Fresh herbs are indispensable in our kitchen and give our dishes a refreshing touch. But kitchen herbs also go very well with vegetables in the garden and everything you grow yourself tastes much better. Whether parsley, dill, rosemary, etc. – herbs in the vegetable patch are very useful and not only look good, they also attract beneficial insects and drive away pests. Okay, how can you take advantage of the positive mixed culture effects and which types of vegetables go well with herbs in the vegetable patch? We will tell you the answers and many useful tips in our article!
Which herbs are useful in the vegetable patch?
Herbs in the vegetable patch spice up our garden, take up little space and also attract various beneficial insects. This also makes it easy to close small gaps in the bed and also use the many positive mixed culture effects. To help you get the best out of your vegetable garden, we will explain which types of vegetables go best with which herbs.
Basil
With its wonderful aroma, basil is definitely one of the most popular kitchen herbs. Fortunately, the herb can be grown wonderfully with other herbs as well as with vegetables. But so that the basil thrives well, we should pay attention to suitable neighbors. Since basil comes from the Mediterranean region, it likes it warm and sunny. Therefore, all herbs and vegetables that prefer a similar location are suitable as garden partners. In addition, basil can drive away cabbage whites and whiteflies, and protect cucumbers from powdery mildew. Basil goes particularly well with tomatoes, cucumbers, fennel, zucchini and peppers.
Borretsch
Less known, but just as delicious and a great eye-catcher in the garden. Borage, also known as Kukumerkraut, tastes slightly like cucumber and goes wonderfully with salads, meat and fish dishes. In order to thrive, however, it needs an area of about 30 x 30 cm and so that it does not crowd the vegetables, it is always planted at the edge of the bed. However, if it becomes too bushy, you can pull it out and use it as a mulch. Borage goes very well with potatoes, French beans, lettuce, kohlrabi and other types of cabbage.
Marigolds as herbs in the vegetable patch
Marigolds are a real all-rounder and should not be missing in any garden. With its bright flowers, it is visually very attractive, but is also bee-friendly and also gets along wonderfully with almost all types of vegetables in the bed. Marigolds are a great way to repel slugs in the garden and loosen the soil with their taproots. Marigolds can be particularly effective against nematodes (roundworms) and wireworms. They go well with cucumbers, beans, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, cabbage, fennel and almost all salads.
Sage in the vegetable patch
Sage has been used as a medicinal plant for centuries and is a perfect addition to any garden. With its smell, the popular kitchen herb can drive away lice and snails and promotes the growth of various types of vegetables. Once sage starts flowering, it also attracts many beneficial insects that any garden can only benefit from. Good neighbors for sage in the vegetable patch are carrots, beans, peas, fennel and all types of cabbage. Here’s a little tip – remember that sage needs a lot of space in the bed and preferably use smaller varieties for a bed border.
Rosemary
Rosemary is also one of the most popular herbs in the vegetable patch, which enriches our garden. The kitchen herb likes it warm and sunny and gets along perfectly with plants that also prefer such a location. Rosemary needs dry soil to thrive, and plants that need more water, like zucchini and cucumbers, unfortunately don’t make good neighbors for the vegetable patch. Rosemary goes much better with carrots and cabbage as well as other kitchen herbs, including sage, oregano and chives.
Dill
Dill in the vegetable bed is ideal for repelling cabbage whites, carrot flies or root pests on onions and carrots. The culinary herb also has a strengthening effect on the plants in its vicinity and can promote the growth of cucumbers in particular. Carrots that are planted with dill in the vegetable patch are said to taste even sweeter. So dill goes very well with onions, all salads, beetroot, carrots and cucumbers.
Garlic
Garlic is always a great planting partner in any mixed crop to keep away various diseases and pests like snails, aphids and spider mites. The substances and smell that the herb gives off are also effective against fungi and bacteria, making them perfect for pest control in the garden. Good neighbors for garlic in the vegetable patch are carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, celery, beetroot and spinach.
Good neighbors for thyme in the vegetable patch
Thyme is a visual eye-catcher in the garden and gives our dishes a touch of the Mediterranean. The aromatic kitchen herb can also effectively drive away snails, lice, cabbage whites and insects and goes well with all types of salad and cabbage. Plants that like it warm and sunny are also good neighbors for thyme in the vegetable patch.