Can you plant basil with other herbs in the same pot?

Yes, basil can share a pot with other herbs, as long as they want the same thing it does: full sun and steady moisture. As a quick answer: basil grows well with parsley, cilantro, chives, and dill, and badly with drought-tolerant herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano, and sage. This page is the basil-specific companion to the broader which herbs can you plant together chart.

Why these herbs work with basil

Basil is a thirsty, fast grower that likes evenly moist soil and plenty of light. Parsley, cilantro, chives, and dill share that profile, so a single watering routine keeps the whole pot happy. They also tolerate being cut back regularly, which suits a kitchen herb pot you harvest from often.

• Basil + parsley: the easiest pairing; both thirsty, both sun-loving.
• Basil + cilantro: works well, but cilantro bolts in heat and may finish before the basil slows down.
• Basil + dill: fine if you use a deep pot for dill’s taproot and keep it from shading the basil. See cilantro pot size for the same deep-pot, taproot logic.
• Basil + chives: chives are forgiving and stay compact, so they rarely compete with basil.

What not to plant with basil

Avoid the Mediterranean herbs: rosemary, thyme, oregano, and sage all want to dry out between waterings, so they cannot share basil’s steady-moisture schedule without rotting. Keep mint out too, since it spreads aggressively and will crowd the basil out.

Give basil room and depth

Even with good companions, basil resents crowding. It has a large, thirsty root system, so a shared pot needs to be wide and deep enough for everyone, and basil itself wants the lion’s share. The right container size is covered in basil pot size, and the watering rhythm that keeps a mixed thirsty-herb pot happy is in how often should you water basil.