Oregano is a popular herb that adds flavor to many dishes. It’s easy to grow in gardens and containers. But did you know that certain plants can help oregano thrive?
Companion planting with oregano can boost your garden’s health and productivity. The right plant pairings can repel pests, improve soil, and even make oregano taste better. Let’s look at 10 great companions for oregano and how they can help your garden grow.
In this article, we'll cover
1. Tomatoes
Tomatoes and oregano make great garden buddies. Here’s what you need to know about tomatoes:
• Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum
• Growing Zones: 3-11
• Soil Needs: Well-draining, fertile soil
• Water Needs: Regular watering
• Sunlight Needs: Full sun
• Mature Size: 3-8 feet tall
Planting oregano near your tomatoes can help keep pests away. The strong scent of oregano confuses insects that might attack your tomato plants.
Oregano also attracts bees and other helpful bugs. These insects help pollinate your tomato flowers, leading to more fruit.
When you grow these plants together, you’ll have fresh herbs to sprinkle on your homegrown tomatoes. It’s a tasty combo in the garden and on your plate!
2. Basil
Basil is a great companion for oregano in your herb garden. These two plants grow well together and have similar needs.
• Botanical Name: Ocimum basilicum
• Growing Zones: 4-10
• Soil Needs: Well-draining, fertile
• Water Needs: Moderate
• Sunlight Needs: Full sun
• Mature Size: 1-2 feet tall
Basil helps oregano by repelling pests like flies and mosquitoes. It also attracts beneficial insects that can help pollinate your garden.
You can plant basil and oregano close together in containers or raised beds. They both like warm, sunny spots with good drainage. Water them when the soil feels dry to the touch.
3. Bell Peppers
Bell peppers make great companions for oregano in your garden. These colorful veggies enjoy similar growing conditions and can benefit each other.
• Botanical Name: Capsicum annuum
• Growing Zones: 4-11
• Soil Needs: Well-draining, fertile soil
• Water Needs: Moderate, consistent moisture
• Sunlight Needs: Full sun
• Mature Size: 2-3 feet tall
Oregano helps keep pests away from your peppers. It attracts helpful insects that eat aphids and other bugs that can harm pepper plants.
You’ll find that growing oregano near your bell peppers can improve their flavor too. The aromatic herbs can enhance the taste of many vegetables around them.
4. Carrots
Carrots make great companions for oregano in your garden. These root vegetables offer several benefits when planted near oregano.
• Botanical Name: Daucus carota
• Growing Zones: 3-10
• Soil Needs: Well-draining, sandy loam
• Water Needs: Moderate, consistent moisture
• Sunlight Needs: Full sun to partial shade
• Mature Size: 6-12 inches tall, 1-2 inches wide
You’ll find that carrots and oregano grow well together. Oregano’s strong scent helps keep pests away from your carrots. The herbs also improve the flavor of carrots.
Carrots don’t take up much above-ground space. This lets oregano spread out without competition. Their different root depths mean they won’t fight for nutrients.
5. Cucumbers
Cucumbers make great oregano companions. They grow well together and help each other out.
• Botanical Name: Cucumis sativus
• Growing Zones: 4-11
• Soil Needs: Rich, well-draining
• Water Needs: Moderate to high
• Sunlight Needs: Full sun
• Mature Size: 6-8 feet long vines
Oregano helps keep pests away from cucumbers. Its strong smell confuses bugs that want to eat cucumber plants.
Cucumbers don’t take nutrients from oregano. They can share garden space without competing. Both plants like similar growing conditions.
You can plant them close together in your garden. The oregano will spread out as ground cover while cucumber vines climb up trellises.
6. Pumpkins
Pumpkins make great companions for oregano in the garden. These sprawling vines benefit from oregano’s pest-repelling properties.
• Botanical Name: Cucurbita pepo
• Growing Zones: 3-9
• Soil Needs: Rich, well-draining
• Water Needs: Moderate
• Sunlight Needs: Full sun
• Mature Size: 10-20 feet long vines
Oregano helps protect pumpkins from common pests like squash bugs and vine borers. The herbs’ strong scent confuses and deters these insects.
Planting oregano near your pumpkins can lead to a better harvest. The herb attracts pollinators, which are crucial for pumpkin fruit development.
You can also use oregano as a living mulch around pumpkin plants. This helps retain soil moisture and suppress weeds.
7. Strawberries
Strawberries make great companions for oregano in your garden. Here’s what you need to know:
• Botanical Name: Fragaria x ananassa
• Growing Zones: 3-10
• Soil Needs: Rich, well-draining soil
• Water Needs: Regular watering
• Sunlight Needs: Full sun to partial shade
• Mature Size: 6-12 inches tall, 12-18 inches wide
Oregano helps keep pests away from your strawberries. Its strong scent repels slugs and fruit flies that can damage the berries.
Planting oregano near strawberries can also help maintain good moisture levels in the soil. This is great for your strawberry plants, which need consistent moisture to thrive.
You can easily grow these two plants together in your garden or in containers. Just make sure to give them enough space to spread out as they grow.
8. Zucchini
Zucchini and oregano make great garden buddies. They grow well together and help each other out.
• Botanical Name: Cucurbita pepo
• Growing Zones: 3-9
• Soil Needs: Rich, well-draining
• Water Needs: Moderate
• Sunlight Needs: Full sun
• Mature Size: 2-3 feet tall, 3-4 feet wide
Oregano’s strong scent keeps pests away from your zucchini plants. This means fewer bugs eating your squash.
You can plant oregano around the edges of your zucchini patch. The oregano will spread out and create a nice ground cover. This helps keep weeds down and saves you work.
Zucchini plants need lots of space. Make sure to give them room to grow big leaves and sprawl out. Oregano can fill in the spaces between plants.
9. Eggplant
Eggplant makes a great companion for oregano in your garden. These two plants can help each other thrive.
• Botanical Name: Solanum melongena
• Growing Zones: 4-10
• Soil Needs: Rich, well-draining
• Water Needs: Moderate
• Sunlight Needs: Full sun
• Mature Size: 2-4 feet tall
Oregano can help keep pests away from eggplants. It repels many insects that like to munch on eggplant leaves.
You can plant oregano near your eggplants to improve their flavor. The herbs’ scents mix in the air and can make the eggplants taste even better.
Both plants like similar growing conditions. This makes it easy to care for them together in your garden.
10. Potatoes
• Botanical Name: Solanum tuberosum
• Growing Zones: 3-10
• Soil Needs: Well-draining, fertile soil
• Water Needs: Moderate
• Sunlight Needs: Full sun
• Mature Size: 1-3 feet tall
Potatoes make great companions for oregano in your garden. You can plant them near each other to maximize space and improve pest control. Oregano helps deter potato beetles, which can damage your spuds.
Both plants prefer similar soil conditions, making them easy to grow together. When you harvest potatoes, the oregano can help cover bare spots in your garden bed.
Remember to give potatoes enough room to grow their tubers underground. Plant oregano around the edges of your potato patch for the best results.
Benefits of Companion Planting with Oregano
Growing oregano with other plants can help your garden thrive. It keeps bugs away, makes plants grow better, and improves the soil. Let’s look at how oregano helps its garden buddies.
Pest Control
Oregano is great at keeping pests away from your garden. Its strong smell confuses bugs and makes it hard for them to find the plants they like to eat. This means you won’t need to use as many harsh chemicals to protect your veggies.
Oregano helps keep cabbage moths away from your cabbages, broccoli, and cauliflower. It also stops other pests from bugging your tomatoes and peppers. By planting oregano near these veggies, you’re giving them a natural shield against hungry insects.
Some insects that oregano helps repel are:
- Aphids
- Spider mites
- Cabbage moths
- Cucumber beetles
Enhanced Growth
Oregano doesn’t just protect plants – it helps them grow better too. It attracts bees and other pollinators to your garden. These helpful insects visit the oregano flowers and then move on to pollinate your other plants.
This is great news for plants that need pollination to make fruit, like:
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Strawberries
- Cucumbers
- Melons
When you plant oregano nearby, these fruits and veggies often grow bigger and taste better. The extra pollination means more successful fruit set and higher yields for your garden.
Soil Health
Oregano does a lot to keep your garden soil healthy. Its roots help prevent erosion by holding the soil in place. This is especially good if you have a sloped garden or live in an area with heavy rains.
The plant also adds nutrients to the soil as its leaves drop and break down. This natural fertilizer helps feed nearby plants. Oregano’s roots also help loosen compacted soil, making it easier for other plants to grow strong root systems.
Some ways oregano improves soil:
- Prevents erosion
- Adds organic matter
- Loosens compacted dirt
- Improves drainage
By planting oregano throughout your garden, you’re giving your soil a natural boost that benefits all your plants.
How to Plant Oregano with Companions
Planting oregano with companion plants can create a thriving garden ecosystem. The right techniques help these plants grow together in harmony. Here’s how to get started with your oregano companion garden.
Preparation
Pick a sunny spot in your garden for your oregano and companions. Most herbs like full sun. Make sure the soil drains well. Add compost or aged manure to improve soil quality.
Test your soil pH. Oregano likes slightly alkaline soil between 6.5 and 7.0. Adjust if needed.
Avoid planting oregano near mint or chives. They can take over.
Planting Techniques
Space oregano plants 8-10 inches apart. This gives them room to grow. Put taller companions like tomatoes behind oregano. Plant shorter herbs in front.
Try this planting pattern:
- Dig holes for each plant
- Add a handful of compost to each hole
- Place plants in holes at the same depth they were in their pots
- Fill in with soil and pat down gently
- Water well
Watering and Maintenance
Water your new plants deeply right after planting. Then, follow these tips:
- Water when the top inch of soil feels dry
- Water at the base of plants to avoid wet leaves
- Mulch around plants to keep soil moist
- Pinch back oregano tips to encourage bushy growth
- Harvest oregano often to keep it productive
Feed your plants monthly with a balanced organic fertilizer. Watch for pests, but remember that oregano naturally repels many insects.
Trim your oregano if it starts to spread too much. This keeps it from crowding its companions.