Basil Companion Plants
Basil is a warm-season herb that many gardeners tuck in beside other vegetables to make the most of bed space and to keep the garden busy with pollinators. Traditional companion-planting lore holds that its strong scent can confuse or discourage some pests while its flowers draw in bees and other beneficial insects. Keep in mind that companion planting is a traditional practice and the results vary from garden to garden.
Good companions for Basil
| Plant | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Tomatoes | A classic pairing; basil grows well in the same warm, sunny conditions and its scent may help mask the crop from some pests. |
| Peppers | Shares the same heat and watering needs, and the low leafy basil can help shade the soil around pepper roots. |
| Oregano | Another Mediterranean herb with matching sun and water needs, so the two can share a bed easily. |
| Marigolds | Their bright blooms attract pollinators and are a traditional favorite for tucking among herbs and vegetables. |
| Lettuce | Quick, shallow-rooted greens that use different space and can benefit from a little shade cast by taller basil. |
| Chamomile | Its flowers draw in beneficial insects and it is often planted near herbs as a gentle companion. |
| Beans | Legumes that occupy a different root zone and put nitrogen back into the soil for nearby plants. |
| Asparagus | A perennial bed neighbor that gardeners often interplant with basil to fill in open ground and invite pollinators. |
Keep Basil away from
| Plant | Why to separate them |
|---|---|
| Rue | Long considered a poor herb neighbor that gardeners keep well away from basil. |
| Sage | Prefers drier, leaner soil than basil, so their water needs tend to clash in a shared bed. |
| Fennel | A tough garden neighbor for most plants and best given its own spot away from basil. |
| Cucumbers | Some gardeners keep strong-scented herbs apart from cucumbers out of concern the flavor may carry; give them a little distance. |
Tips
Set basil out only after the weather has warmed and the danger of frost has passed, in full sun and well-drained soil kept evenly moist. Pinch off the flower tips regularly to keep the plant leafy, but leaving a few plants to bloom will bring in bees and other helpful insects near your other crops. Companion planting is a traditional practice, so treat these pairings as a starting point and watch how they perform in your own garden.
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Companion planting is a traditional practice; results vary with your climate, soil, and garden. Page updated Aug 4, 2026.