These Two Popular Herbs Will Thrive When Planted Together In Your Garden

Fresh herbs add bright color and rich flavor to your dishes — and it's even better when you can pick them right from your garden. Choosing which herbs to grow often comes down to which flavors you prefer and use frequently in your cooking. Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) is a popular option to grow in home gardens. The herb is winter hardy in USDA zones 8 to 10 but can be grown in other areas as an annual or in containers that you bring indoors during the winter. There are several vegetables and herbs you shouldn't grow with rosemary, but there are many good companion options, too. These include oregano (Origanum vulgare), which grows as a perennial in USDA zones 4 to 8. They work well together because of their similar growing conditions.

When you're planning your garden, you want to consider what type of soil, how much water, and what type of fertilizer each plant needs to find compatible options. Your plants will stay healthier when the growing conditions are similar to one another because you can give both the plants what they need. Companion planting also helps you amplify the benefits of each plant. You can attract beneficial insects by growing oregano and rosemary in your garden. The herbs grow flowers that attract pollinators and other beneficial insects that help keep pests under control.

This powerful herb combo protects other nearby vegetables from certain types of pests. Oregano keeps aphids and other pests that suck sap from plants away from the area. Rosemary fends off a variety of damaging insects including bean beetles, Japanese beetles, cabbage moths, and carrot flies.

The way you care for your rosemary herb plant is similar to the care needs of oregano, and that makes them ideal growing partners. Both are Mediterranean herbs that love full sun and can handle dry conditions as drought-tolerant plants. They grow well in slightly acidic soil and can handle sandy, gritty conditions. Rosemary and oregano both need good drainage — too much water or soil that doesn't drain well may cause root rot and kill the herbs.

Your rosemary plants will stand tall and proud in your garden — they can grow between 4 and 6 feet tall when planted in the ground in zones 8 to 10. Oregano is a smaller herb, growing between 1 and 3 feet tall. Position the oregano in front of the rosemary so both plants can soak up the sunlight they love. Your oregano plants can serve as a type of ground cover near your taller rosemary plants because they grow low to the ground and have a wide growth pattern — which will also minimize soil erosion in your garden.

Growing the herbs together in a large container is also an option. The rosemary works well as the main plant in the center of the pot due to its height. Add the oregano around the rosemary to create contrast between the height and plant textures. The oregano serves as the filler and spiller in the container garden. In the winter, move the pot to a warmer indoor spot if you live in a colder climate.