10 herbs and vegetables you should avoid growing next to rosemary in the garden

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) can be a great addition to your garden for a variety of reasons. Growing rosemary is relatively easy. In addition, it attracts pollinators, repels harmful insects, can be used in various recipes and is believed to have a number of health benefits. Rosemary can also be great companion plant for various herbs and vegetables. However, there are a number of plants ranging from mint to tomatoes that you shouldn’t grow near rosemary in your garden.

Reasons to avoid growing these herbs and vegetables next to rosemary range from the amount of water they need to the nutrients they need. This makes more sense when you understand the conditions that are best grow rosemary. Since it is native to the Mediterranean region, it thrives in soil that is relatively dry and well-draining. Otherwise, it is quite susceptible to root rot. Therefore, plants that require a lot of water should not be planted near rosemary.

Ditto for nutrients. Rosemary performs best in relatively low nutrient soil with a slightly alkaline pH. This means that there is rarely, if ever, a need for fertilization or soil amendments. However, this also means that plants that require high nutrients, different pH or work to enrich the soil should not be planted near rosemary.

If you want to I grow mint (Mentha) in your garden, don’t put it near rosemary! There are actually several different reasons why mint and rosemary are not compatible. On the one hand, mint grows much faster, spreads quickly and can quickly conquer the entire area. Mint also needs much wetter soil than rosemary. This makes it quite impractical, if not impossible, to grow them close together while maintaining the correct moisture level for each.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a good companion plant for several herbs and vegetables. Rosemary is not among them. Although they are both herbs and have a common need for sunlight, they require very different levels of moisture. As a result, growing them together is harmful to one or the other – or both. To keep basil healthy and thriving, you will need to water frequently. This can drown out dry soil-loving rosemary. Conversely, if you maintain a light weekly rosemary watering schedule, your basil will likely dry out.

When studying how to grow pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo), you will quickly find that they do best in soil that is well-drained and rich in nutrients. This is the opposite of the conditions that rosemary requires. Rosemary grown in the moist conditions required by cucurbits can easily fall victim to powdery mildew or succumb to root rot. Also, spreading pumpkin vines can quickly overwhelm rosemary plants in your garden.

Another popular garden vegetable that grows on sprawling vines is the cucumber (Cucumis sativus). Like pumpkins, cucumbers need fertile soil that is kept moist with frequent watering. The different moisture level needs just that growing cucumbers near rosemary is a bad idea. However, because cucumbers consist of and require so much water, they tend to raise the humidity in the garden, literally moistening the dry air preferred by rosemary. Cucumbers’ thirst for nitrogen is another problem for rosemary, which does not do well in nitrogen-rich soil. That’s not to mention the suffocating and suffocating vines.

At first glance it may seem like a good idea yes they grow tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) with rosemary. After all, they both like lots of sun and slightly acidic soil. However, tomatoes also need a lot of nutrients and water. As a result, rosemary falls into the category of plants you should never grow with tomatoes. This means that at least one of the two will get hurt. In the dry, nutrient-poor soil favored by rosemary, tomatoes will shrivel and become nutrient deficient. On the other hand, under good tomato growing conditions, rosemary is likely to suffer from root rot.

Another plant to avoid growing near rosemary is fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). in fact, growing fennel not a particularly good idea near plants as it is allelopathic and injects growth-inhibiting chemicals into the soil. As a result, many nearby plants, including rosemary, can become stunted or even die. Dill is also known to attract a variety of harmful pests, including spider mites and aphids.

As for potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), rosemary is considered an ideal companion for preparing various dishes after picking them. While growing in the garden, however, not so much. For one thing, potatoes and rosemary have different moisture and nutrient needs. Also, potato plants can deprive rosemary of much-needed sunlight and stunt its growth. As a result, it is best to combine only potatoes and rosemary in the kitchen.

Planting squash (Cucurbita) of any variety next to rosemary is another no-no. Considering they’re in the same family as pumpkins, it’s no surprise that pumpkin and rosemary are incompatible. This is mainly due to their different moisture and nutrient needs. Specifically, squash requires frequent, deep watering to maintain a high amount of soil moisture, while rosemary thrives in dry conditions and is susceptible to root rot in wet soil.

Rosemary and coriander (Coriandrum sativum) are often used in the kitchen, but are rarely combined in recipes. It is good to keep them separate in the garden as well. This is largely due to the fact that while both are herbs, they have drastically different watering requirements. While rosemary enjoys hot, dry conditions, cilantro requires frequent watering—especially when temperatures rise.

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) is an interesting case. Some classify it as a good companion to rosemary, as rosemary can repel cabbage moths. However, this is a greater benefit for cabbage than for rosemary. Looking at it from the opposite point of view, growing cabbage it takes a lot of water – at least a few inches per week to keep the soil moist. Drip irrigation and mulching are also often used. This amount of moisture can have a detrimental effect on rosemary, as can the cooler temperatures preferred by cabbage. This combination makes it a poor choice for planting with rosemary.