Organic Pest Control + Flavor Boost for Tomatoes in Small Spaces
🌿 Looking for the perfect herb to companion plant tomatoes with? Lemon thyme brings flavor, fragrance, and natural pest control to your container garden — and it looks pretty doing it. In this post, I’ll show you how I pair these two powerhouses in my container planter for a space-saving, beautiful setup that even survived a chicken ambush. Whether you’re gardening in Kentucky or anywhere sunny, this combo is one worth trying. This is part of my Kentucky companion planting series, where I test what actually works in Zone 7
📚 **Kentucky Companion Planting Series**
This post is part of my companion planting series for real Kentucky gardens. See all companions:
– [Basil Companion Planting]
– [Marigold Companion Planting]
**→ Lemon Thyme Companion Planting** (you are here)
– [More companions coming soon!]
**New to companion planting?** Start with the [Kentucky Companion Planting Guide]
Let’s chat about adding Thyme into the tomato companion planting mix. If you caught my Mother’s Day post on setting up vertical tomato trellises with vibrant marigolds and fragrant basil, you know I love polyculture.
Plus, I’m excited to share my plans to try Epic Gardening’s Seed Bundles for even more herby goodness!
Why Lemon Thyme Is the Perfect Tomato Companion
🌱 Lemon thyme (Thymus citriodorus) is more than a kitchen favorite with its zesty, citrusy kick—it’s a garden superhero. According to Gardenia.net, thyme repels pests like tomato hornworms and whiteflies while attracting pollinators like bees, boosting tomato yields. A polyculture superhero in my book.
🌱 For instance, Its low-growing, spreading habit makes it perfect for the edge of containers, where it cascades beautifully without crowding the tomato’s vertical trellis. This spreading will also help suppress weeds! Bonus!
I planted my blissfully fragrant plant at the corner rim of my metal tub for gardening, creating an aromatic, pest-fighting border that’s as practical as it is pretty.
For example, this video on growing my new favorite herbs in containers. It highlights how thyme thrives in such setups. By all means, making it a top pick for small-space gardeners.
How to Set Up Your Thyme Companion Container Garden: Step-by-Step
Ready to create your own companion planted container? One thing you need to know, I love to thrift! So most of my containers are used. Here’s exactly how I set up my metal tub garden with tomatoes and lemon thyme. This setup works perfectly for small spaces, patios, and Kentucky gardens.
Step 1: Prepare Your Container
Start with a metal tub or large container (at least 5 gallons). Drill drainage holes in the bottom if needed – thyme especially hates wet feet!
Step 2: Choose Your Soil Mix
I really like to use Pro Mix HP for the containers in Kentucky, no sadly I am not an affiliate, I just love it. Pro Mix describes it best: “a professional-grade, soilless growing medium designed for growers who require a mix with excellent drainage, high air porosity, and lower water retention. It is highly favored for water-sensitive crops, rooting cuttings, and growing in low-light or high-humidity.”
Step 3: Add Your Trellis
I used a piece of cattle panel for my tomato trellis, but you might use something that will attach to the outside. If this is the case you might want to move this to your last step.
Step 4: Position Your Plants
Place your tomato plant next to trellis, but give it at least 5″ around, where it can grow vertically. Position thyme 3-4 inches from the edge where it will cascade beautifully over the rim. This spacing gives each plant room while creating a living mulch effect.
Step 5: Plant and Water your Tomato and Companion Plants
Plant tomato slightly deeper than the nursery pot. Plant thyme at the same depth. Water thoroughly after planting, then let the top inch dry between watering.
Enjoy Your Companion Container Garden
How Thyme Fits in Your Kentucky Companion Planting System
In my [Kentucky companion planting series], each herb plays a specific role:
- Basil: Front-line aphid defense, enhances tomato flavor
- Marigolds: Root-level nematode killer, trap crop for pests
- Lemon Thyme: Whitefly and hornworm repellent, low-growing ground cover
I am learning that together, companion plants create layers of protection. Marigolds guard the soil, basil protects the foliage, and thyme covers the container edges — helping deter pests without chemicals. Is it 100%? no, but its real help without the sprays.
Lemon Thyme Container Gardening Tips
Firstly, I selected my thyme plant from my local Amish produce store in Kentucky. When I brushed my hand over this variety, the citrus scent was so wonderful I picked it up immediately. In conclusion, I knew it had to go in my Kentucky kitchen garden immediately.
🌱 Lemon thyme is a low-maintenance herb that’s perfect for companion planting with tomatoes in container gardening. It will spread out and act as a living mulch-saving water and dispersing heat. I love to up-cycle my metal tubs for planters; they are sustainable and add a rustic homestead aesthetic that goes so well with my cabin style home.
Inspired by tips from Growing Herbs in Containers and Container Herb Gardening, here’s how to grow it alongside tomatoes:
- Pick a Sunny Spot: Thyme craves 6+ hours of sunlight. My metal tub sits in a sunny patch in my little garden, ideal for both thyme and tomatoes.
- Well-Draining Soil: Use a mix of potting soil and sand to ensure drainage, as this herb hates soggy roots. I had to put holes in my metal tub making it perfect for this drought-tolerant herb.
- Edge Placement: I tucked my variegated thyme plant along the tub’s edge, letting it spill over while the tomato climbs the trellis in the center. This maximizes space and keeps the setup tidy.
- Water Sparingly: Water when the top inch of soil is dry. A thyme’s Mediterranean roots make it forgiving if you forget to water.
- Harvest Smart: Snip sprigs just before flowering for peak flavor, as noted by Epic Gardening. Regular trimming keeps it bushy and flavorful.
Bloom and Peck Find: If you’re as excited about thyme as I am, check out Epic Gardening’s English Thyme Seeds for your next planting adventure. I can’t wait to try them in my garden to compare their savory notes with lemon thyme’s citrusy zing!
Lessons from the Chicken Fiasco 🐔
🐔 Here’s where things, literally, got a PECK. After planting my lemon thyme in my small space garden, I was feeling like a container gardening pro! Until I went to grab my cup of coffee. The chickens were watching.
🐔 Of course, my chickens decided it was snack time! While my back was turned, they hopped onto the tub, pecked at the fresh thyme, and scattered a few leaves before I chased them off. Subsequently, I need to add this plant to my Chicken Loves Herbs Guide!
Surprisingly, lemon thyme is formidable—those plants bounced right back! Now it’s easily soaking up the sun alongside my Cherokee Tomato, basil, and marigolds. (as seen here)
🐔 Moral of the story? Don’t turn your back on those fluffy butts during planting sessions!
Why This Combo Works for Small-Space or Patio Gardening
🌱 Lemon thyme’s pest-repelling powers pair perfectly with the marigolds and basil from our Mother’s Day setup. Marigolds deter nematodes, basil fends off aphids. It also tackles whiteflies and hornworms, creating a pest-fighting dream team.
Its shallow roots don’t compete with the tomato’s deeper ones, making it an ideal buddy for container gardening. Plus, as Gardening Know How notes, thyme may enhance tomato flavor, adding a subtle savory boost to your harvest.
🌱 My sustainable metal planter setup is proof: healthy tomatoes, basil, marigolds, and a fragrant thyme border that’s both functional and a joy in a beginner’s garden. Growing vertically truly helped the spacing with the Tomato in this container set up.
Container Gardening: Perfect for Companion Planting Tomatoes in a Small Space Gardens
Why a container garden? Small metal tubs are durable, provide excellent drainage, and heat up quickly in the sun—perfect for heat-loving lemon thyme and tomatoes. There are many to choose from, in all price ranges and styles. Such as this small cedar planter from Epic Gardening. (Use link save 5%)
🌱 Container planting tomatoes with thyme is fantastic for small space gardens like patios and small kitchen gardens. Are you a new gardener who wants a clear choice for seeds to grow in containers? Check out Epic Gardening Seed bundles that are curated just for you.
Bloom & Peck Pick: Epic Gardening Tools + Gifts
Looking to spread the gardening love? Epic Gardening’s seed bundles make fantastic gardening gifts. Their curated collections, like herb or pollinator mixes, are perfect for beginners or seasoned gardeners.
🌱 I am looking at The Epic 6-Cell Seed Starting Trays for my favorite gardener. They are made to last while still being flexible. They are made in the USA and produced from durable recycled plastic that’s treated for UV protection and is BPA-free. Plus they come in 6 colors, I have the Terracotta, a 6 pack makes a fantastic gardener gift.
Get Growing with Interplanting
Ready to try companion planting tomatoes with lemon thyme? Grab your favorite garden container, a sunny spot, and some quality seeds, like the Epic Gardening Seeds bundles automatic savings of 5%.
💌 Grab your Free Kentucky Tomato planting Calendar!
Join the Bloom & Peck garden circle and get small-space gardening tips, seasonal planting ideas, and garden-to-kitchen recipes sent straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get my free Favorite Tomatoes to Grow in Kentucky to guide your next container garden setup.
Some links in this post are affiliate links (but not all). Thyme seed links for example, This means if you click and buy, I might earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your support helps keep my blog & passion for sharing, alive—Now let’s dig in. (Update 7/7/2025)
References
- “Companion Planting with Thyme.” Gardenia.net, https://www.gardenia.net/plant/thymus-vulgaris#Companion_Planting_with_Thyme.
- “Growing Herbs in Containers.” YouTube, uploaded by Kitchen Garden Magazine, https://youtu.be/6u7bZRVYPyw?si=XqNoPnfm1GWpgADZ.
- “Container Herb Gardening.” YouTube, uploaded by Grow Veg, https://youtu.be/3Vhve1K3jyg?si=QWb4t9dX_JNgROOj.
- “How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Lemon Thyme.” Epic Gardening, https://www.epicgardening.com/lemon-thyme/.
- “Thyme Companion Plants – What to Grow with Thyme.” Bunny’s Garden, https://www.bunnysgarden.com/thyme-companion-plants/.