Basil

Ocimum basilicum

Lamiaceae

Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum

Solanaceae

Can you plant basil and tomatoes together?

Yes. Basil and tomatoes grow well together. A shared bed gave about 7% more harvest than separate beds in 3 field trials, and basil kept pests off tomatoes in a field trial.

Why basil and tomatoes work together

More harvest from the same bed. In 3 field trials, a bed with both crops gave about 7% more harvest than the same space split into a basil bed and a tomato bed.
Mixed cropping of vegetables to improve organic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production in small farmer systems (Reynafarje · 2016)
and 2 more sources
Fewer pests. In a field trial, basil kept pests off tomatoes.
Aromatic plants affect the selection of host tomato plants by Bemisia tabaci biotype B (Carvalho MG · 2017 · Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata.)
Helpful plant chemistry. In a greenhouse or pot trial, chemicals given off by basil helped tomatoes.
Companion basil plants prime the tomato wound response through volatile signaling in a mixed planting system. (Yoshida R · 2024 · Plant cell reports)
Better soil and nutrient uptake. In a greenhouse or pot trial, basil improved the soil or nutrient uptake of tomatoes.
The intercropping partner affects arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici interactions in tomato (Hage-Ahmed · 2013 · Mycorrhiza)
Garden charts recommend it. 2 garden chart entries recommend growing them together. Charts pass on gardening tradition; they are not tests.
Companion Plants (Alabama Cooperative Extension System)
and 3 more sources

What to plant with basil and tomatoes

Good neighbours of both, best tested first.

CabbageWith basil: 12% more harvestWith tomatoes: 34% more harvest
BeanWith basil: 21% more harvestWith tomatoes: 18% more harvest
EggplantWith basil: Draws in pest-eating insectsWith tomatoes: 12% more harvest
OkraWith basil: Bigger combined harvestWith tomatoes: About the same harvest
AsparagusRecommended by garden charts for both, not tested yet

All 6 plants that suit both, with the evidence

What to keep away from basil and tomatoes

ThymeWith basil: Garden charts advise against it, not tested
RosemaryWith tomatoes: Garden charts advise against it, not tested

The evidence in detail

For readers who want to dig in: every chart entry, study and yield trial behind the answer above, with the numbers.

Tradition, research and yield trials

Tradition

Good

avoidgood

2 chart entries: 2 recommend, 0 advise against.

All entries cite a source.

Research

Good

avoidgood

4 papers found: 3 positive, 0 negative, 1 no effect.

allelopathypest suppressionyield / land usenutrients / soil

auto-classified not reviewed by a person

Yield trial

Good

0.41

0.86

Tomato gains more. Partial LER is each crop's share of the yield it would give alone.

3 field trials. Published LERs lean high.

Good neighbours

What happens above and below ground

Each animation illustrates a mechanism a study reported for this pair. Pick a card to focus on it.

Everything at once.

What is going on (5)

Pick a card to spotlight its animation in the scene.

Basil TomatoBasil helps keep pests off Tomato: its scent and plant chemistry confuse or repel the insects that would attack it.

Researchfield trial x1

Aromatic plants affect the selection of host tomato plants by Bemisia tabaci biotype B (Carvalho MG · 2017 · Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata.)

Basil TomatoBasil changes the soil for Tomato, sharing nutrients or feeding the fungal threads that link their roots.

Researchgreenhouse / pot trial x1

The intercropping partner affects arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici interactions in tomato (Hage-Ahmed · 2013 · Mycorrhiza)

Basil TomatoBasil releases root chemicals that benefit Tomato.

Researchgreenhouse / pot trial x1

Companion basil plants prime the tomato wound response through volatile signaling in a mixed planting system. (Yoshida R · 2024 · Plant cell reports)

Basil TomatoStudies looked at yield / land use for Basil and Tomato and found no clear difference.

Researchfield trial x1

Do Tomatoes Love Basil but Hate Brussels Sprouts? Competition and Land-Use Efficiency of Popularly Recommended and Discouraged Crop Mixtures in Biointensive Agriculture Systems (Bomford · 2009)

Basil TomatoMedian land equivalent ratio 1.07 over 3 trials: growing them together gave 1.07 times the harvest of two separate plots of the same size.

Partial LERs (medians): Basil 0.31 + Tomato 0.92. Range across treatments 1.03 to 1.24. Medians are taken separately, so the parts need not add up to the median LER. LER above 1 is biased upward by publication bias.

Yield trialfield trial x3

Mixed cropping of vegetables to improve organic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production in small farmer systems (Reynafarje · 2016)

Produtividade do tomateiro em cultivo solteiro e consorciado com espécies aromáticas e medicinais X1 - Yield of tomato in monocrop and intercropping with aromatics plants (Carvalho · 2009)

1 more source

Do Tomatoes Love Basil but Hate Brussels Sprouts? Competition and Land-Use Efficiency of Popularly Recommended and Discouraged Crop Mixtures in Biointensive Agriculture Systems (Bomford · 2009)

Tradition saysGood

2 gardening-lore entries. Lore is a starting point, not proof.

Companion Plants (Alabama Cooperative Extension System)

Companion planting: A method for sustainable pest control (Riesselman · Iowa State University)

2 more sources

The intercropping partner affects arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici interactions in tomato (Hage-Ahmed · 2013 · Mycorrhiza)

Yield, pest density, and tomato flavour effects of companion planting in garden-scale studies incorporating tomato, basil, and Brussels sprout. (Bomford · 2004 · Organic eprints)

Companion plants for both basil and tomatoes

Plants that are good neighbours of each. Biggest harvest gain first; each cell links to the evidence for that pair.

Plant	With basil	With tomatoes
Cabbage	12% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 2 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for basil and cabbage	34% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 4 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for tomatoes and cabbage
Bean	Fewer pests21% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 3 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for basil and beans	18% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 2 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for tomatoes and beans
Eggplant	Draws in pest-eating insectsGreenhouse or pot trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for basil and eggplant	12% more harvest from the same spaceSame family (Solanaceae): shares pests and diseasesField trial, 2 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for tomatoes and eggplant
Okra	Bigger combined harvestField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for basil and okra	About the same harvest as separate bedsField trial, 2 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for tomatoes and okra

Harvest from the same space compares a bed with both crops against the same area split into single-crop beds, counting the harvest of both crops (the land equivalent ratio in yield trials).

Recommended by garden charts for both, not tested yet

Asparagus Oregano

The evidence, with sources

ResearchGood4 entries

Goodallelopathygreenhouse / pot trialauto-classified

Basil helps Tomato
Companion basil plants prime the tomato wound response through volatile signaling in a mixed planting system.
Companion basil plants prime the tomato wound response through volatile signaling in a mixed planting system. (Yoshida R · 2024 · Plant cell reports)

Relevance 96% · effect confidence 84%
Goodpest suppressionfield trialauto-classified

Basil helps Tomato
Aromatic plants affect the selection of host tomato plants by Bemisia tabaci biotype B
Aromatic plants affect the selection of host tomato plants by Bemisia tabaci biotype B (Carvalho MG · 2017 · Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata.)

Relevance 89% · effect confidence 91%
No effectyield / land usefield trialauto-classified

Do Tomatoes Love Basil but Hate Brussels Sprouts? Competition and Land-Use Efficiency of Popularly Recommended and Discouraged Crop Mixtures in Biointensive Agriculture Systems
Do Tomatoes Love Basil but Hate Brussels Sprouts? Competition and Land-Use Efficiency of Popularly Recommended and Discouraged Crop Mixtures in Biointensive Agriculture Systems (Bomford · 2009)

Relevance 88% · effect confidence 55%
Goodnutrients / soilgreenhouse / pot trialauto-classified

Basil helps Tomato
The intercropping partner affects arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici interactions in tomato.
The intercropping partner affects arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici interactions in tomato (Hage-Ahmed · 2013 · Mycorrhiza)

Relevance 97% · effect confidence 66%

Yield trialGood3 entries

No effectLER 1.03field trial

Peru, NA; Additive design; median LER 1.03 over 1 treatment(s) · partial LER Basil 0.31, Tomato 0.72
Mixed cropping of vegetables to improve organic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production in small farmer systems (Reynafarje · 2016)
GoodLER 1.71field trial

Brazil, 2006; Additive design; median LER 1.71 over 1 treatment(s) · partial LER Basil 0.76, Tomato 0.96
Produtividade do tomateiro em cultivo solteiro e consorciado com espécies aromáticas e medicinais X1 - Yield of tomato in monocrop and intercropping with aromatics plants (Carvalho · 2009)
GoodLER 1.07field trial

USA, 2001-2002; Replacement design; median LER 1.07 over 2 treatment(s) · partial LER Basil 0.155, Tomato 0.915
Do Tomatoes Love Basil but Hate Brussels Sprouts? Competition and Land-Use Efficiency of Popularly Recommended and Discouraged Crop Mixtures in Biointensive Agriculture Systems (Bomford · 2009)

TraditionGood2 entries

GoodBasil helps Tomato
Tomatoes: helped by basil
Companion Plants (Alabama Cooperative Extension System)
Companion planting: A method for sustainable pest control (Riesselman · Iowa State University)
The intercropping partner affects arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici interactions in tomato (Hage-Ahmed · 2013 · Mycorrhiza)
Yield, pest density, and tomato flavour effects of companion planting in garden-scale studies incorporating tomato, basil, and Brussels sprout. (Bomford · 2004 · Organic eprints)
GoodBasil helps Tomato
Basil: helps Tomato
Companion Plants (Alabama Cooperative Extension System)
Companion planting: A method for sustainable pest control (Riesselman · Iowa State University)
The intercropping partner affects arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici interactions in tomato (Hage-Ahmed · 2013 · Mycorrhiza)
Yield, pest density, and tomato flavour effects of companion planting in garden-scale studies incorporating tomato, basil, and Brussels sprout. (Bomford · 2004 · Organic eprints)

Plan a bed with basil and tomatoes

All neighbours of basil and of tomato, or every pair at once in the companion planting chart.

Have you grown basil and tomatoes together?

Tell other gardeners what happened: spacing, pests, harvest, or ask a question. Reader notes are not checked by us and do not change the verdicts on this page.