How-To: Grow Herbs

How-To: Grow Herbs

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
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