Lamiaceae — Mint family

Shared risks

• downy mildew (basil)
• root rot in wet soil

Named risks, not an arbitrary score: these are the organisms that carry over in soil, debris or volunteers.

Rotation guidance

Leave 1 year before returning any mint family member to the same bed. Rotation concerns previous seasons in a bed; it is separate from which plants grow together now.

• Mint spreads by runners and is best confined to a container.
• Woody Mediterranean herbs need far less water than vegetables; water conflict is the main planning issue.

Sources

• Grow Your Own vegetables, herbs and fruit (2025)

Exceptions and small-garden notes

Short crops (radish, arugula, baby leaves) still count as occupancy for the family. In a garden with one or two beds, strict rotation is impossible; instead, alternate families within a bed by half, remove crop debris, choose resistant cultivars and keep a bed history so the planner can warn you.

Other families: Solanaceae · Brassicaceae · Fabaceae · Cucurbitaceae · Apiaceae · Asteraceae · Amaryllidaceae · Amaranthaceae · Poaceae · Rosaceae · Other families