benefit and elevate your plants and garden as a whole.

Companion Planting With Sage
Good companion plants for sage fall into two broad categories: beneficial and good matches.

Unlike other types of companion plants where benefits are mutual, in the case of sage the benefits usually go one way; sage is the one that is beneficial to other plants because sage itself is bothered by few pests. Sage aids in pest control by deterring certain pests from vulnerable plants and attracting beneficial insects and pollinators like butterflies and bees.

In the second category of companion plants are crops that make a good match when planted as neighbors. These plants have similar growing conditions to sage, such as light, water, and fertilizer needs. The plants won't overgrow or shade sun-loving sage, and they don’t compete for space or nutrients.

Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more!

01
of 18
Arugula
Sage deters black flea beetles, a common pest of all members of the Brassica family. In leafy greens such as arugula, beetles chomping away at the plant is especially destructive.

02
of 18
Carrots
Its strong scent makes sage an excellent companion plant for carrots. Its aroma masks the scent of carrot plants, so it's more difficult for carrot flies to find carrot plants. Carrot flies, also known as carrot rust flies, are small black flies that feed on the roots of carrots.

03
of 18
Kale
Cabbage loopers, cabbageworms, and flea beetles attack all members of the Brassica family, and kale is no exception. The potent smell of sage with camphor as a key component tells pests to look elsewhere to breed and feed.

04
of 18
Radishes
Though flea beetles feed on radish leaves and not on the bulbs, it is still a good idea to have sage growing as a companion near your radishes to deter the pest. Severely damaged foliage leads to stunted growth.

05
of 18
Broccoli
Planting sage as a companion plant for broccoli is a way of biological pest control. The sage keeps cabbage moths away, and the fewer moths that lay their eggs on the broccoli leaves, the fewer cabbage worms will be on your broccoli later.

06
of 18
Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are notorious victims of cabbage worms and cabbage looper moths. The moths of both can be deterred by sage plants nearby.

07
of 18
Cabbage
Cruciferous vegetables, which include all types of cabbage, attract cabbage moths, which later hatch into voracious cabbage worms or cabbage loopers. As a deterrent, sage ranks top on the list of companion plants for cabbage.

08
of 18
Cauliflower
Cauliflower is not the easiest vegetable to grow, partly because it is highly susceptible to cabbage worms and cabbage loopers. Sage plants help keep these pests away.

09
of 18
Collard Greens
The holes in the leaves of collard greens are usually a dead giveaway that flea beetles have been feeding on the plant. The plants are also susceptible to cabbage loopers and cabbage worms. With sage as a companion plant, you can keep all three pests at bay in one fell swoop.

10
of 18
Bok Choi
Bok choy, also known as Chinese cabbage, is a member of the Brassica family and attracts cabbage moths, which turn into cabbage worms in their larval stage, as well as flea beetles. Sage helps to deter both pests.

11
of 18
Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is a cool-weather crop, but that doesn't mean that there are no cabbage worms and flea beetles around. Sage works as a deterrent as long as there are fresh, green leaves on the plant.

12
of 18
Mustard Greens
If you don't want the tender mustard greens to be riddled with holes from flea beetle feeding, plant a sage nearby. It will also help deter cabbage worms and cabbage loopers.

13
of 18
Turnip
If you plan on harvesting tender young turnip greens, keep flea beetles away with a sage plant nearby. The camphor content in the leaves, which deters pests, decreases as the leaves mature so make sure to cut your sage regularly to encourage new, fresh foliage growth.

14
of 18
Strawberries
There is more than one good reason to plant sage, preferably more than one, as a companion plant for strawberries. The strong scent of the leaves masks the smell of the plants for insects and predators. Plus, blooming sage attracts bees and other pollinators, improving the strawberry crop.

15
of 18
Lemon Balm
Sage is a good companion plant for herbs with similar growing conditions, and lemon balm is one of them. It is also a perennial that thrives in full sun and requires little to moderate watering.

16
of 18
Oregano
Oregano is considered a good companion plant for sage, especially in an herb garden with mostly perennial herbs. Both sage and oregano thrive in full sun and sandy soil and stand up to moderate drought.

17
of 18
Peppermint
Peppermint is another good companion for sage because of similar growing conditions. However, because of its rampant growth, you need to keep peppermint from overgrowing sage, which stays much more compact and does not spread like peppermint. A good way to control peppermint is to plant it in a container with the bottom removed, which restrict its horizontal root growth.

18
of 18
Rosemary
Rosemary and sage are a classic combo not only in the kitchen (and in song), but also in an herb garden. These sun-loving herbs are both members of the mint family and share the same growing requirements; once established, they are both drought-tolerant.