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11 Rosemary Companion Crops to Develop in Your Backyard



Rosemary (Rosmarinus) is a remarkably sturdy, lush, and hardy perennial shrub that’s native to Mediterranean areas. Due to its native habitat, rosemary wants not less than six to eight hours of full solar a day and well-draining dry soil to be able to thrive. One other approach to make sure rosemary seems to be, smells, and tastes its greatest is by rising it alongside companion crops.

Companion planting is a cornerstone of profitable gardening. It is the follow of pairing mutually useful crops collectively to assist stop pests, retain soil moisture, appeal to pollinators, enhance taste, and extra. Rosemary itself is an incredible companion plant due its potent perfume that wards off pests. In flip, different crops provide advantages that enhance the vitality of rosemary by bettering soil high quality, welcoming pollinators, and repelling undesirable bugs.

We requested gardening consultants to share the perfect companion crops for rosemary—and nicely as some crops you need to by no means develop subsequent to this shrub.

Greatest Companion Crops for Rosemary

Pole Beans

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Pole beans (Phaseolus coccineus) take nitrogen from the ambiance and convert it into nitrogen compounds that enrich the soil, which helps fertilize rosemary. What’s extra, rosemary’s scent additionally repels bean beetles, an insect that may injury pole beans, says Carrie Spoonemore, co-creator of Park Seed’s From Seed to Spoon app, an app that is designed to make planning a backyard simpler.

  • Zones: 3 to 11
  • Dimension: 6 to 10 ft tall x 1 to 2 ft huge
  • Care necessities: Full solar; well-draining soil

Carrots

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Carrots (Daucus carota sativus) are one other pure pairing with rosemary, says Spoonemore. Rosemary’s intense perfume helps defend carrots by deterring carrot flies, whereas carrots make it simpler for rosemary’s roots to take up vitamins.

  • Zones: 3 to 11
  • Dimension: 12 to 18 inches tall x 1 to six inches huge
  • Care necessities: Full solar; lose, well-draining soil

Thyme

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Spherical out your kitchen backyard with one other Mediterranean herb, thyme (Thymus vulgaris), which has related care necessities to rosemary, making them nice companion crops. Like rosemary, thyme is a hardy herb that thrives in full solar and well-draining soil.

  • Zones: 5 to 9
  • Dimension: 6 to 12 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches huge
  • Care necessities: Full solar; sandy, well-draining soil

Marigold

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It’s arduous to go incorrect in any backyard if you plant shiny, sunny marigolds (Tagetes). This annual flower deters pests like aphids, making it ideally suited for rosemary companion planting, says Spoonemore.

  • Zones: 2 to 11
  • Dimension: 6 to 36 inches tall x 6 to 36 inches huge
  • Care necessities: Full solar; well-draining soil

Sage

Ray Tango


A pure and nice-smelling herb, sage (Salvia officinalis) helps repel pests, making it a useful companion plant for rosemary, says Spoonemore.

  • Zones: 4 to eight
  • Dimension: 1 to three ft tall x 2 to three ft huge
  • Care necessities: Full solar; well-draining soil

Chives

Garlic Chives or Chinese language Chives.

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Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are a hardy herb nicely suited to any kitchen backyard. Like rosemary, chives want well-draining soil, full solar, and reasonable watering, making them good companions, says Spoonemore.

  • Zones: 3 to 9
  • Dimension: 12 to 18 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches huge
  • Care necessities: Full solar; well-draining soil

Tomatoes

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Like a number of different greens, tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) develop nicely when planted close to rosemary as they’ve related care necessities. Moreover, the odor of rosemary can hold pests away from tomatoes.

  • Zones: 3 to 11
  • Dimension: 3 to 10 ft tall x 1 to three ft huge
  • Care necessities: Full solar; well-draining soil

Marjoram

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Marjoram (Origanum majorana) has related rising necessities to rosemary: well-drained soil, full solar, and minimal watering, making them ideally suited companion crops. It additionally acts as a pest-repellent, defending rosemary from doubtlessly dangerous bugs.

  • Zones: 5 to 9
  • Dimension: 6 to 24 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches huge
  • Care necessities: Full solar; well-draining soil

Lavender

Adam Smigielski


Lavender (Lavandula) has a robust scent that may hold pests away from rosemary. What’s extra, lavender attracts useful bugs like bees and predatory bugs that may assist management pests, says Spoonemore. Plant lavender and rosemary collectively close to pathways, porches, decks, and anyplace you’ll be able to take pleasure in their luscious perfume.

  • Zones: 9 to 10
  • Dimension: 2 ft tall x 2 ft huge
  • Care necessities: Full solar to partial shade; sandy or loamy, well-draining soil

Abelia

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Like rosemary, abelia is a hardy shrub that’s drought- and heat-tolerant, in addition to deer-resistant, says Linda Vater, plant skilled for Southern Dwelling Plant Assortment. Their mutual capability to withstand unideal rising circumstances makes them appropriate companion crops.

  • Zones: 6 to 9
  • Dimension: 2 to three ft tall x 3 to 4 ft huge
  • Care necessities: Full solar to partial shade; well-draining soil

Oregano

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One other hardy herb that makes a fantastic companion to rosemary, oregano (Origanum vulgare) additionally thrives in full solar and with well-draining soil, says Spoonemore. Rising crops collectively which have related care necessities is profit to the crops and fewer give you the results you want.

  • Zones: 4 to 10
  • Dimension: 12 to 24 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches huge
  • Care necessities: Full solar; well-drained soil

Crops You Ought to By no means Develop With Rosemary

Pay attention to the mature measurement of something you plant with rosemary to make sure nothing will shade out the plant and inhibit its development, says Vater. Moreover, you need to keep away from rising the next crops subsequent to rosemary.

  • Fennel: Fennel can inhibit the expansion of rosemary, because of its launch of chemical substances into the soil, says Spoonemore.
  • Mint: An invasive grower, mint can compete with rosemary for house, water, and vitamins, says Spoonemore.
  • Cucumbers: Cucumbers require extra moisture and might create a moist atmosphere through which rosemary, which prefers drier circumstances, doesn’t thrive, says Spoonemore.
  • Potatoes: Rosemary can inhibit the expansion of potatoes and should result in a smaller yield, says Spoonemore.

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