Can You Plant Oregano With Tomatoes

Garden planning is essential for many reasons. You will want to be sure to plant certain crops in areas with more sun than others. But did you know that some crops grow better near one another? Plants that grow well with each other are called companion plants! What types of crops you should plant with each other vary from species to species. For example, blackberries and tomatoes should never be planted near each other. But can you plant oregano with tomatoes? 

Yes, you can plant oregano with tomatoes. Planting these two crops near one another is a perfect pairing. Oregano can help keep those pesky pests away due to their fragrant aromas. This will benefit the tomatoes immensely.

What other herbs make good companion plants for tomatoes? Read on to learn more about what you can plant with tomatoes, why you would want to plant certain crops with tomatoes, what not to plant near tomatoes.

What Are Good Companion Plants For Tomatoes?

Tomatoes will grow just fine if planted only with each other, as long as your soil remains healthy and they are not too crowded. So if tomatoes grow fine on their own, why add other crops into the mix?

There are many reasons a gardener would choose to plant companion plants with their tomato crops. Pest control, pollination, soil health, and additional crops are huge benefits to growing tomatoes with companion plants. 

Pest Control

Pests are a big concern for any gardener. Anything from rabbits, mice, and deer to fruit flies and mosquitos can be repelled naturally by planting certain herbs. Mint, oregano, bee balm, chives, and parsley are great companion herbs for tomato plants!

While you can always use chemical sprays to keep pests at bay, many gardeners love the added protection of panting natural insect repellant. Even better, almost all of these herbs can also be used in your kitchen! Growing basil repels whiteflies and makes a great companion to your tomatoes in the garden and the kitchen. 

Pollination

Growing plants that attract pollinators is helpful when growing any plant. Luckily, most companion plants serve more than one purpose. Marigolds, for example, are beautiful and bright and are great at attracting bees and other pollinating insects.

They also help fight off root knot nematodes! Bee balm, as mentioned earlier, is great at keeping away pesky insects and bringing in the beneficial ones! Almost any plant is pollinator-friendly, but planting bright and fragrant flowers is irresistible to most pollinating insects. 

Soil Health

Just as marigolds help fight root knot nematodes, carrots help keep the soil healthy and loose for tomato crops. Just be sure not to plant carrots too close to one another, or they won’t have enough room to grow properly and will remain small but still tasty!

Another great option for soil health is lettuce. Planting lettuce near your tomatoes will help keep your soil from getting too hot during the summer months. Plus, your lettuce plants will love the shade and protection from your larger tomato plants. 

Additional Crops

Even if you do not care about the benefits many companion crops have, it is hard to ignore the abundance of crops you can grow with tomatoes. Cucumbers, onions, garlic, carrots, lettuce, asparagus, and squash are all excellent addition to your tomato garden. Why stop at vegetables? Grow mint, parsley, oregano, and chives as well. Keep your kitchen stocked with fresh herbs from your garden, and keep your tomato plants happy! 

What Should I Not Plant With Tomatoes

With so many options of what is safe and recommended to plant with tomato crops, you may be wondering if any plants do not do well with tomatoes. Tomatoes are a part of the nightshade family and do not do well when planted with other plants from this family.

Eggplants, peppers, and potatoes are nightshade plants and grow best when not near tomatoes. This is due to the probability of blight, an easily contagious plant disease. In addition to these vegetables, vegetables of the cabbage family should also not be planted near tomatoes.

This includes cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards, and kale. Remember that collard greens and kale are members of the cabbage family and not the lettuce family, as lettuces and spinaches make great companion plants for tomatoes. 

How Close Do I Plant Companion Plants To Tomatoes

After growing companion plants in your garden, it is important to know how to plant them properly. You do not want to plant your crops too close together to avoid overcrowding. Overcrowding plants creates multiple problems. If your plants are too close together, they will be competing for resources like sunlight, water, and nutrients.

The rule of thumb is to plant crops at least 12 inches away from one another. This allows for each plant to create a healthy root system. Plants pull nutrients from the soil around their roots to grow and thrive, which is why fertilizer is so vital for your gardens.

Once your plants have matured and have spent at least two weeks in your outdoor garden, you can begin fertilizing them with an appropriate garden fertilizer twice a month. Be sure to follow the instructions on your fertilizer to be sure of proper dosage and execution.

Planting your crops at an appropriate spacing also prevents one plant from creating a large shadow over the others, ensuring that all plants have adequate sunlight. The sun is vital for growth and production since it is part of photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis is when the plants take the sun’s energy and turn it into sugar within themselves, then store it for future energy. This allows plants to grow and repair themselves as well as create fruit! In addition to sunlight and soil nutrients, plants that are too close would also have to compete for water. It is no surprise that water is an essential resource for plants.

Thus, it would be detrimental to their growth if your plants were not getting enough water for production. But luckily, you can avoid all of these problems by being sure that you are planting your crops at an appropriate distance. 

Final Thoughts 

Tomatoes love companion plants. Oregano, mint, chives, parsley, and basil are all herbs you can plant with your tomato plants. In addition to these herbs, you can grow lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, and garlic with your tomatoes.

Growing companion plants with your tomatoes helps attract pollinators, repel pests, and provide health benefits for your tomato plant’s soil. Now that you know what to plant with your tomatoes, what not to plant with your tomatoes, and how to plant your companion crops, you are ready to get out there and start gardening!