Several herbs benefit tomatoes in your garden. They keep pests away and draw helpful insects to your beds. Basil leads the list as the classic partner for tomatoes. Parsley, chives, and oregano also help your tomato plants thrive.
I started planting basil between my tomato rows about five years ago and saw results right away. The aphids that used to cover my tomato leaves all summer stayed away. I picked fewer bugs off my plants and sprayed less that whole season. Now I never grow tomatoes without basil nearby.
The strong smells from tomato companion herbs confuse pests that hunt by scent. Many bugs find their target plants by sniffing out specific odors in the air. When basil, oregano, or other herbs mask your tomato scent, pests fly right past without stopping to feed on your plants.
The classic basil and tomatoes pairing works both in the garden and on your plate. Plant basil 12-18 inches from your tomato stems to give both plants room to grow. The basil repels aphids and whiteflies while you harvest fresh leaves for cooking all summer long.
Parsley attracts helpful insects like tiny wasps that eat tomato hornworms. These good bugs lay eggs on the hornworms and their larvae destroy the pests from inside. Let some parsley plants flower to draw the most helpers to your tomato beds.
Chives keep aphids and other small pests away with their onion-like smell. Plant a border of chives around your tomato bed for the best effect. You can snip the leaves for cooking without hurting the plants much at all. They come back fast after each cut.
Among the herbs to plant with tomatoes, oregano stands out for fighting fungal diseases. Its oils may help keep blight away from your plants. Oregano spreads fast so give it space or grow it in a pot sunk into the bed to control its growth.
Avoid planting fennel near your tomatoes even though it counts as an herb. Fennel gives off chemicals that stunt tomato growth and reduce your harvest. Keep it in a separate bed far from your main vegetable garden beds.
Space your herbs close enough to help but not so close that they compete for water and food. That 12-18 inch gap works well for most herb and tomato combos. You want the scents to mix in the air around your tomatoes without roots fighting for space below ground.
I like to mix two or three herbs around each tomato plant for the best results. One herb might miss a pest that another one stops. This combo approach gives your tomatoes more layers of help.
Read the full article: 10 Essential Vegetable Garden Planning Steps
