In the kingdom of herbs there are dream teams and opponents who are deadly enemies. Other herbal treasures are mild and tolerate their green plant neighbors. A rule of thumb provides assistance with the question of which herbs go well together and which go better at a distance. A table provides guidance for beginners. Read important information in this guide before you plant garden herbs.

If you combine cleverly, you reap more

Table of Contents

Show all
  1. the essentials in brief
  2. rule of thumb
  3. Table for the herb bed
  4. Which ones go well together?
  5. Herbs in the raised bed
  6. Which ones don't match?
  7. frequently asked Questions

    8. the essentials in brief

    • Herbs go together when annual species keep to themselves and perennial species also form a closed community.
    • Rosemary and basil as well as parsley, dill, chives, chervil and marjoram go very well together. Lemon balm harmonises with almost all herbs.
    • Thyme and marjoram as well as chamomile and parsley are at loggerheads in the herb bed.

    Which herbs go together? - Rule of thumb for beginners

    When herbs go well together, various criteria come into play. A herb plant often attracts beneficial insects that devour pests on the herb neighbor. It is often root excretions that drive mutual growth and prevent soil fatigue. Some herbalists suspect that the outgassing of one variety protects the neighboring variety from disease. Advanced hobby gardeners have long been familiar with these gardening details. Beginners are guided by this empirical value:

    • Rule of thumb: plant annual herbs and perennial herbs in separate beds

    The explanation is obvious: Perennial herbs don't like it when a new plant neighbor causes trouble every year. Annual herbs are at their best when they are given a new location with each new season. For this reason, the two herb categories should not stand side by side.

    Which herbs go together? - Table for the herb bed

    Sage and parsley go well together

    As the rule of thumb for the herb bed teaches us, annual and perennial herbs like to keep to themselves. Every well thought-out planting plan rests on this foundation. Of course, this criterion alone does not guarantee vital growth and a rich harvest. By including the individual site requirements, the socialization of your favorite herbs becomes a successful project. The following table separates annual and perennial herb friends, supplemented with information on the ideal lighting conditions:

    Annual herb friends botanical name location Perennial herbal friends botanical name location
    basil Ocimum basilicum sunny wild garlic Allium ursinum partially shaded to shaded
    Summer savory Satureja hortensis sunny to semi-shady curry herb Helichrysum italicum sunny
    garden cress Lepidium sativum sunny to off-sun tarragon Artemisia dracunculus sunny to semi-shady
    chervil Anthriscus cerefolium sunny to semi-shady fennel Foeniculum vulgare sunny
    coriander Coriandrum sativum sunny to semi-shady garlic Allium sativum sunny to semi-shady
    marjoram Origanum majorana sunny to semi-shady oregano Origanum vulgare sunny
    Parsely Petroselinum crispum semi-shady sage Salvia officinalis sunny to semi-shady
    rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis sunny chives Allium schoenoprasum semi-shady
    arugula Eruca sativa sunny to off-sun thyme Thymus vulgaris sunny
    Stevia Stevia rebaudiana sunny to semi-shady woodruff Galium odoratum shady

    If you still have a free spot in the herb garden in a sunny to semi-shady location, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) should be there. The easy-care herbal plant tolerates almost every plant neighbor and scores with a wide range of delicious uses.

    digression

    Harmony in the herb pot

    Urgent tightness in the herb pot calls for types and varieties that complement each other perfectly. From the category of annual herbs go well together: borage, dill, garden cress, marjoram and parsley. Have you been flirting with a herb pot for several years? Then we recommend tarragon, sage, chives, thyme and lemon balm. An unbeatable trio for a magnificent herb pot on the balcony is winter savory, oregano and sage. If the location is behind glass, tropical herbs come into focus. In the herb garden on the kitchen windowsill, Thai basil (Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflorum), Vietnamese coriander (Polygonum odoratum) and garlic (Tulbaghia violacea) thrive in peaceful coexistence.

    Which herbs go well together? - List of Dream Teams

    Rosemary and basil are great neighbors

    As a beginner in hobby gardening, you don't feel like experimenting? Then please take a look at the following list of dream teams for the herb garden. These herbs go very well together:

    • Rosemary favors basil
    • Chamomile promotes dill, chervil and marjoram
    • Parsley strengthens dill, chives, chervil and marjoram
    • Thyme harmonises with savory, borage, tarragon, fennel and coriander
    • Hyssop protects savory and lavender

    Attentive readers should not have missed the fact that, according to this list, annual and perennial herb species sometimes promote each other. In this case, the general rule of thumb is invalid because the individual preferences gain the upper hand.

    Which herbs go well together in the raised bed?

    In the raised bed, herbs have a special task that goes far beyond just being compatible with each other. In close proximity to vegetables, herbs make themselves useful as a natural bulwark against diseases and pests. These combinations have proven themselves in the raised bed:

    • Basil with cucumber, kohlrabi and tomato: effective against powdery mildew and whitefly
    • Savory with strawberries, beans and lettuce: repels aphids
    • Garden cress with radishes and lettuce: promotes growth
    • Nasturtiums with potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce: attracts aphids so that vegetables remain undisturbed
    • Marjoram with carrots and radishes: growth-promoting
    • Rosemary with cabbage, tomatoes and carrots: repels white cabbage and carrot flies

    If you plant different herbs next to each other in the raised bed, the premises explained earlier in this guide apply.

    Which herbs do not go together?

    Thyme and marjoram do not get along

    Decades of observations by attentive home gardeners are thanks to the realization that some herbs in the bed should be kept at a distance. The most common cause of intolerance is uneven growth. Furthermore, some herbs inhibit each other's growth. Although there is a lack of scientific evidence, it cannot be denied that the following herbs do not get along:

    • Never plant thyme (Thymus ssp) and marjoram (Origanum majorana) together
    • Do not mix fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) with coriander (Coriandrum sativum) marjoram or hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
    • Plant basil (Ocimum basilicum) and lemon balm (Melissa) as far away as possible
    • Chamomile (Matricaria) and parsley (Petroselinum crispum) do not get along
    • Lovage (Levisticum officinale) and laurel (Laurus nobilis) and wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) should always be planted alone, because each neighbor draws the short straw

    Also included in this category are those herbs that are incompatible with themselves. In concrete terms, this means that an annual change of location makes sense in order to prevent the consequences of soil fatigue. These include in particular dill (Anethum graveolens), parsley, thyme and oregano.

    tips

    If growth depression is rampant in the herb bed, it does not necessarily have to be due to herbal intolerance. Common causes of stunted herbs and crop failures are waterlogging, hard tap water and fatty potting soil. Collect rainwater and water herbs sparingly with soft water only when they are noticeably dry. As a substrate, most herb treasures want lean, well-drained soil without the addition of peat.

    frequently asked Questions

    Which herbs go together for tea?

    When the right herbs thrive in the garden, you can spoil yourself every day with aromatic home-grown tea. On the planting plan, note lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), chamomile (Matricaria), peppermint (Mentha piperita), and sage (Salvia officinalis). These perennial herbs have similar care requirements, go well together and turn into a soothing tea in hot water.

    Which herbs should I plant in the flower box if I want to use them to make herb butter?

    Create a herb bed in the large flower box (€16.99) from 100 centimeters in length with these species and varieties: dill (Anethum graveolens), borage (Borago officinalis), chives (Allium schoenoprasum), cascade thyme (Thymus longicaulis ssp. odoratus) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis). Please think of a drainage on the bottom of the box to protect against waterlogging. A sunny to partially shaded, warm, wind-protected location is just as important as sparing watering with soft rainwater.

    Which herbs and flowers go together?

    Numerous kitchen herbs find their way into the flower bed because they inspire with beautiful flowers. In a sunny location, purple lavender (Origanum laevigatum) boasts violet flowers that harmonize perfectly with the delicate pink flame flower (Phlox paniculata). Steppe sage (Salvia nemorosa) with its dark violet flowers is a popular addition. Curryweed (Helichrysum italicum) dons a silver robe of leaves and courts attention alongside dark purple bearded iris (Iris) and salmon pink Turkish poppy (Papaver orientale)

    Are there herbs that are better standing alone?

    In fact, there are some herbs that prefer a solitary life. Primarily we are dealing with expansive herbal plants such as lovage (Levisticum officinale), laurel (Laurus nobilis) and southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum). Furthermore, the growth of wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) is characterized by root excretions that damage other plants. Ideally, plant these oddballs in large tubs so that their roots do not get in the way of other herbs, flowers and vegetables.

    Which herbs go together in terms of taste?

    The criteria of compatibility in the bed move into the background when herbs are supposed to go together in terms of taste. Thus, thyme and marjoram are irreconcilable plant neighbors. Together with rosemary, basil, tarragon, laurel and sage, the enemies of herbs combine to form the legendary mixture "Herbs of Provence". If you want to conjure up the famous “Frankfurt green sauce” from your own herbs, these seven species should thrive in the garden: borage, dill, parsley, garden cress, chives, burnet butterwort and sorrel.

    tips

    Finding the right combination of herbs for the herb spiral is one of the supreme disciplines in the hobby garden. Four climate zones of this earth come together in a very small space. The dry zone is reserved for Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary and lavender. Local herbal treasures such as wild garlic and nasturtium cavort in the temperate and fresh-humid area. Wet feet in the water zone tolerate brook dung and water celery. You can read detailed information here.

Category:

Herbs