Top 6+ plants that don’t grow well with rosemary
Some of these plants may taste great together, but they shouldn't grow together.
Besides its uses in the kitchen, rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) also adds variety to your flower beds. The perennial evergreen shrub has fragrant, needle-like leaves used to flavor meats, breads, savory sides, and cocktails, but it can also be enjoyed as a shrub. Rosemary thrives in sunny, warm, dry conditions similar to its native Mediterranean climate, and can tolerate challenges like drought, wind, and rocky hillsides. It grows happily with other plants, just not plants that require less sun or wetter conditions. Peppers, onions, and other Mediterranean herbs like oregano, lavender, and thyme make good companions. If you want to make rosemary happy and keep it thriving in your garden, here are the plants not to grow next to rosemary.
Rosemary Growing Conditions
Rosemary is a sun lover, preferring six to eight hours of direct sun a day, and warm temperatures from 55 to 80ºF. Besides warmth, rosemary likes well-draining sandy or loamy soil that’s slightly acidic (6.0-7.0). Let the soil dry out between waterings since overwatering can lead to root rot.
What Not To Plant With Rosemary
Mint
This invasive plant can take over the garden and compete for space, sunlight, and nutrients that rosemary needs. While mint also grows well in sunny conditions and slightly acidic soil, it has different watering needs than rosemary. Mint likes more water than rosemary can tolerate, preferring consistently moist soil. It’s difficult to meet both plants’ needs in this situation, making the two incompatible garden companions.
Basil
Basil is a full sun plant that doesn't like soggy soil. While rosemary thrives in dry conditions, basil does need frequent moisture to maintain consistently moist soil. One or both of these plants will struggle if grown together because it’s impossible to meet both of their needs in close quarters. Grow them separately with plants that have similar growing requirements.
Tomatoes
Fennel
Fennel releases chemicals into the soil that can interfere with the growth of rosemary and many other plants. The allelopathic can result in stunted growth and attract harmful pests like aphids and spider mites. It also prefers moist, fertile soil that rosemary doesn’t do well in.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are 96% water, so they need frequent watering, which is excessive for a Mediterranean herb like rosemary and can cause root rot. They also create a humid environment, while rosemary needs dry conditions. Rosemary isn’t a heavy feeder and grows best with little fertilizer, but cucumbers need nitrogen-rich soil that can affect the flavor and aroma of rosemary.
Pumpkins
Curbita maxima (Pumpkin) ripening in vegetable garden changing colour from green to orange Credit: Will Heap / Getty Images
Another moisture-loving plant, pumpkins are prone to mildew that could spread to nearby rosemary. The extra moisture can also cause rosemary to develop root rot and increases the risk of fungal disease. Pumpkin vines spread aggressively in the garden and can choke out smaller rosemary plants and take over the space they need to grow.
