You should consider herb companion planting for flavor when you have a garden at home. Let’s not forget that herbs are basically the star of the kitchen. Not only can they offer various health benefits, but they can also deliver strong taste to your cooking. When you add herbs to your cooking or homemade meals, or even tea blends, you can expect multiple benefits altogether. But most people don’t really know that herbs can also be great as companion plants, especially if you have a veggie garden.

What Is Companion Planting?

Before we talk about herb companion planting for flavor, let’s talk about companion planting first, shall we? What is it and why does it matter?

Companion planting is the practice of plating some plants together intentionally for the sake of at least one plant, but it’s also possible that it’s for both. So, let’s say that you grow carrot plants and you have chives together in one area of land. It doesn’t have to be big – just enough land would be enough.

The chives would basically protect your carrots as they will repel aphids and flies. The insects wouldn’t be attracted to come close to your carrot plants because chives have this strong smelling nature. Not only that, chives will also improve the texture and taste of your carrots, making them better in an overall sense.

The chives themselves can affect the taste of the food. They can deliver positive health benefits. They can improve your memory. They are rich in vitamin K, which is helpful to prevent osteoporosis. They can also prevent cancer.

Careful Consideration

Herb companion planting for flavor is beneficial to prevent or get rid of pests. But then again, you can’t just plant anything you want. Not all plants can be paired together with the herbs, especially the ones with strong flavors and scents. Some herbs may obstruct their companion’s growth or even ruin their taste. It’s crucial to know the perfect pair combo so both plants can benefit from each other.

Some Basic Planting Guidance

What kinds of herbs that you can plant alongside other plants in your garden?

  • Basil
    It’s one of the most popular herbs often used in cooking. Like to cook Italian dishes? You should know that sweet basil is very important for it. You can also use it for salad, soups, chicken, egg, and fish. Asian foods often require the citrus scented one. Not only will it improve the neighboring plants, but it will also repel hornworm, flies, mosquitoes, and beetles. It attracts beneficial insects, including butterflies and bees. You can grow basil with tomatoes, oregano, beans, lettuce, peppers, eggplant, cabbage, and peppers.

  • Mint
    Do you know that there are 30 mint species out there, including spearmint, apple mint, and peppermint? The plant has this nice strong aroma and flavor, which can be pleasant when you add it to your sauces, cocktails, or salads. You can also use dried mint for tea or other flavoring. Mint can attract butterflies, wasps, hoverflies, and bees. It can repel loopers, flies, ants, whiteflies, worms, and moths. You can plant it together with most veggies, like broccoli, corn, cauliflower, onions, radishes, tomatoes, and carrots. But don’t plant it together with rue or parsley.

Bottom Line

You should check more sources if you want to know the proper method for companion planting. Plus, you can also learn about which plant will go best with which herb variants. Learn about what it takes to plant them together. What kinds of varieties will be suitable for one another – and which one to avoid.

When you want to start companion planting, start small. Do it and observe what happens. If the result is satisfactory, then you can proceed further. Dealing with herb companion planting for flavor doesn’t have to be difficult, but make sure that you do it right.