What Plants to Use in an Organic Garden With Basil

Types of Basil

• Basil is part of the mint family, grown primarily for its aromatic leaves, although its seeds are a component of Thai cooking. Many people are familiar with the traditional sweet basil, used to make pesto or flavor tomatoes. Planting sweet basil with other types of basil gives you a range of flavors. The leaves of lemon basil impart a lemon scent to potpourri and iced tea. Cinnamon basil has dark, shiny leaves, pink flowers and spicy scent and taste. The sweetest taste is found in lettuce leaf basil, a fast-growing, sturdy plant.

Culinary Herbs

• Basil grows well with other culinary herbs that also require a sunny location, well-drained soil and regular watering. Rosemary and chives all require the same growing conditions as basil. In some hardiness zones, rosemary and chives are perennial herbs, while basil is an annual. Annual herbs to consider include parsley, coriander and dill. Choose herbs that you use in your recipes and that you can dry or use to make teas and flavored vinegars and oils.

Vegetables

• Companion planting places plants that are mutually beneficial together to reduce competition for water and nutrients and to decrease pests and disease. In an organic garden, companion planting reduces the need for chemical pesticides. Basil grows successfully as a companion plant to tomatoes, garlic and sweet bell peppers, as it repels bugs and insects from these plants. It also enhances the flavor of these vegetables in any recipe. Alternate basil and one or more of these plants in a row in your vegetable bed, or plant them in the same container.

Flowers

• With its rich green foliage, basil can be an ornamental plant in flower beds. Purple-leaved basil plants provide a colorful contrast to warm-colored perennials such as coral bells and dusty miller. Both purple- and green-leafed basil combine well with any annual flowering plant, including small snapdragons, petunias and French marigolds. In addition to forming an attractive border, basil is renowned as an organic method for keeping flies away from your plants.