But along with tomatoes and perhaps beans, squash could serve the same function that they do in that other guild. Marigolds make great companions to many plants, rosemary being one of them. Basil is one of the most famous companions for tomatoes, and growing them in the same bed means a one-stop-shop for cooking italian cuisine. Attracting creatures that prey on pest species can help keep the garden or farm ecosystem in balance. It will also be vital to consider your crop rotation plan. Here are the 24 best companion plants to grow with tomatoes, and how they will help your plants and garden flourish. Oregano works to spread across the ground which helps to keep the soil cool. Juicy, tasty, sun-loving tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) do best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 2 through 10. Sprinkle on the seeds, then cover with a light layer of potting mix. Water well. Learn how your comment data is processed. Cilantro is an annual herb that is a good companion for tomatoes because it attracts beneficial insects that can help keep your tomatoes pest-free. She graduated from allotment gardening to organically managing 1/3 of an acre of land, including a mature fruit orchard,which she has turned into a productive forest garden. Many insect pests will create wounds in the stem, leaves, or fruit of your tomato that then creates entrances for disease pathogens to enter the plant, and companion planting offers a kill two birds with one stone solution by mitigating both issues. 5. But they can also be beneficial because they naturally deter a wide range of insects that could pose a problem for your tomato plants. Sow chive seeds in the early spring in a border around the bed where you plan to plant tomatoes. Chive: A long-term investment, chives are often planted in conjunction with tomatoes, carrots, apple trees and roses. In addition to designing gardens, Elizabeth also works in a consultancy capacity, offering ongoing support and training for gardeners and growers around the globe. She has created booklets and aided in the design of Food Kits to help gardeners to cool and warm climates to grow their own food, for example. This is a great bee-attracting plant. Strongly scented herbs repels insect pests while flowers attract pollinators. As well as companion planting to maximise yield, companion planting can also help to increase the amount of nutrients available in a given piece of soil and made available to crops. Thyme enjoys the same growing conditions as rosemary, and it deters cabbage worms, which can be very harmful. Blooms attract pollinators including butterflies and bumblebees. Also, the leafy greens will benefit from the shade of the tomato plants. Heat the water in the microwave (30 seconds) or on the stovetop and whisk in the miso paste. You are on our newsletter list! While it may be a widely available spice, what are. They can be planted when tomatoes are first set out and succession sown or replaced later in the season with a different companion crop. Sage keeps away many common pests like the tomato hornworm, flea beetle, and spider mites from your plants. When choosing companion plants, it is important to keep a kind of balance sheet of pros and cons. To learn more about the best and worst rosemary companion plants, take a look at the ultimate guide below. You can use the perennial berry bush to delineate the edges of the bed and even use pruned foliage as a mulch for the tomatoes. To learn more about thyme, and its best companion plants, take a, If you have never had the pleasure of harvesting your own herbs to season your homemade dishes, you have not lived. There are several plants that can be placed near your rosemary shrub. Basil is great for tomatoes. Root crops help aerate soil allowing healthier tomato root development and also repel small pests. Depending on the variety of lettuce you are growing it might be better to sow seeds or transplant lettuce seedlings in the spring, but either way you should plant them together with your tomatoes once the soil is thawed. As such, it would be impossible to ensure both plants are getting what they need. Consider what your tomatoes need most and experiment with different companion plants to learn what gives the best results. Tomatoes Plant a border of garlic alongside your tomato row to deter spider mites and aphids, and it can also improve the flavour of the fruits. Additionally, tomatoes need consistent watering because they prefer a damp environment. Chives make good companions to almost all herbs and vegetables as it enhances the taste and growth of the plants it is paired with. Mint is an overpowering herb that tends to take up a lot of space in the garden. Beneficial insects like bees and other pollinators also love its blossoms. Others might provide a support for other growing plants. Yes, rosemary and mint can be planted together. Flowers attract predators like parasitic wasps that eat pests such as aphids. Best, The seeds and leaves of the coriander plant are used all around the world to enhance the overall flavor of various dishes. But, what should you plant with rosemary? Sow mint seeds around tomato plants after transplanting. Planting strawberries next to rosemary is a great strategy to improve the overall fertility of both parties. Celery should be started indoors with tomatoes in the early spring and transplanted outside when the soil temperatures are at least 50. Tomatoes and rosemary are often planted together in gardens, as they are considered companion plants. These herbs can ward off pests like aphids and enhance the growth of other plants. Tomatoes planted with horehound are said to crop for longer and crop more heavily. Thank you Ann for that cautionary tale! These plants prefer to stay on the dry side, only needing to be watered every 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the plants size and the climate. But it can also help because them can excrete a chemical from their roots which kills harmful root-knot nematodes in the soil and stop them from spoiling your tomato plants. San Francisco Changes Zoning Code to Promote Urban Agriculture. November Planting Zone 8. Another well known and extremely useful dynamic accumulator is comfrey, which has deep roots. Low-growing crops will retain moisture so that the water you use to irrigate is used more efficiently, and the roots of your tomato plant are protected. Can you plant rosemary with tomatoes? Beneficial attractants also include those plants which attract pollinators like native bees to your crops. Garlic. Basil has a strong scent that repels flies and the notorious tomato hornworm, and it is also said to improve the flavor and richness of the fruits. Lettuce can be interplanted between tomato plants to make efficient use of your space and provide a living mulch for your tomato plants. There are many benefits to companion planting, including improved soil health, pest and disease control, and increased yields. But their deep tap roots are also great at bringing nutrients up to the soil surface when chopped and dropped before they go to seed. For instance, bees and ladybugs are welcome visitors to any garden as they pollinate your crops. Then, plant the tomatoes around the rosemary, making sure that each plant has enough space to grow. Amaranth can also provide its own beneficial yield, in the form of greens or seed. However, I tend to fit celery in with brassicas, since the celery is said to repel the cabbage white butterfly. And as another aromatic herb, it may improve the health and flavor of your tomatoes. Carrots and tomatoes are mutually beneficial to one another for multiple reasons. They need significantly more water than rosemary plants are able to tolerate. Since lettuce is a cool-season crop, it will appreciate the shade provided by the tomato plants while cooling down the soil and retaining moisture. Pruning Here are some weeds that it may actually be beneficial to allow to grow close to your tomatoes: Yarrow is often considered to be a weed. Its all about pairing the right plants together, like annuals and perennials, as you dont want them to compete with each other but offer co-benefits and successional harvests.This benefit is also considered a practice of its own called interplanting. A good companion will work with rosemary to ensure the overall health of both plants. It also helps to ward off pesky insects such as aphids. At the ends of your beds, interspersed amongst your tomatoes, or hanging in baskets near potted tomato plants they will provide lots of beneficial services to your tomatoes. We dont know everything about plants by any means. One more herb that you might not have considered is hyssop. Alyssum is one of the most beneficial flowers to plant with rosemary. Finally, some companion plants help their neighbors by helping to enhance the environment in some way. Rosemary and basil should not be planted at the same time. As a perennial, marjoram can be planted at the edge of tomato beds where it can establish itself and become a companion for many crop rotations in the future. Here are the main reasons to plant your tomatoes with some friends: Tomatoes need to have their flowers pollinated in order to develop fruit! Rosemary and thyme make for lovely herb companions, with thyme giving more benefits than it receives. Since sage is a perennial it will become established where it is planted for several years. It will also increase yields on carrots and beans by repelling certain beetles and carrot flies. Once you have started planting crops together according to the benefits they provide each other, you will see how much healthier your garden becomes by default. In summer, the shade cast by your tomato plants will also prevent lettuce from bolting and prematurely going to seed. From growing tomatoes to cooking them, youll find everything you need to know on our website. She has long had an interest in ecology, gardening and sustainability and is fascinated by how thought can generate action, and ideas can generate positive change. Growing lettuce near tomatoes acts as a live mulch which will help keep in moisture and make the soil cooler. In the following article, we will discuss the benefits of companion planting with tomatoes and plantsthat make excellent companions for tomatoes along with plants that should be kept apart from tomato plants in the garden. A common problem with brassica plants is their attractiveness to cabbage moths and certain butterflies, meaning they are constantly under threat from caterpillars. Companion planting tomatoes with plant partners like asparagus, basil, beans, borage, carrot, celery, chives, cucumber, garlic, lettuce can provide many different services, like attracting pollinators, deterring pests, improving fruit flavor, or mulching the soil surface. A few nettles around your tomato patch could be a great thing and you can even eat them or use them in a range of other ways around your homestead as an additional yield. This really depends on the environment and the care. Fill trays to 1 inch from the top with fresh sterile seed-starting medium and level. If youre thinking about starting a herb garden, rosemary is an excellent plant to start with. They need a good boost of potassium to flower and fruit well. Some varieties of clover are ideal for this purpose and as an added bonus will also fix nitrogen! These plants flourish in warm, humid environments and cannot survive cold temperatures below 30 F / -1 C. Thus, it is best to plant them in containers that can be moved indoors for the winter. Although certain companion plants might just fall into one of the following categories, many will fulfill multiple and create the optimal conditions for your tomato to grow and thrive. Not bad for the first time growing my own tomatoes from seed. Mississippi State University Extension, 2019. The anecdotal evidence for the benefit of certain plant combinations does stack up.