Rosemary Companion Plants 2024: The Complete List

What are the best companion plants for rosemary? Rosemary plant is one of the best plants you can have in your garden, it is fairly easy to care for and makes a good companion plant alongside many vegetables.

Rosemary plant is a common culinary herb that is attractive and productive, which is one of the reasons gardeners like growing this in garden beds and gardens. Rosemary plants can further thrive if paired with the right companion plants.

When planting rosemary with other plants, the first thing you have to consider is that you choose plants that complement each other and provide the desired benefits. The planting site for rosemary should have well-draining soil, and it won’t tolerate being consistently wet, so choose plants that thrive under the same conditions.

Companion planting is a garden arrangement that has been around for decades. It is an act of certain plants to grow near each other, and research with experience has shown that companion planting can enhance the growth and quality of your plants.

So, in a nutshell, companion planting is a gardening strategy that works. But for this to happen, you have to choose ones that can mutually benefit from each other to grow together. Read on to learn about the best companion plants for rosemary and what not to grow alongside it.

Companion Planting For Rosemary

Rosemary is a good plant in your garden, but it generally has few pest problems. It can be attacked by pests such as mealybugs, spiders, mites, aphids, and scales. One of the ways you can get rid of this is to plant it with crops that can repel these annoying pests. Organic pest control is one of the purposes of companion planting.

Growing certain plants that naturally repel pests or attract beneficial insects has been discovered to help reduce the number of herbicides and pesticides you need to use on plants. Companion planting can also improve the growth and health of your plants.

The right companion plant in proximity can provide nutrients, shade, and support to your rosemary plant, which in turn helps it to grow strong and healthier. Another purpose of companion planting is that improve soil quality and fertility. Also, companion planting will enhance the taste of your vegetables.

When plants that share similar requirements are planted together, they tend to help each other grow stronger and healthier, the tall ones can provide necessary to the shorter ones, and they make the perfect living fence to keep pests and animals out.

Best Companion Plants for Rosemary

Rosemary plant has few pest problems, and one of the known strategies you can adopt to ensure all your efforts do not go to waste is to plant crops of mutual benefit near it. Experience has shown that planting rosemary near certain flowers, herbs, and vegetables can help deter pests and enhance the quality of your rosemary plant. Below are some of the best companion plants for rosemary.

1. Beans

Bush and pole beans can be great companions for rosemary plants, this is a tall plant hence they can provide shelter to rosemary during hot summer afternoons. Also, due to the nitrogen-fixing bacteria that live around the roots of beans, they can enrich the soil while the strong scent from rosemary should help deter Mexican bean beetles while attracting beneficial insects.

Green bean plants are also not an exception when it comes to plants to grow near rosemary. However, beans require more moisture than rosemary so it is best to have this grown in a separate pot to avoid root rot.

2. Alyssum

Alyssum is a great flowering plant that grows in well-drained soil and it does hold moisture well. When this is planted together with rosemary, it can benefit it. Sweet alyssum can help improve soil quality and deter pests for rosemary. Rosemary and alyssum plants are of mutual benefit to each other.

Rosemary plants can help provide shade and protection for sweet alyssum. Also, the two plants have similar water requirements and can create contrasting colors and fragrances that create a visually pleasing and aromatic garden bed.

3. Onions

Generally, onions make great plants for you to have in your garden as they are highly beneficial for the body and great at repelling annoying pests in the garden. So, when onions and rosemary are planted together, their strong scent helps repel common garden pests.

Rosemary in turn helps to improve the flavor of onions. The combination creates a strong fragrant scent that will not only get rid of harmful pests in the garden but can also enhance any dish.

4. Carrots

Next on the list are carrots, although they require more moisture than rosemary, you can keep them a few feet apart and water them separately. Rosemary can help deter pests and bugs that carrots are prone to and there are lots of great companion plants you can pair these two with. You can also plant rosemary in a container and have it placed near carrots.

5. Brassicas

If you are on the lookout for the perfect companion plant for your rosemary then brassicas are a good choice. Rosemary’s aroma can also help keep the pests that disturb brassica at bay and in addition, the strong aroma should mask the scent of brassicas.

Brassicas plants that do well with rosemary plants are cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, rutabaga, cabbage, radishes, turnips, and kohlrabi.

6. Marigold

A Marigold is a flower that pairs nicely with so many plants. Both rosemary and marigolds have insect-repelling properties hence they are a great choice for repelling pests and attracting pollinators.

Marigold tends to emit a compound that is toxic to root-knot nematodes. Rosemary in turn is an evergreen shrub and with its scent, it will keep deterring pests for years.

7. Parsnips

Planting rosemary plants around parsnips has been discovered to help protect them from carrot root flies. You can also spread cut sprigs of rosemary around parsnips as well. Rosemary has a distinct aroma that pests that disturb parsnips for disgusting hence they will stay away.

However, just like carrots, parsnips have different moisture needs hence it is recommended that you plant them a few feet apart or in containers.

8. Strawberries

Using strawberries and rosemary in your garden is the best companion planting strategy. Both plants benefit from each other, there is increased fertility for both, and strawberries get protected from pests and diseases.

9. Cilantro

Cilantro is one of the plants that have similar moisture needs to rosemary and also rosemary can provide the shade cilantro needs. The presence of rosemary does not hinder cilantro but place them a foot apart or in separate containers to reap their benefits.

Cilantro is an excellent herb that can attract beneficial insects like hoverflies, ladybugs, and parasitoid wasps. The strong scent of rosemary on the other hand can help keep pests away.

10. Lavender

Another companion plant for rosemary is lavender, both are Mediterranean herbs with similar growing requirements, they thrive in poor and well-drained soil and have similar water requirements as well. These two herbs together can deter pests while attracting beneficial insects as well.

Some varieties of lavender require a moderate amount of sunlight just like rosemary and some can handle cold weather much better than rosemary. The best type of lavender to grow with rosemary plants is Spanish lavender.

11. Thyme

Thyme is another companion plant and it will flourish right next to rosemary and other herbs like sage, oregano, and marjoram. Thyme is one of the perfect herbs to pair with rosemary, both are drought-tolerant and have the same water and sun needs.

Rosemary and thyme are planted together to make lovely herb companions and can both be of benefit to each other, thyme is a great worm deterrent, and rosemary is an insect repellent.

12. Pepper

Pepper is a bit of a hard plant to pair; however, it has been discovered that it works nicely with rosemary. The sprawling growth habit of rosemary makes it an ideal cover ground so it is often planted at the base of pepper to prevent moisture loss during hot summer months.

13. Chives

Chives are just like onions hence they make good companion plants with rosemary. Chives and rosemary also share similar companion plants and can improve each other’s flavor and growth intensity. Both plants are excellent at repelling insects so they are ideal to have in your garden. Chives are low maintenance perennial and as long as they get fun sun, they will thrive.

14. Parsley

Parsley can help repel insects that can damage crops in your garden, it is known to repel harmful pests like codling moths, gypsy, asparagus beetles, aphids, and whiteflies.

Parsley might seem like an ordinary culinary herb but it does help keep annoying bugs away, it does have different water requirements compared to rosemary so it is best to keep them a few feet away or plant them in containers.

15. Mushrooms

If you are looking for a companion plant that keeps harmful chemicals away from your soil, mushrooms are the ideal choice. Mushrooms can help your rosemary plant grow however, there are a few types of mushrooms that are easy to grow outside as companion plants.

Mushrooms such as Elm oyster mushroom and King Stropharia are excellent companions to garden plants. Most mushrooms like growing in dark and semi-dark conditions, but King Stropharia mushrooms won’t mind growing in full sun with rosemary.

What Not to Grow Alongside Rosemary

Rosemary is one of those plants that will do well with just about anything but there are still plants that are not so great for rosemary and can inhibit its growth. Rosemary makes a great addition to the garden and one of the advantages is that it won’t get damaged by pests.

This herb is an easy one to grow, and it should be your go-to when starting an herb garden, it helps keep pests away and increase the health and quality of plants in your garden, so below is a list of plants you might want to keep far away to maintain a beautiful rosemary herb garden.

1. Mint

The first plant you want to keep far away is mint, it can be quite an overpowering plant and can easily take up all the space meant for your rosemary. Mint is an invasive species, and the rosemary plant can grow up to 4 feet, so they will be competing for space, thereby inhibiting each other’s growth.

2. Tomatoes

Tomatoes will make great plants in your garden but keep them far away from rosemary plants. Tomatoes need 8 hours of sunlight; the rosemary shade can limit this. Also, rosemary’s pungent smell can overwhelm the tomato’s flavor.

3. Pumpkins

Pumpkins are another plant to keep far aware from rosemary herbs. Pumpkins are heavy feeders; hence they require more nutrients than rosemary and will compete for nutrients. They also have deep roots and, paired with shallow rosemary roots, will cause both plants to suffer.

4. Basil

Basil makes a great herb for other herbs and lots of vegetables, but not rosemary. It requires lots of nutrients and space to grow, while rosemary only needs a little of that, so it can easily compete for these resources.

5. Cucumbers

Keep cucumbers far away from rosemary, this is because cucumber does not do well with any aromatic herb. The strong scent of cucumber can overpower the sweet rosemary aroma and both have lots of differences in water requirements, so rosemary is unlikely to survive planted with cucumber.

Rosemary Companion Planting Tips

Rosemary plant makes a great companion plant with many flowers, vegetables, and herbs; however, there are still important companion planting tips you should strictly follow.

Once you have chosen the variety of rosemary plants you are growing, below are simple tips to ensure companion planting favors all the plants involved.

1. To be a pro companion planter, research every plant and ensure that the companion plants you choose help your plant and not set back its growth.
2. No plant likes to be overcrowded, so you must provide enough space so the companion plants do not invade your rosemary plants’ space and stunt their growth.
3. Know that rosemary prefers sunny spots and dislikes soggy roots so choose companion plants with a similar need.
4. Prune your rosemary regularly to maintain its shape, keep it healthy, and stop it from being invasive to its companion plant.
5. Keep an eye out for pests such as aphids or caterpillars, and choose companion plants that can help deter this and treat it with natural remedies if needed.
6. The secret to companion planting is keeping plants with similar needs together. Try not to combine plants with different maintenance requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrapping Up

Rosemary is one of the few herbs that will thrive under any condition, it does well in hot dry weather, and you get to set it in various places in your garden.

Rosemary is a popular plant and by using it as a companion plant, it can improve the soil quality and it does release essential oils that attract bees and butterflies.