No, aggressive herbs share pots very poorly with your other plants. Mint and its spreading cousins will take over any of your containers within weeks. They push out your other herbs and leave you with just the aggressive species in the end.
I learned this lesson when I planted mint with basil and oregano in a nice big pot. The three herbs looked great together for about six weeks. Then I noticed my basil getting smaller while my mint grew faster and faster each day.
By month three, my oregano had vanished under a tangle of mint roots. My basil held on in one corner but looked weak and pale. When I dug everything up, mint roots had filled every inch of soil in that pot. My other herbs never had a chance to grow.
You will see mint growing with other herbs fail because of how mint spreads. This plant sends out underground runners called stolons that creep through your soil. These runners sprout new plants everywhere they go in your pot. They steal water and food from any herbs in their path.
Iowa State Extension tells you to keep each of your herb species in separate pots. This advice matters most for your aggressive spreaders but helps all your herbs do their best. Your different herbs have different needs that you cannot meet well in shared containers.
Lemon balm spreads the same way mint does since they are close relatives. Your oregano can get pushy too over time though not as fast as mint does. Any herb with a spreading habit will crowd out its pot mates sooner or later in your garden.
Safe companion planting indoor herbs works when you match your plants with similar needs. Put your Mediterranean herbs in the same container setups since they all like dry soil between waterings. Group your basil and parsley together because both want more water and similar light.
But you should always keep your mint and lemon balm in their own individual pots. These herbs do fine alone and will thrive in containers by themselves for you. You get plenty of leaves to harvest without risking your other plants.
The safest approach for you is one herb per pot for your whole collection. This lets you meet each of your plants exact water and light needs. You can move your pots around as seasons change without disturbing root systems that have grown together.
If you want that grouped look on your windowsill, set several small pots together in a tray or basket. You get the visual effect of herbs in same container without the competition problems. Each of your plants keeps its own root space while they look like one pretty arrangement for you to enjoy.
Read the full article: Growing Herbs Indoors: Complete Guide for Beginners
