Potting Mediums for Growing Basil and Flowers Together

• Good potting medium is important. Using the wrong kind will make growing anything difficult. If it is too heavy or filled with clay, it will harden and crack, preventing the roots from accessing moisture and air. A good potting medium drains well, provides support, and keeps enough moisture around the roots to keep the plants happy. Basil, in particular, likes to be kept damp and well drained. Use a mixture of equal parts peat moss, perlite and good quality loamy topsoil, or purchase a pre-mixed formula from a nursery or garden center.
  
  

Selecting the Flowers to Plant with Basil

• Basil likes full sun, at least six hours a day and consistent moisture. When planting basil with flowers in a container, consider the growing conditions required by each to determine if it will be a good match. Some colorful annuals that enjoy similar growing conditions are French marigolds, zinnias, love-in-a-mist and cosmos. Perennials that enjoy similar conditions and are low-growing so as not to shade out the basil are chrysanthemums, tickseeds, California poppies and carnations.
  
  

Basil and Edible Flowers

• Edible flowers add vibrant color to summer salads, desserts and other culinary adventures. Plant basil in containers with edible flowers to create a pot of delicate summer flavor for the kitchen. Nasturtium flowers have a delicate, slightly peppery taste that complements salads and the colorful flowers make an edible garnish on the plate. Pot marigold, or calendula, is a colorful edible flower that enjoys similar growing conditions to basil. Pull off the orange and yellow petals to sprinkle in salads or dress up a dessert plate. Daylilies are also edible and grow well with basil.
  
  

Planting and Care

• Fill patio pots with basil to keep mosquitoes and flies away. The pungent fragrance of basil leaves discourages these pesky pests from garden areas and outdoor living spaces. Plant a few basil plants in with container-grown annuals and perennials to discourage pests from your flowers. Space basil and flowering plants 6 to 12 inches apart in the container. Water the container when the top 1/2 inch of the soil begins to dry out.