Companion Plants for Mint: What to Plant With (and Avoid)

The best companion plants for mint are kale, cabbage, broccoli and tomatoes. Avoid planting mint near strawberries and parsley.

Mint spreads by underground runners and takes over any bed it's planted in, so it's best grown as a companion in a pot — set on the soil or sunk into the bed with the rim above the surface. Its strong scent is the basis of traditional pairings with cabbage, kale, broccoli and tomatoes; research on mint as a pest repellent gives inconsistent results.

Never plant mint loose among strawberries or parsley: both are low, long-lived plants that mint runners smother quickly.

Good companions
4
Plants to avoid
2
Research-supported
0

Mentha spicata, Mentha × piperita · mint family (Lamiaceae)

Yes — mint and kale are good companions

Pest controlTraditional

Potted mint near kale is a traditional deterrent for flea beetles and cabbage moths; trial results are inconsistent.

What Are the Best Companion Plants for Mint?

Mint grows best with kale, cabbage, broccoli and tomatoes. 4 plants in our chart pair well with mint, mostly by deterring or trapping pests; none of those pairings are research-supported.

Good companion plants for mint, strongest evidence first.
KalePest controlPotted mint near kale is a traditional deterrent for flea beetles and cabbage moths; trial results are inconsistent.Traditional
CabbagePest controlMint grown in a pot near cabbage is a traditional deterrent for cabbage moths and flea beetles; trials give inconsistent results.Traditional
BroccoliPest controlPotted mint near broccoli is said to deter cabbage moths and flea beetles; the evidence is inconsistent.Traditional
TomatoesPest controlPotted mint near tomatoes is a traditional aphid deterrent; evidence is inconsistent. Never plant mint loose in the bed.Traditional

Good companion plants for mint, strongest evidence first.

What Should You Not Plant With Mint?

Don't plant mint near strawberries and parsley. The conflicts come mainly from competition for space, light or water; none of the 2 are research-supported and the rest are practical or traditional rules.

Plants to keep away from mint.
StrawberriesCompetitionMint runners invade strawberry beds and are nearly impossible to weed out without digging up the berries.Practical
ParsleyCompetitionMint runners overrun parsley within a season in a shared pot or bed.Practical

Plants to keep away from mint.

Which Mint Companion Claims Are Backed by Research?

None of the 6 mint pairings in our data has direct research support: 2 rest on practical horticulture and 4 are traditional claims passed down in gardening books.

Research-supported pairings rest on documented biology: shared pathogens, pollination, nematode suppression or insects that feed on specific flowers. Practical pairings are plain logic about space, shade and timing. Traditional companions such as kale, cabbage, broccoli and tomatoes are harmless to grow with mint, but don't rely on them for pest control — row covers, crop rotation and regular checks do more.

How Should You Plant Mint With Companions?

Grow mint in a container at least 12 inches (30 cm) wide, set on the soil or sunk with the rim about 2 inches (5 cm) above ground, next to cabbage or tomatoes.

Companions still need room of their own, so work out how many mint and partner plants fit in a bed with the plant spacing calculator. Mint is perennial, so check winter survival in your USDA hardiness zone by ZIP code before choosing a permanent spot for it and its companions.

Watering, feeding, light and harvest timing for mint are covered in the spearmint care guide.

Which Crops Share Companions With Mint?

Basil, cabbage and oregano share companion plants or growing conditions with mint, so their companion guides help plan the same bed or rotation.

  • The guide to companion plants for basil overlaps with this one: both crops grow well with tomatoes; as members of the same plant family, the two should rotate together.
  • The guide to companion plants for cabbage covers a crop grown in similar conditions, and cabbage is a good companion for mint too.
  • The guide to companion plants for oregano covers a crop grown in similar conditions; as members of the same plant family, the two should rotate together.

To check mint against every other plant at once, or test a whole bed plan, use the companion planting chart and garden checker.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best companion plant for mint?
Kale is one of the best-supported companions for mint. Potted mint near kale is a traditional deterrent for flea beetles and cabbage moths; trial results are inconsistent.
What should you not plant with mint?
Avoid planting mint near strawberries and parsley. The most important conflict is with strawberries: Mint runners invade strawberry beds and are nearly impossible to weed out without digging up the berries.
Can you plant mint and basil together?
Yes, mint and basil can share a bed; neither is known to help or harm the other. Both belong to the mint family (Lamiaceae), so they share pests and diseases — rotate them together and don't follow one with the other.
Does companion planting really work for mint?
Partly. None of the 6 mint pairings in our data are backed by research, 2 are practical space or timing rules, and 4 are traditional. Flowers that feed beneficial insects and separating crops that share diseases have the strongest evidence.

Companion data: PlantoScan's own editorial compilation, written from general horticultural knowledge, plant pathology and published intercropping research. Evidence labels are our editorial judgment; results vary with climate, soil, variety and pest pressure.