The Top 10 Companion Plants for Basil (& 5 Foes)

August 11, 2025

Basil is a flavorful herb that’s packed with healthy nutrients and is easy to grow. Not only is it good for you, but it makes a beneficial addition to just about any garden. Basil’s strong scent acts as a deterrent to annoying insects like flies and mosquitoes, as well as pests that commonly affect vegetable plants like aphids.

If you’re thinking about adding basil to your garden, be intentional about where you place it. Pairing basil with certain plants can create a symbiotic relationship that benefits both plants (and your garden as a whole).

Here are the top 10 companion plants we recommend for basil, along with 5 problematic pairings you should avoid.

1. Asparagus

Growing asparagus is an exercise in patience. It takes 2–3 years to harvest asparagus, so it’s worth taking some extra precautions to prevent the loss of your crop. With its strong scent, basil can help deter asparagus beetles, pests that can cause significant damage to asparagus by feeding on it and laying eggs on it.

Pairing asparagus with basil is beneficial both ways. Asparagus attracts predatory insects like ladybugs which can help keep aphids (one of basil’s primary pests) under control.

2. Carrots

Herbs like basil make great companion plants for root vegetables which keep most of their growth underground. When paired with carrots in particular, basil can help deter carrot flies. Female carrot flies lay their eggs in the soil near carrot plants and, when they hatch, the larvae burrow into the roots and damage the crop.

Tip: It’s incredibly difficult to eradicate carrot flies, which makes prevention all the more important. In addition to using pest-deterrent companion plants like basil, consider covering young carrot crops with mesh netting or horticultural fleece to protect them.

3. Chives

While basil’s strong scent is a deterrent for many pests, it doesn’t work for all of them. Aphids and Japanese beetles, in particular, will still attack basil and can do quite a bit of damage. This is where other aromatic herbs like chives can come in handy. Chives are also very aromatic and can repel a variety of insect pests—they also have similar growing requirements to basil.

4. Eggplant

Another way to think about companion planting is to choose plants that have similar requirements—this is the case with eggplant and basil. Eggplants prefer moist, rich soil and need plenty of sunlight in order to thrive. When planted near eggplants, basil can benefit from the nutrients and moisture in the soil but also enjoy the shade from the taller plant. Conversely, eggplants can benefit from the pest-deterrent properties of basil.

Tip: Keep in mind that eggplants are heavy feeders, so make sure there’s plenty of nutrients available in your garden soil at the start of the growing season and fertilize as needed to make sure your basil doesn’t get outcompeted.

5. Lettuce

Both lettuce and basil are affected by similar pests (like aphids), which might make it seem like they’re a problematic pairing. The trick to making this pairing work is to let your basil flower. Predatory insects like parasitic wasps and hoverflies will be attracted to the flowers and they’ll find a nice meal of aphids waiting for them when they arrive.

6. Marigolds

Strong companion plants in their own right, marigolds have powerful pest-deterrent properties of their own. Not only do they attract predatory insects that feed on aphids and other pests, but they repel slugs and nematodes as well. Nematodes are tiny roundworms that live in the soil and feed on plant roots.

Tip: To take advantage of the pest-deterring benefits of this plant pairing, add tomatoes into the mix. The combination of marigolds and basil deters a wide range of pests which can help you achieve a bountiful tomato harvest.

7. Parsley

Basil and parsley have similar growing requirements, so it just makes sense to grow them together. Both basil and parsley have pest-deterrent properties that can be mutually beneficial. You may also find that planting these herbs near each other enhances the flavor of both (it increases the strength of their essential oils).

8. Peppers

Basil is an excellent companion plant for nightshades, including pepper plants. Peppers have similar growing requirements to basil, so it’s a practical pairing from the start. Plus, growing pepper plants can provide shelter for sun-sensitive basil leaves, helping to protect them from sunscald in the summer heat. If you let your basil flower, they’ll return the favor by attracting predatory insects to help control pests.

9. Potatoes

Another member of the nightshade family and a root vegetable, the potato is a good friend to basil. Basil has a shallow root system, so it won’t interfere with the growth of your potatoes. It also helps deter potato beetles with its strong aroma.

Tip: Be sure to leave a little space between your potatoes and your basil so you don’t accidentally damage the basil’s roots when harvesting spuds.

10. Tomatoes

Perhaps one of the most timeless plant pairings, basil and tomatoes are a match made in heaven. As we’ve already discussed, basil deters an array of insect pests that could damage your tomatoes. In turn, tomato plants can help protect basil from sun damage in hot weather. Growing basil near tomatoes may even improve the flavor of the fruit (not to mention the fact that they taste delicious together!).

Don’t Plant These 5 Next to Basil

While basil can be a helpful addition to your garden in many ways, there are certain plants that don’t appreciate having this flavorful herb nearby. To avoid negatively impacting the flavor of your crops or stunting their growth, avoid planting basil next to these five plants:

1. Cabbage

The biggest problem with planting cabbage basil together is that they have different growing requirements. Basil likes warm weather while cabbage is a cool-season crop. Any amendments you might make to improve the yield of your cabbage plant could negatively impact your basil. It’s better to plant cabbage with herbs like dill, rosemary, or thyme.

2. Cucumbers

In the same way planting herbs near each other can strengthen their flavor, planting basil near cucumbers might change the way the vegetables taste. Both cucumbers and basil have similar growing requirements, but cucumbers just tend not to grow well with aromatic herbs.

3. Fennel

Fennel is a tough plant to pair, considering it releases compounds into the soil that can inhibit the growth of nearby plants. It’s also worth noting that fennel has different growing requirements than basil, and it may outcompete the herb for nutrients.

4. Sage

As with cabbage, sage and basil don’t get along because their growing requirements vary significantly. While basil likes rich, moist soil, sage is a drought-tolerant herb that prefers sandy, well-draining soil. Keeping your soil wet to make basil happy could harm your sage.

5. Thyme

Thyme is another example of incompatibility with basil. This herb also prefers sandy soil on the dry side, so basil simply won’t thrive in the conditions that work well for thyme. You would be much better off pairing sage and thyme together than either one with basil.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to have a large garden to experience the benefits of companion planting. In fact, herbs like basil are perfect for container gardens. Since basil is a strong companion for certain herbs like cilantro, dill, and parsley, you can even create an herbs-only patio garden. All you need is a large pot and a nice, sunny spot.

Looking to grow your own herbs but not sure how to get started? Check out the Sow Effortless Collection of hassle-free seed discs, seed mats, and seed tape.