Lemon verbena companion plants is a great plant to grow together with other as it has unique benefits for other plants. This plant help manage pests, diseases, and animals that may hinder their successful growth.
Lemon verbena thrives in USDA zone six and has a short life span; therefore, every plant you grow together should have the same growth pattern. Let’s look at some companions you can grow with lemon verbena and gardening tips.
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A List of Lemon Verbena Companion Plants
1. Cilantro
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Cilantro is an excellent addition to any herb garden. It shares the same growing conditions with lemon verbena making it easy to grow both together.
Plant lemon verbena with cilantro to deter spider mites that commonly affect it. These herbs are a common ones that are used in flavoring foods. It is also used as medicine for toothache, cancer, measles, and other conditions.
Cilantro or coriander is a popular herb with thin, green stems and flat, lacy leaves. This herb is eaten fresh and used in a variety of cuisines. It is best to plant it in the spring, and it matures 30 days after planting.
In order to plant them properly you must know the planting guide of this herb, which would be to plant them in a fully sunny location in well-drained, moist soils. Provide partial shade from the harsh afternoon sun.
Water these plants regularly throughout their growing season, providing at least one inch per week. In addition, make sure that you must thin the seedlings at least six inches apart to give them room to develop. Lastly, it is also very important to fertilize them by using nitrogen fertilizer at least once or twice throughout the growing season.
2. Basil
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Basil is the king of herbs and is common in most gardens. It is a perfect companion to lemon verbena as it keeps the common thrips away, protecting it from damage. These two also share the same growing conditions, which makes it easy to grow them side by side.
This is an annual or perennial plant belonging to the family of Lamiaceae. It’s grown for its leaves that are used as a herb. It has silky green oval leaves and produces tiny white flowers clustered on a single spike at the top of the plant.
Also referred to as St. John’s Wort, it is used as a fresh or dried herb for cooking. It is popularly used in Southeast Asia to make beverages when mixed with some spirits. The leaves contain essential oils in dental products, cosmetics, and perfumes.
Harvest often enables the plant to grow more. Pinch off the stem above a pair of leaves to allow them to grow more. In addition, don’t forget to remove the flowers to allow the leaves to maintain their flavor.
This herb thrives in a warm area and is very sensitive to frost, needing protection. The plant thrives in fertile, moist soil with a pH of six to seven. Moreover, it requires full sunlight for at least six to eight hours daily and partial afternoon shade.
3. Garlic
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Garlic is a common addition to any garden. It is not only healthy, but it is a great companion plant to verbena as it keeps the spider mites away.
Garlic comes in wide varieties but falls into two main categories – hard neck garlic and softneck garlic. Hardneck garlic has a hard center stalk known as scape and a stronger or hot flavor but the shorter shelf life of at least three months after harvest.
On the other hand the softneck garlic does not form a hard center stalk; its tops stay supple and soft and have a milder flavor lasting up to six months.
Garlic is commonly used in cooking across various cuisines. You can also use them medically to restore health in multiple ways, like building your immune system and reducing cholesterol levels.
Garlic thrives in full sun, so grow them in an area that receives six to eight hours daily. Ensure the soil is well-draining and enriched with aged manure.
Mulch with about six inches of old hay once the cold season begins, however you must be gently mulching your plants and add a layer of compost. Feed with fertilizer once a month after planting. Remove weeds to stop them from competing against garlic.
4. Dill
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Dill is one of the best lemon verbena companion herbs. Growing lemon verbena with dill deters spider mites. Dill is a common herb used as a fresh or culinary herb. The leaves make tea, and the seeds can be used as a spice.
Dill is a herbaceous annual that is very aromatic, with an erect growing habit. It has fine soft fiber-like leaves arranged into an open cone style and is blue-green. Its yellow flowers can grow up to six inches in diameter.
Dill grows best in full sun for six to eight hours and in various soils. It thrives in well-draining sandy or loamy soil enriched with an organic matter with a pH value of 5.6 to 6.5.
In addition it is a hardy plant that requires little water irrigating once or twice a week. You must also apply a light fertilizer in late spring to sustain it throughout its growing season.
5. Lemon Balm
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Lemon balm companion plants are many and include dill, basil, and verbena. It attracts pollinators due to its strong flower scents and deters pests like aphids and spider mites. Grow lemon verbena together with verbena to protect it from any pest damage.
Lemon balm is a bushy herbaceous of the mint family. It grows commonly as border fronts due to its lemon-scented leaves. This plant has two subspecies: the ordinary and the cultivated. These two species have a few types that differ in leaf color and other aspects.
This plant grows in well-drained soils under full sun and partial afternoon shade. It spreads by rhizomes growing in gardens and containers. Moreover, this plant self-seeds and therefore requires control, which also means that you must be pruning it regularly to control its growth.
6. Bee Balm
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Bee balm is an excellent companion plant that grows as a perennial flower next to a lemon verbena plant. Bee balm is used as a herbal remedy for various ailments. Used in teas that help digestive problems, bloating, nausea, and sore throats. It is also a natural antiseptic helping rash, wounds, and bee stings.
Bee balm is a herbaceous perennial native to the North Carolina mountains. Attracts bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies for pollination due to the strong fragrance that it has. It produces tubular blooms in the summer sun that are eye-catching.
These fragrant blooms would begin to thrive when they are placed in a rich, moist, well-drained soils and a sunny location.
It tolerates shade in the afternoon from the hot summer areas. Bee balm is easy to grow if you water it frequently. Provide it with an organic or any other quality fertilizer working the soil around the plant. Pinch off the stem tips as new growth appears in the spring.
Conclusion
Lemon verbena companion plants help repel certain pests while attracting suitable pollinators to help the ecosystem.
The list above contains plants you can grow with verbena, but before that, consider these points.
- Various pests like aphids and spider mites are known to attack lemon verbena, quickly destroying it if not prevented early enough.
- Instead of using pesticides to manage these pests, it’s best to go the organic way and use companion planting using the above plants to eliminate this problem.
- The easiest plants to grow if you are a new gardener or don’t have much time to care for them include dill, basil, and bee balm.
If neglected, Verbena can easily fall prey to pest infestation; therefore, taking care of this plant is essential. Gardening experts have advised using companion planting to eliminate pests and diseases, so why not try it out?
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