Why You Shouldn't Plant Garlic Next To Herbs And What To Plant Instead

Both garlic and herbs are easy to grow, but growing them together could be a mistake, according to The Foodie Gardener Shirley Bovshow (@foodiegardener_ on Instagram and @FoodieGardenerDiabetes on YouTube), award-winning garden designer and certified California naturalist. Chowhound spoke exclusively with the type 2 diabetes peer educator and "Eden Living with Shirley" host to find out why. "Garlic can stunt the growth of certain herbs because they alter soil chemistry by releasing sulfur to the soil," says Bovshow. 

What is it about sulfur that herbs don't like? For one thing, sulfur can make the soil more acidic, and this has a negative impact on herbs that prefer a more alkaline environment, including sage, parsley, cilantro, tarragon, basil, and oregano, according to Bovshow. Too much sulfur can also make the tissues in herbs dry out, as high sulfur levels in soil can prevent plants from absorbing water. As if all that wasn't enough, garlic also has a strong and voracious root system that will ruthlessly compete for water and nutrients in the soil, leaving smaller, weaker plants like herbs with little of the leftovers to survive. 

Just because many herbs do not thrive beside garlic, it doesn't mean other plants won't. Planting garlic is actually one of the best hacks for getting rid of pests in your vegetable garden. This is because the same sulfur it emits that is harmful to herbs is also toxic to pests.  There are several companion plant pairings that will help your garden thrive, and garlic is a main character in many of them. 

As far as figuring out what to plant next to garlic, Shirley Bovshow recommends pairing the allium with tomatoes, as garlic does a wonderful job of repelling unwanted visitors to tomato plants, including aphids and beetles. "It may also reduce the risk of fungal diseases such as early blight," she says. Carrots and garlic are also not only a match made in heaven on your plate but also in the garden, as garlic repels carrot flies. Other vegetables that are happy to grow alongside garlic include kale, potatoes, cabbage, and broccoli. And though many herbs don't do well planted next to garlic, it may reap unique benefits from being close to a couple: chamomile, which can help enhance the flavor of garlic, and rue, which repels maggots, a common pest for garlic plants. 

If your garden includes flowers as well, garlic is perfect for planting next to your rose bushes. Bovshow notes that rose aphids aren't fans of the pungent sulfur compounds, and garlic can help protect roses from fungal infections. Another way to use garlic as an ally to your roses is to simply bury a few cloves in the soil nearby. The sulfur will diffuse into the soil and be taken up by the rose plant, making it unsavory to pests.

When planting garlic, many people wonder if you can plant grocery store garlic to grow your own, and though the answer is technically yes, Bovshow cautions against it. "Store-bought garlic may be treated with chemicals to prevent sprouting or could carry diseases that could infect your garden," she says. While certified seed garlic is the best choice, it's not your only option. "I've been pretty lucky though planting bulbs from organically grown garlic from my local farmer's market!" Bovshow tells us.