Should You Plant Basil And Sage Together In Your Garden?

Herb gardens can bring beauty to your yard as well as delicious flavors to your kitchen. Because these beloved edible plants like sage and basil are so often used together in recipes, you may instinctively want to grow them together in the garden as well. Surprisingly though, despite how well they pair in the kitchen, sage and basil actually have very different needs and don't make ideal companion plants. Because of this, it's best not to plant them together, and to instead give them their own separate spaces. 

While culinary sage (Salvia officinalis) is native to the Mediterranean, basil (Ocimum basilicum) is originally from India. Even though both plants are part of the larger mint family, they differ in everything from their hardiness zones to their soil needs. While you can certainly grow each of these types of herbs, you'll likely need to plant them in different spots in your yard to ensure that both your basil and sage are able to thrive and grow their best.

While sage can easily be grown as a perennial in much of the United States as it is hardy in zones 4 through 8, the same cannot be said for basil, which is only hardy in zones 9 through 11. So in much of North America basil is either grown as an annual or brought inside for winter months. This difference alone can impact where you may want to grow these plants, as your basil will either need to be pulled out at the end of the growing season or brought to a protected location, while there is no need to uproot your sage in many areas.

Even worse for their compatibility is this: while sage thrives in sandy and rocky soil, basil grows best in rich soil that has been amended with compost. Sage is also far more drought tolerant than basil, which requires moist soil and should be watered often. So while sage plants could be good additions to a water-wise garden, the same cannot be said for basil — another good reason they're not matched for companion planting.

Despite their difference, both sage and basil enjoy full sun locations, and each of them can also grow in spots with part sun. Because of this, the plants will likely thrive next to each other in container gardens, as long as they are in separate planters with their own preferred soil. You can also opt to plant sage in the ground, pairing it with other herbs with similar needs, and grow your basil in a nearby pot.

Another option is to grow your basil plants with tomato plants as there are multiple benefits of planting them together. Studies have suggested that these benefits can include fewer pests and healthier tomato plants. While your basil plants are thriving in your veggie garden with your tomatoes, your sage can then grow alongside other companion herbs like oregano or thyme, which also flourish in the drier and less enriched soil that sage enjoys. You could even care for lavender plants alongside your sage, as they too thrive in sunny locations and drier soils.