Which Herbs Make Good Companions?
When it comes to companion planting, many herbs help out fellow herbs. They can make each other taste better, grow better, and help keep insects away. In our article on garden pests, the example of planting a horseradish perimeter to keep away insects was an example of companion planting. Other times, herbs can attract the predators needed by other herbs in order to rid the entire garden of insect pests. Certain herbs can also keep some animal pests away.
Not all herbs make perfect companions towards each other. As mentioned in a different article, fennel makes a bad companion for almost every other herb. Another example is that rue can turn sweet basil bitter. Sometimes, herbs neutralize each other when planted next to each other. They don't really affect the plant's growth and health, but they can affect the plant's taste. For example, planting several types of mint together can cause all three mint plants to start smelling and tasting like each other, even if they were of different varieties when initially planted.
Apart from helping out fellow herbs, though, certain herbs in your herb garden can help your entire garden out in general by enriching the soil found in your garden. For example, planting caraway is good for the soil and surrounding plants because it has the ability to break down heavy soil due to its long roots. This makes the soil well aerated and all surrounding plants benefit.
Elderberry is also good for the soil as it can break down soil, as well as compost applied to the soil. It creates rich topsoil around its roots, and when it's reached the end of its life cycle, you can mix the soil your elderberry patch was in around your garden so the rest of your garden can benefit from its work. Finally, valerian and comfrey are great additions to your compost pit because they make great fertilizers. Your compost will be truly enriched, and all your plants will benefit from it.
Another great plus to having herbs around is that many herbs can drive away insects that bug humans. For example, basil and rosemary can drive away mosquitoes, while tansy can keep garden ants in check. Serving the dual purpose of driving insects away from their fellow herbs, as well as away from you and your family can make herb plants truly welcome and loved. Having herbs that can drive away pests that bug you also makes the act of gardening a much more enjoyable past time.
As can be seen, herbs make great companion plants towards each other, the gardener, and towards the garden in general. You do have to be careful about those that can neutralize each other and those that can possibly affect other herbs in an undesired manner. A complete list of the companion herbs will be given in another article.
