The Companion Herb That Helps Broccoli Thrive In The Garden

If you're the gardening type, you might have considered adding broccoli to your lineup. This lovely crop is easy to grow in a home garden — in USDA Hardiness Zones 2 through 11 — and it's absolutely packed with vitamins. Unfortunately, you're not the only one who loves them – bugs like beetles and moths also do. However, you can make your life a whole lot easier by considering companion planting – the premise that some crops help each other while other ones harm each other. Thinking about which plants you pair can make a complete difference when growing a thriving and sustainable ecosystem in your garden. Companion plants can provide each other with everything from shade to breaking up soil for root space, to keeping insects away.

For example, rosemary's ability to keep pesky critters away makes it one of the best companion plants for broccoli. Growing best in USDA Zones 7 through 11, rosemary's incredibly strong and distinctive smell can keep bugs — particularly different types of beetles– away. However, unlike some other companion pairings, rosemary and broccoli do not like the same kind of soil, meaning there are a few things to consider when deciding how to plant these two in close proximity.

Broccoli can be planted in the summer, and even in the spring in some parts of the U.S. It likes full sun but does not love excessive heat. Similarly, rosemary does well in full sun and blooms in the summer. The key difference between the two is that broccoli is a bit thirstier than rosemary, meaning it needs damper soil than rosemary. Therefore, the best way to keep broccoli well-watered without drowning rosemary is to plant the latter in a nearby pot. 

Rosemary grows just as well in containers as in the ground and this can allow you to keep its roots dry. On top of that, growing this kind of perennial herb in a pot gives you the option to move it indoors during colder months. This can allow your plant to live on for several seasons. Ensure you use bigger containers with proper drainage, and use sandy soil or even soil mixes meant for cacti when potting. Let the soil dry as much as possible before watering it.

On the contrary, water your broccoli plants often and don't let their soil dry out in between watering sessions. While these two plants might not share the same needs for soil and water, they still can help each other. Harnessing rosemary's natural bug repellant abilities is much safer than using chemicals, so it's worth keeping them close together in your garden. Not only that, but you can also use them both in delicious recipes.