What Grows Well with Thyme?

Thyme is a perennial herb that holds a unique position in companion planting. There are a wide variety of vegetables and herbs that grow well with thyme.

Thyme grows well alongside rosemary, oregano, sage, tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes, strawberries, and blueberries. These companions offer benefits such as deterring pests, promoting healthy growth, and creating a harmonious garden bed.

Best Herb Companions for Thyme

Thyme thrives alongside other drought-tolerant herbs such as rosemary, oregano, sage, lavender, and marjoram. These herbs all share similar growing conditions and a preference for dry conditions.

Rosemary and Thyme

• Thyme and rosemary are both natural insect-repellers. When combined, they form a protective duo against garden pests like mosquitos, whiteflies, and cabbage moths.
• Thyme and rosemary have similar soil and sunlight requirements, making rosemary an ideal companion to thyme in the garden. They also have complimentary growing habits, as thyme is a low-growing herb that forms a dense ground cover, while rosemary grows upright into a beautiful.

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Oregano and Thyme

• Oregano and thyme both prefer full sun exposure, needing at least six hours daily for healthy growth.
• Thyme and oregano both prefer well-draining, moderately fertile soil. If your soil is a bit compacted, just add some compost or aged manure to lighten it up.
• Oregano and thyme have similar watering requirements. They’re both pretty drought-tolerant once they’re settled, but don’t forget to give them a good drink in their early growth stages and during long dry spells. Their similar growing requirements make thyme a great oregano companion plant.

Purchase oregano plants from Amazon or oregano seeds from SeedsNow

Sage and Thyme

• Sage and thyme are both great at keeping pesky pests away, warding off pests such as cabbage worms, slugs, and carrot flies. Their pest-repellent properties don’t just benefit each other but also extend to nearby plants, adding an extra layer of security to your garden.
• Planting sage and thyme together creates a pleasant aromatic combination in the garden, with sage’s earthy fragrance and thyme’s herbal-floral notes.

Purchase sage plants from Amazon or sage seeds from SeedsNow

Lavender and Thyme

• Lavender and thyme both attract honey bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, bringing a vibrant buzz to your garden.
• Lavender’s purple and thyme’s white, pink, or lavender flowers create a beautiful visual harmony. The contrast between lavender’s tall spikes and thyme’s low profile brings a colorful textural play into your garden, making thyme a great lavender companion.

Purchase lavender plants from Amazon or lavender seeds from SeedsNow

Marjoram and Thyme

• Marjoram and thyme both thrive in sunshine and well-draining soil, making them great companion plants.
• Marjoram shares thyme’s knack for repelling pests like cabbage moths and spider mites, ensuring a robust garden environment.
• Thyme and marjoram both have attractive flowers that bring in useful insects like bees, butterflies, and hoverflies, helping keep your garden thriving.
• Both are low-maintenance herbs that only need a bit of pruning and regular harvesting to ensure abundant yields.

Purchase marjoram plants from Amazon or marjoram seeds from SeedsNow

Best Vegetable Companions for Thyme

Thyme is an excellent companion to vegetables such as tomatoes, cabbage family crops, potatoes, strawberries, and blueberries, as they form beneficial associations with thyme, enhancing the garden’s overall health and aesthetics.

Tomatoes and Thyme

• Tomatoes and thyme share similar sunlight requirements, which makes them ideal garden companions.
• Thyme serves as a natural deterrent to common tomato pests such as aphids and tomato hornworms, which helps to safeguard your tomato plants.

Purchase tomato seed varieties from SeedsNow

Thyme and Cabbage Family Crops

• Thyme effectively deters cabbage worms, a common nuisance to cabbage family vegetable crops including broccoli, cauliflower, and kale.
• Thyme’s low-growing habit ensures that larger vegetables in the cabbage family aren’t deprived of necessary sunlight, fostering a harmonious coexistence.

Purchase cabbage seed varieties from SeedsNow

Potatoes and Thyme

• Thyme’s potent scent can help keep Colorado potato beetles at bay, contributing to the health and productivity of your potato plants.
• Planting potatoes using thyme as a ground cover or as a living mulch can help protect potatoes from soil-borne diseases.

Purchase seed potatoes from SeedsNow or Amazon

Strawberries and Blueberries with Thyme

• Thyme can naturally repel strawberry pests, providing them with a protective shield against potential threats.
• Blueberries thrive in slightly acidic soils similar to thyme, forming a mutually beneficial partnership with this versatile herb.

Purchase strawberry plants from Amazon

Thyme’s broad range of companion planting benefits extends to numerous vegetables and fruits, contributing significantly to a thriving, biodiverse garden ecosystem.

Planting Thyme with Roses for Pest Control

In addition to growing thyme as a great companion plant in your vegetable and herb garden, roses can benefit greatly from thyme companion planting.

Thyme acts as a natural defense against blackflies and aphids, common pests that trouble rose bushes. The scent of thyme repels these insects, reducing the risk of infestations and promoting safe growth for roses.

Furthermore, the contrasting root systems of thyme and roses complement each other, as thyme’s shallow roots coexist harmoniously with roses’ deeper roots.

Plants to Avoid with Thyme

Chives, basil, and cilantro may not be the best neighbors with thyme plants. While thyme pairs well with many herbs and vegetables — chives, basil, and cilantro each presents specific challenges that may hinder the overall health of your herb garden when you plant thyme as a companion plant.

Chives and Thyme: A Clash in Moisture Needs

Chives prefer more moist soil than thyme, which is known for its drought tolerance. The different moisture preferences could lead to overwatering or underwatering of one plant or the other.

Can Thyme and Basil be Planted Together?

Thyme and Basil do not make for ideal companion plants for a variety of reasons.

• Basil plants have a tendency to grow large and may occupy significant space in the garden, potentially leading to competition with thyme plants for available space.
• Basil plants are vigorous growers and may consume a considerable amount of nutrients from the soil, potentially depriving thyme plants of the necessary resources for their own growth.

Cilantro: Discord in Moisture Preference and Potential Interactions

Much like chives, cilantro prefers more moist soil conditions than thyme, which could lead to inconsistent watering if planted in proximity.

Being aware of these potential plant conflicts can help you better plan your garden and create a more harmonious environment for your plants to thrive.

Thyme Companion Growing Characteristics

Thyme is more than just a kitchen staple; it’s a hardy perennial herb that can thrive in various conditions, making it a suitable companion for a wide range of plants.

Native to the Mediterranean region, thyme features small, fragrant leaves and tiny flowers, usually in shades of pink or purple. Thyme prefers full sun exposure and well-drained soil. It is a notably hardy herb that can endure harsher conditions, making thyme a good companion plant to other drought-tolerant herbs.

Thyme comes in numerous varieties, each with its unique benefits and uses. Some of the most common types of thyme as a companion plant include common thyme, lemon thyme, and woolly thyme.

Conclusion

Thyme has many benefits when companion planting in your garden. Thyme deters pests, attracts beneficial insects, and fosters plant growth. Planting thyme as a companion herb in your garden strengthens garden ecosystems. Explore thyme companion planting with rosemary, oregano, sage, lavender, marjoram, and with different vegetables for a robust garden ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What can you not plant with thyme?

Thyme does not grow well with herbs such as basil, cilantro, and chives as they have more substantial watering requirements. Since thyme is exceptionally drought-tolerant, it isn’t considered a good companion plant to herbs that need consistent moisture.

Can I plant thyme and rosemary together?

Planting thyme and rosemary together is a smart choice. They are both drought-tolerant herbs with similar soil and sunlight needs. Their growth habits complement each other, with thyme’s ground cover growing habit balancing rosemary’s upright growth. They are also both natural insect-repellers.

Last Updated on 28 April 2024 by Bob Lee