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Can Oregano and Thyme be Planted Together? (Explained)

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Last updated on September 23rd, 2022 at 02:08 pm

Practicing mixed cropping like all things has its benefits and disadvantages. Therefore, determining the best method for anything is up to you after careful consideration of other factors.

You can do growing crops on the same land as long as they are not competitive with another and have enough room to grow.

Some crops can exist in a symbiotic relationship when growing together, both benefiting from the relationship, or some can be suffocating to each other, causing one to wither or die off.

The oregano and the thyme have more similarities than you may think. They both belong to the aromatic herb family and are both mint plants.

can oregano and thyme be planted together?

The answer is, Yes. Since they both belong to the mint family, this gives you an ideal match because of their similarities. As long as they are provided with the right nutrients and conditions for proper growth, they would do well together.

Why Is it Possible for Oregano and Thyme to be Planted Together?

It is pretty common to see most gardens give you the go-ahead to plant the oregano and thyme together, but why, though?

They both belong to the mint family, and they tend to be pretty invasive. And being in the mint family, there is a tendency for them to cross-pollinate, causing them to lose their flavor.

Hence, it shouldn’t be the best option to plant them together.

However, with adequate spacing and their genetic makeup, this is avoided in the oregano and thyme.

Both oregano and thyme have similar conditions necessary for growth. As such, they are capable of growing in the same conditions.

It would help if you gave oregano and thyme enough space to grow. Though planted together, there should also be proper spacing separating them.

The reason is that they are still mint plants despite their ability to coexist. Oregano and thyme are both perennial herbs.

Having the same length of growth is one of the reasons you can plant these herbs together.

With both completing their life cycles similarly, it is easier to care for both of them simultaneously. This also prevents one from overshadowing another entirely.

Another reason why you can plant the oregano and thyme together is their love for similar weather conditions.

Both plants are keen lovers of sunlight and need the exact amount of water that helps take care of both plants.

They are also best grown in soils that are quickly drained. Therefore, they can be grown on similar soil without any problem.

This is another reason why you can plant the oregano and thyme together.

Can I Grow My Oregano and Thyme with Other Plants?

Planting different crops in your garden and taking care of them as they grow to become big, healthy, and valuable is always so incredible.

Having planted your thyme and oregano as the aromatic herbs in your garden, you may be wondering about other herbs that can go with them.

The somewhat disappointing revelation is that not many plants can go with the oregano and the thyme or one of them alone either.

The reason why is that they are from the mint family, and this tends to make them pretty invasive.

Most mint herbs are pretty hard having them grow with other herbs and some varieties of mint themselves!

Compatible mint varieties that can be grown together still need adequate spacing for themselves so they can grow.

The thyme and oregano being aggressive growers, it can be hard to plant them with other crops as they can easily overshadow them most times.

Also, the conditions for their growth differ a lot from herbs of other varieties. Planting them on the same soil makes it almost impossible to provide the care they need for every one of the plants to survive.

The only herbs that can survive that can be grown with the oregano or the thyme can do well in the conditions where the oregano and thyme survives.

Though, they are few and still need to be kept at some distance from the oregano and thyme and pruned from time to time.

However, they can still survive and benefit from them.

Plants like cabbages, tomatoes, eggplants, beans, and carrots can survive with oregano and thyme under normal circumstances.

How To Plant Oregano and Thyme together?

Just like growing any other crop, growing the oregano and the thyme is no different.

The processes in growing the oregano and the thyme are no different from growing any other mint family member.

With bright sun and partial shade, well-drained soil of pH right between being slightly acidic and alkaline and just the right amount of water, not too much as they do not need them a lot, the oregano and the thyme should sprout up and start growing with thyme.

The only thing you need to worry about is the spacing. The mint family tends to be pretty invasive as such. Giving them the right amount of spacing is critical.

A spacing of about twelve to eighteen inches should be great. You can either plant thyme on one end of the garden and oregano on the other or plant them side by side.

With proper pruning, the oregano and the thyme should do well together and mature without any problems.

Conclusion

Like most plants, the oregano and the thyme have certain optimum conditions for growth and how they can co-exist with one another.

Being from the mint family, it can be tough to plant them with other plants, and even surviving with other varieties of their family can be impossible for some.

However, certain plants can still grow with them, and the oregano and thyme can survive with one another.

The benefits of these plants are numerous; having them together isn’t such a bad idea.

If you intend on having both plants and some other varieties of plants, this is still possible if you can separate them properly.

This occurrence shouldn’t prevent you from getting the oregano and the thyme if you want to.

References

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