When I planted forget me nots for the first time in my backyard they made a real impact.
Those beautiful and tiny blue flowers are wonderful. And I assumed they would be happy to be planted with anything else I decided to plant with them. Well, I was wrong!
So I’m going to show you the plants that don’t and won’t ever work well when planted together with forget me nots. So hopefully you can avoid any disasters like I went through.
Understanding Forget Me Nots: Those Deceptively Delicate Blue Beauties
Forget me nots (Myosotis) are particular about what they’re planted with. Get it wrong and they can clash.
They love cool, moist conditions and partial shade which might not sound dramatic but it actually puts them at odds with a large number of popular garden plants.
What caught me off guard was how much forget me note spread. They self seed like mad and will quickly take over an area if they’re happy.
But plant them next to the wrong companions and suddenly they’re struggling to survive. And their neighbors will either dominate them or make it so they can’t survive in the conditions they’ve created.
They like a soil that’s around 6.0 to 7.0, so a little alkaline to neutral. I’ve made the mistake of putting plants together based on how they will look rather than thinking about if they can work in the same conditions, and soil is a big one.
So if you get it wrong you’ll not only have disappointing flowers but potentially an entire flower bed or space that isn’t working for anything.
So let’s look at the plants you must avoid with your forget me nots.
12 Plants You Should Never Plant With Forget Me Nots
Sunflowers
Sunflowers are pretty much the opposite or forget me nots when it comes to needs. They like fun sun and will create so much shade that the forget me nots will struggle to grow.
The roots also compete against each other too. Sunflowers have deep taproots that suck up water and nutrients. They get a lot deeper than the forget me nots roots can and at the same time they release allelopathic chemicals that stop the growth of any plants nearby.
All in all – not a good match.
Mint (Any Variety)
Oh, mint. So lovely yet at the same time a total nightmare.
I thought having mint and forget me nots together would create this lovely cottage garden vibe. What I actually created was mint taking over everything within a six-foot radius.
Mint spreads through underground runners and they are very aggressive. They’ll have choked any forget me nots to death before they’ve even had a chance to get started.
The completion for moisture is unforgiving too. Both plants might like moist soil but the mint is far more aggressive about getting every drop it can find. Your forget me nots won’t get a look in.
Black Walnut Trees (and anything near them)
This can be a bit unfair because it’s not uncommon for you to skip over trees that are near to your flower bed. You just don’t think about them in the same way you would another plant or flower.
B it Black walnut trees produce juglone, which is a natural herbicide that’s toxic to many plants – including forget me nots. So if you plant your forget me nots near to a black walnut they’ll die no matter how good the care is you’re giving them.
The roots are toxic too. So even if you the tree seems like it’s far enough away the roots could still be affecting your plants.
Roses
I know, I know – roses and forget me nots sound like they’d be beautiful together. But roses need a lot of soil that drains well and fertilizer.
All that means that there will win when competing against forget me nots for water, nutrients and more. Plus most roses like slightly acidic soil and forget me nots like it more neutral to alkaline.
The fact that roses have thrones on their canes means it’s virtually impossible to care for them properly. Try weeding around roses with your forget me nots underneath – it’s a total nightmare.
Lavender
This one doesn’t work mainly because of the soil. Lavender must have soil that drains well that is also sandy. It absolutely hates getting wet.
Forget me nots, on the other hand, love that consistent moisture. It’s not possible to have soil that keeps both plants happy.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are another one that needs a lot of feeding and tend to dominate something like forget me nots. But the main problem is space and light.
Because tomato plants grow large they block the light that your forget me nots need. And the fact that tomatoes need a lot of watering can result in fungus affecting forget me nots.
Plus, tomatoes prefer warmer conditions than forget me nots. So they have almost diametrically opposed needs even though they’re going to be in the same space. It just doesn’t work.
Marigolds
Marigolds are good companions plants for vegetables but sadly they’re terrible ones for forget me nots. They like sunny and hot conditions and drier soil.
Their scent is also particularly strong and will mean the more subtle scent from forget me nots gets lost. That obviously doesn’t mean they can’t grow together but it might defeat the object of them if it’s the fragrance you’ve planted them for.
Their colors clash too. Bright oranges and yellow will wash out and overwhelm the more refined blues of forget me nots.
Hostas
Hostas take up a lot of space and have huge roots that spread out strongly. They will definitely crowd out your forget me nots if you plant them near each other.
Hostas also have a habit of holding on to moisture around their base. This can mean fungus issues for any nearby forget me nots.
Daffodils and Narcissus
You would think the likes of spring bulbs would be good companions for forget me nots as they bloom at roughly the same time. But daffodils and narcissus are slightly toxic and can stop the growth of nearby plants because of secretions from their roots.
They also have large and dense roots that will outcompete forget me nots, taking all the space and stealing nutrients.
Cucumber and Squash Plants
Another one that will smother your forget me nots. If you think you can plant the two together you’ll find the cucumbers spread quickly and bury the forget me nots under their massive leaves.
Cucumbers also need a lot of watering and feeding that doesn’t work with the forget me nots.
Bamboo
Bamboo is aggressive beyond belief. Its roots spread so fast and far that they’ll push out anything they come across in their path. Forget me nots don’t stand a chance against them.
Even clumping bamboo varieties can be a problem because they compete for water and nutrients as well as creating way too much shade.
Japanese Knotweed or Other Invasive Spreaders
This should be obvious, because Japanese Knotweed is simply bad news. But I’ve seen gardeners try to “control” these types of invasive plants by surrounding them with other flowers.
Don’t.
Japanese knotweed, purple loosestrife and other aggressive spreaders will destroy everything in your garden.
Many of them also have allelopathic chemical too which stop other plants from growing close by.
Perfect Companion Plants for Forget Me Nots
It’s not all bad news though. Along with n the ones that don’t work there are some combinations that are great.
Astilbe
Astilbe likes the same conditions as forget me nots – namely cool and moist. They complement each other well in looks and as they bloom at slightly different times you get flowers for longer in the season.
Coral Bells
Coral bells have colorful leaves that make a really good backdrop for forget me nots. They both like partial shade and soil that is moist and drains well.
Lungwort
Another me that loves shade and pairs really well with forget me nots. Lungwort blooms early in the spring and as they have similar needs when it comes to growing they are a good companion for forget me nots.
Primroses
Primroses like cool and moist conditions the same as forget me nots. As primrose comes in a whole range of colors it means you can make some beautiful combinations and keep both plants happy.
Tips for Successful Companion Planting
Match the Moisture
This is so important. Forget me nots need a lot of moisture but not to be waterlogged. Whatever companion plant you’re considering it must be ok with the same sort of watering or you’ll be stressing one or the other (with either too much or too little water)
Consider Mature Sizes
Forget me not seedlings are pretty small so don’t grow them with something that is so large it will cast too much shade. Always look at the size of potential companions and how big they will grow.
Think About Timing
Forget me nots bloom in the cool season and die back in the summer. So pick companions that either have interesting foliage or that bloom at different times.
Test Your Soil
Test your slip before you plant anything. Forget me nots like neutral to slightly alkaline soil so you need to be choosing plants that like the same sort of pH. Trying to make it work with plants that need different types of soil is a fools errand.
Plan for Self-Seeding
Forget me nots self seed. So choose companions that won’t be bothered by forget me not seedlings popping up around them. Or be ready to control how much they spread.
Final Thoughts
The biggest lesson I’ve learned from my companion planting is that pretty doesn’t always mean compatible. Photos showing plants looking amazing with each other doesn’t reflect what it will be like on six months time when they’re starting to struggle.
For forget me nots it’s important to respect their specific needs rather than trying to force them into situations where they won’t do well. These aren’t particularly difficult plants but they do have preferences that can’t be ignored.
When you get it right though then it’s totally worth the hassle. But when you get it wrong you’ll spend seasons fighting a losing battle while your plants struggle and never do as well as you know they can.
Take the time to research before you plant anything. Think about the soil conditions, mature sizes, water needs and their growing habits. Your forget me nots – and your sanity – will thank you for it.