.  It doesn’t mean that the information here is useless, but just use it as a guide and not the final word.