If you have been gardening for quite some time now, you’ve probably already learned that some plants are a match made in heaven while others should be kept far away from one another.
Take cilantro, for instance. I absolutely love this herb and I always use it when making salsa. But once I planted it alongside my tomatoes, things got messy. The herb didn’t thrive and my tomatoes just looked… sad.
Easy-to-grow herbs like cilantro might seem harmless, but they have their own preferences. Cilantro is great at repelling pests so you can grow it with your veggies like beans and peas. But put it too close to certain crops and they’ll suddenly wilt and deteriorate.
So, before you go planting cilantro together with other veggies, you should figure out which plants it would rather NOT share space with.
Don’t Pair Cilantro With Fennel
The number one plant that’s not a great companion to cilantro is fennel.
At first glance, you might think these two leafy herbs belong together, but trust me, they’re more like frenemies. Fennel actually has a dark side – it can mess with other plants!
This plant releases chemicals into the soil that can stop nearby plants from growing well. So, if you plant cilantro next to fennel, you might as well say goodbye to a healthy harvest.
Instead of having vibrant green leaves ready for your salsa, you’ll get a sad, stunted plant. Remember, nothing good comes out of growing these two plants close to each other.
Related: This Is How You Should Prune Your Cilantro For Maximum Flavor And Growth
But There Are Other Plants That Are Not Good Companions Either
Before you place cilantro next to other herbs in your garden, it’s important to check if they like the same soil and growing conditions.
Cilantro loves well-drained, moist soil and partial sunlight. It also prefers cooler weather; if it gets too hot (over 85°F), it might turn bitter (and nothing can fix bitter crops).
All of this means cilantro won’t be happy growing next to drought-loving herbs like thyme or rosemary. These plants enjoy their soil a little drier and too much moisture can cause them to rot or get fungal issues.
Even though rosemary and thyme are best buddies, cilantro would rather hang out with other plants that enjoy a refreshing cup of water!
Another herb that’s not a good match for cilantro is lavender. The reason? They have totally different soil needs!
Cilantro thrives in nutrient-rich, loose black garden soil, while lavender prefers drier soils that are a bit sandy or gravelly and don’t need a lot of nutrients.
So, if you want your cilantro to flourish, keep it away from those dry-loving herbs and pair it up with plants that share its thirst for moisture!
Related: How To Get From Seeds To Cilantro Sprouts: All The Answers And More