The Clever Reason To Plant Basil And Tomato Together In Your Garden

Some might say there is no tastier pairing of ingredients than tomato and basil. Rivaling classic matches like peanut butter and jelly, the way the two complement each other in fare like bruschetta and creamy tomato soup with basil oil is a chef's dream. However, their extraordinary union isn't just advantageous in the kitchen. Before they ever make it to the dinner table, tomato and basil plants benefit from being grown side-by-side in your garden.

Similar to how planting the three sisters together (those would be corn, beans, and squash) helps each individual plant thrive, basil and tomatoes grown in close proximity to one another assist each other's development in numerous ways. One of the primary benefits of planting them together is pest control. Insects like aphids and hornworms will never miss an opportunity to chow down on a healthy tomato plant, but those same critters often detest the powerful scent of basil. What most folks view as an uplifting aromatic, pests find abhorrent, and when the herb is grown near tomatoes, the pungent smell can help to keep those invasive bugs from enjoying a stolen feast.

Basil can also warn you that a fungal infestation is taking place, as it can show signs of disease before tomato plants do, giving you a chance to remedy the situation before it is too late. However, the tomatoes aren't the only ones getting perks from this form of companion planting. Basil can grow stronger and healthier when planted near its ruby red friend in the garden.

Basil enjoys growing in sunny areas of the garden, just like tomatoes, but intense midday heat can be too much for the delicate herb. Tomato plants often tower over basil, meaning their multitude of leaves provides cover when the sun is beating down. That not only gives the herb a much-needed break from the heat, but it also keeps the ground shaded. When the soil around the plants isn't baking in the sun, it holds more moisture in the ground that both plants desperately need. Basil even sucks up water once it is harvested, as illustrated by the eye-catching hack that keeps it fresh longer, and keeping the soil moist creates an environment where it can thrive while it grows.

Those familiar with growing tomatoes know that they require more than just ample watering to be the best tomatoes they can be. They also need an adequate amount of nutrients. While basil doesn't necessarily require much extra help in this department, it doesn't mind if added nutrients are present in the soil. That makes caring for the two plants a breeze, as you can essentially treat them as one and the same. It is somewhat astounding that two ingredients that so beautifully complement each other in the kitchen provide so much mutual assistance as they mature in a garden, but as they say, what grows together, goes together.