10 Good Companion Plants for Rosemary (What Grows Well with Rosemary?)
There are several good companion plants for rosemary. And this article discusses what to plant with rosemary and what not to plant with rosemary.
Companion planting in an ancient farming or gardening method that has been making a comeback in recent years.
Long before there were herbicides, pesticides and industrial fertilizers, farmers planted certain plants together because those plants were beneficial to one another.
Today, companion gardening is making a comeback, especially for those who want to try their hand at organic gardening.
Pungent herbs often make good companions for other plants, both vegetables and flowers. And rosemary is one of the more pungent herbs that serves as a companion for other plants.
Rosemary is a fragrant evergreen herb that originates in the Mediterranean. This herb is often used in the cooking of vegetables and meats as well as sauces and side dishes.
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What to Plant with Rosemary – Companion Plants
If you are considering trying your hand at companion planting here is a look at some plants that can easily be planted with rosemary.
Thyme
Thyme is an excellent companion plant for rosemary as it serves as a determent to worms. These two herbs are mutually beneficial to each other, making thyme one of the best herbs to plant with rosemary.
Sage
Beans
Planting sage with rosemary is beneficial to your sage plant. Rosemary not only improves the flavor of sage it also improves sage’s overall health.
Rosemary makes the perfect companion plant for beans. Beans have a light scent that is a draw for Mexican beetles and rosemary’s spicy and earthy scent covers the scent that growing beans emit, helping to keep those beetles at bay.
Carrots and Parsnips
Rosemary makes a great companion plant for carrots and parsnip because these plants are mutually beneficial for one another.
The pungent scent of rosemary will help prevent carrot flies from attacking your crop and these two root vegetables adds nutrients to the soil that rosemary needs.
Cauliflower
Rosemary can be a very beneficial companion plant for cauliflower since rosemary can be grown into a hedge that can prevent larvae from cabbage eating moths.
Alyssum
Alyssum flowers make great companion plants for rosemary because these two plants are mutually beneficial.
Alyssum attracts beneficial insects to your rosemary plants and the rosemary repels pests that attack alyssum with its strong aroma. In fact, one could rightly say that alyssum is one of the best flowers to plant with rosemary.
Marigolds
Marigolds and rosemary make wonderful companion plants because together they can provide a great benefit to your garden.
The strong scent of both Marigolds and rosemary, which is so pleasant to most humans, is offensive to deer and mice and can prevent them from using your garden as a feedlot.
In addition, rosemary can deter harmful insects from invading some of your plants, while the marigolds attract pollinators.
Lavender
Lavender and rosemary work well when planting together since both plants need the same care and grow in the same soil condition.
Strawberries
Strawberries and rosemary are companion plants that are beneficial for one another improving the fertility of both plants.
What Not to Plant with Rosemary – Bad Companion Plants
While there are several plants that make good companion plants for rosemary, there are some plants that should never be paired with this herb. Here are some of the plants that you should avoid planting with rosemary.
Mint – Both mint and rosemary need a lot of space to grow. If these two plants are planted together they will compete for the space in the garden and may cause both plants to fail to thrive.
Basil – Basil should never be planting with rosemary and for good reason. Basil requires very moist soil in order to thrive and rosemary needs dry soil. The amount of water needed to keep your basil plant healthy would drown your rosemary plants or at the very least cause root rot.
Pumpkin – Pumpkins are highly susceptible to mildew and rosemary can suffer from root rot. If you plant rosemary near pumpkins in your garden it can increase the chances of your rosemary suffering from root rot.
Various Types of Rosemary
There are several different types of rosemary and here is a look at some of those various types.
Common Rosemary
Common rosemary is one of the most popular types of rosemary with its pungent woodsy aroma. The needle like leaves are normally removed from the stalk and chopped to use in side dishes, soups and sauces.
You can also place whole stalks in with roasting meat to instill flavor and then remove the stalks before cooking.
Arp Rosemary
Arp rosemary is a hardy herb that is extremely aromatic. The blue flowers of this herb are edible, but the leaves tend to be leathery. This plant grows best in a colder climate.
Huntington Carpet Rosemary
Huntington carpet rosemary doesn’t have as firm a texture as other rosemary plants do. The appealing aroma of this herb is pleasing to humans, but works as a pest repellent. The blue flowers of this plant are edible.
Benenden Blue Rosemary
The Benenden blue rosemary has highly aromatic leaves that when finely chopped are used in stuffing, roast potatoes and tomato based sauces and other dishes. Whole sprigs of this herb are often placed with roasting meat.
Barbeque Rosemary
Barbeque rosemary gets its name from the rather sturdy stems that make perfect skewers for roasting meat, potatoes and other vegetables. This herb has great flavor and aroma.
Blue Boy Rosemary
Blue boy rosemary is one of the smaller varieties of this herb. It grows only a couple of inches tall, making this plant a great ground cover. It has edible blue flowers and aromatic leaves.
Majorca Pink Rosemary
The flowers of this rosemary plant tend to be light pink or lavender. This herb can be used fresh or dried in cooking foods like lamb, goat, sausage, fish, stuffing, soups, stews, casseroles and more.
Prostrate Rosemary
Prostrate rosemary has trailing stems that make them great for growing in hanging baskets. When grown in the garden, this herb tends to spread 6 to 8 feet. The flowers and leaves are both aromatic and tasty.
Roman Beauty Rosemary
Roman beauty rosemary has a distinct sharp taste and pungent leaves with violet blue flowers. This plant is a dwarf trailing variety of rosemary that is extremely flavorful, especially when used in seasonal dishes.
Final Thoughts on Rosemary Companion Plants
Rosemary makes an ideal companion plant for several vegetables and flowers, but is not the best plant to plant next to some other plants. Knowing what to plant with rosemary and which ones to avoid, will help make your gardening adventures more successful.
