Herbs are delicious, fragrant, and easy to grow. Whether you start from seed, or purchase a plant from MacArthur’s, these annuals are great on a window sill, planter or in your garden. Herbs have too many uses to get into, but we’ll focus today on the best way to use them in your garden. They are excellent for companion planting.
| Herb | Companion and Effects |
| Anise | Grows well with coriander and together they are a good deterrent for snails and slugs |
| Basil | Improves growth and favour of tomatoes. Indoors basil repels houseflies |
| Beebalm | Another good companion to tomatoes |
| Borage | Companion to tomatoes, squash and strawberries. Attracts bees and deters tomato worms |
| Caraway | Grow near peas – will improve growth and flavour |
| Catnip | Plant in border to deter flea beetles |
| Chamomile | Companion to cabbage and onions. Improves growth and flavour |
| Chevil | Grow with radishes – makes spicier and crisper |
| Chives | Does great near carrots, roses and apples. |
| Comfrey | Known as a “plant healer”. Another good garden barrier plant |
| Dill | Companion to corn, lettuce, cucumber, carrots and tomatoes |
| Fennel | Plant this away from your garden! Not a good companion |
| Flax | Protects potatoes against beetles and helps clay soil |
| Garlic | Plant near roses and raspberries and throughout garden to deter Japanese beetles and other pests |
| Horehound | Repels grasshoppers and can improve fruit yield on tomatoes |
| Horseradish | Deters potato bugs |
| Hyssop | Companion to cabbage and grapes, deters cabbage moth. Keep away from radishes. |
| Lavender | Butterflies and bees love lavender. Repels rabbits, mice, ticks, moths and mosquitoes |
| Lemon balm | Plant with tomatoes and cucumbers |
| Lemon verbena | Repels midgies, flies and other pests |
| Lovage | Improves the health of all nearby plants. Invigorating to beans and sweet peppers |
| Marjoram | Companion to sweet peppers and sage |
| Mint | Companion to tomatoes and cabbage. Deters cabbage moths and repels mice and flies |
| Nasturtium | Companion to radishes, cabbage and cucumbers. Repels aphids, squash bugs and striped pumpkin beetles |
| Parsley | Likes chives, tomatoes, carrots, roses and asparagus |
| Rosemary | Plant near cabbage, beans, carrots, and sage. Deters cabbage moths, bean beetles and carrot flies. Do NOT plant near potates |
| Rue | Likes roses and raspberries. Disliked by cats and dogs. Incompatible with sage, basil and cabbage |
| Sage | Good with tomatoes, carrots, cabbage and rosemary |
| Santolina | Best to be planted with roses |
| Southernwood | Companion to cabbage and deters cabbage moths |
| Thyme | Good companion to most herbs and veggies – particularly eggplant and cabbage |
| Valerian | Stimulates growth of all other plants and vegetables nearby. Attracts earthworms |
| Yarrow | Invigorating to cucumbers, corn and other herbs. Enhances essential oil production |