Gardening Edible Gardening Herbs 10 Best Rosemary Companion Plants to Help Repel Pests Grow these rosemary companion plants together in your garden to control pests like carrot flies and bean beetles. By Lauren Landers Lauren Landers Lauren Landers is a freelance writer who focuses on gardening, homesteading, and DIY. Learning from both hands-on experience and a Master Gardener training course, Lauren loves sharing her knowledge about gardening, conscious living, homesteading, backyard food growing, and much more. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on April 15, 2024 Close Photo: Edward Gohlich Rosemary grows well in relatively dry, sandy soil and bright sun. Because of this herb's specific growing needs, finding suitable rosemary companion plants can be challenging, but several other herbs, vegetables, and flowers grow well in similar conditions. Here are some of the best plants to pair with rosemary to deter pests and keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 01 of 10 Lavender Laurie Black Growing lavender and rosemary together makes sense. These plants both come from the Mediterranean region, have similar care requirements, and don’t need much water. Plus, if you plant these two herbs together, they’ll perfume your garden beds with a lovely fragrance. Pollinators and other beneficial insects are sure to visit, too. 02 of 10 Brassicas Kindra Clineff Brassicas, such as cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage, are often plagued by pests that bore holes in leaves and leave harvests looking shabby. However, growing strongly scented rosemary plants near brassicas naturally repels many common garden pests, including cabbage moths. Rosemary doesn’t need as much water as brassica plants, so you may want to grow the herb in a pot near your vegetable garden. 03 of 10 Sage Greg Scheidemann Sage is a woody-stemmed herb that loves sun and well-draining soils, so it gets along nicely with rosemary in the garden. If you garden in a small space, sage and rosemary plants can grow together in a roomy planter as long as they have space to spread out. Aside from their similar growing needs, sage’s silver-green leaves and purple flowers provide an attractive backdrop for rosemary’s spiky foliage. The 18 Best Outdoor Planters of 2024 04 of 10 Carrots Marty Baldwin Carrot flies are major carrot pests, and they’re particularly attracted to the scent of carrot leaves. Adult carrot flies lay their eggs near carrots, and when those eggs hatch, the larvae burrow into the soil and chew holes and tunnels in the carrot roots. However, if you grow rosemary near carrots, the herb's strong aroma helps conceal the scent of carrots and makes it much harder for carrot flies to find their quarry. 05 of 10 Oregano Peter Krumhardt Like rosemary, oregano is an easy-going herb that grows well in bright sun and relatively dry soil. Keeping these two herbs together reduces your gardening tasks because you can water them at the same time and don’t need to worry about adding much fertilizer. Keep in mind that oregano is more cold-hardy than rosemary, which is often grown as an annual in USDA Zones 7 and colder. 06 of 10 Beans Dana Gallagher Bean beetles have a penchant for nibbling on bean plants and leaving unsightly holes and skeletonized bean leaves in their wake. Extensive damage weakens beans and makes them significantly less productive. Bean beetles can also transmit plant viruses that cause problems. The good news is that rosemary’s strong scent hides nearby bean plants, making them much harder for bean beetles to find. 07 of 10 Thyme Peter Krumhardt With its low water needs and sun-loving nature, thyme is another obvious choice for growing near rosemary. It grows well in pots or herb beds, and some low-growing thyme varieties can be used as groundcovers for suppressing weeds beneath rosemary plants. Thyme is more cold-hardy than rosemary, so you may need to replace the rosemary every year if you don’t overwinter it indoors. Grow These 13 Herbs in Pots for a Fragrant Garden Almost Anywhere 08 of 10 Sweet Alyssum Justin Hancock Sweet alyssum plants boast delicate purple and white flowers that are often used to spruce up container gardens and the front of flowerbeds. Alyssum also flourishes beside rosemary in an herb garden. Pairing these powerhouse plants makes gardens even more pest-resistant. While rosemary’s fragrance deters many pest insects, alyssum’s flowers attract beneficial bugs that feed on nuisance pests. 09 of 10 Parsnips Marty Baldwin Parsnips are vulnerable to carrot flies, but growing rosemary near your patch of parsnips can keep your root veggies safe. What’s more, because parsnips do most of their growing underground, you won’t need to worry about them competing with rosemary for sunlight. Parsnips need more water than rosemary, so you may want to grow rosemary in a pot near the parsnip bed, or be careful where you direct your hose when watering. The Best Garden Hoses, Tested by BHG 10 of 10 Strawberries Denny Schrock When it comes to rosemary companion plants, strawberries may not be an obvious choice, but this plant partnership has its perks. Strawberries and rosemary have different root structures, and they don’t compete for soil space. Plus, both of these plants grow well in pots. Rosemary’s scent can deter many strawberry pests, and strawberries' spreading growth habit keeps weeds from cropping up beneath rosemary plants. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit