Companion Plants for Basil
Traditional companions for basil include tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers.
These are garden traditions, collected from 11 US extension guides. Few have been tested in trials, so treat them as a starting point: spacing, sun and rotation matter more.
Good companions for basil
Spacing is per square foot, for a raised bed planted square by square. Cool-season companions can share the bed before or after a warm-season crop, or grow in its shade.
| Plant | Kind | Spacing | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Tomatoes | Vegetable | 1 per sq ft | Warm season |
| Cucumbers | Vegetable | 2 per sq ft | Warm season |
| Tomatoes | Vegetable | 1 per sq ft | Warm season |
What the evidence says
Companion planting charts come from long garden experience, and most pairs have never been tried in a replicated trial. Several extension services say so directly; one review gives traditional charts more entertainment than scientific value.
Planting basil with tomatoes has some trial support (Penn State Extension).
What reliably helps basil: the right planting dates, enough space, and moving crops to a new bed each year (crop rotation).
Plant them side by side
Draw your beds, tap squares to plant basil next to their companions, and get every crop's planting dates for your ZIP code. Free, in your browser.
Questions
What can I plant with basil?
The traditional companions are tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers. Plant companions in neighbouring rows or squares rather than in the same hole.
Does companion planting with basil work?
Most pairings are tradition rather than tested results: extension services call companion planting promising but largely unproven. Planting basil with tomatoes has some trial support (Penn State Extension). Good spacing, sun, water and rotation do more for a harvest than any single pairing.
How close can tomatoes grow to basil?
In a raised bed planted by the square foot, give basil 4 per sq ft and tomatoes 1 per sq ft, in neighbouring squares. In rows, basil needs 12 in between plants.
More companion plants
Sources
- UC Master Gardener Program, UC ANR: Companion Planting Chart: Companion Planting for Edible Crops
- University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension, Kenosha County: Companion Plants for the Vegetable Garden (column, 2012)
- Oregon State University Extension Service: Companion Planting (Food Hero, 2021)
- Oregon State University Extension Service: Herbs and Flowers in the Vegetable Garden
- Utah State University Extension, Utah 4-H: Creating Sustainable School and Home Gardens: Companion Planting (2025)
- Penn State Extension: Herbs Make Good Plant Partners and Companions
- SDSU Extension: Square-Foot Garden Sample Planting Layout (P-00379, 2026)
- University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County: The Art of Companion Planting (Master Gardener presentation, 2023)
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC: Plant Partners: 5 Benefits of Companion Planting (2025)
- N.C. A&T State University Cooperative Extension: Five Veggies You Can Grow at Home
- University of Vermont Extension: Creating a Biodiverse Vegetable Garden (2023)