Homegrown Chamomile
In this article
I love how quickly my chamomile grows in early spring and summer. The blooming delicate flowers are so pretty. Chamomile is an essential ingredient in my homemade tea. I dry the flowers to use in the tea.
At a glance
- Type: German chamomile, an annual that reseeds itself.
- Sun: full sun.
- Soil: well drained; poor soil is fine.
- Sow: on the soil surface, since the seeds need light.
- Harvest: the flower heads, near full bloom.
Why grow chamomile
Chamomile is one of the easiest herbs to grow from seed, and it rewards you quickly. The plants grow fast into airy, branching stems up to about 2 feet tall, covered in little white and yellow flowers that look like tiny daisies.
The flowers are what you harvest. Dried, they make a gentle tea on their own or blended with other garden herbs like mint.
The chamomile in this article is German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), the annual grown for tea. Another plant, Roman chamomile, shares the common name, so check the botanical name on the seed packet.
When and where to plant
Give chamomile full sun and well-drained soil. It is not fussy: it tolerates poor soil and needs little fertilizer. Rich, heavy or wet soil is the one thing to avoid.
You can sow seed directly in the garden in fall, or in spring shortly before your last frost. To get a head start, sow indoors about 6 to 8 weeks before your average last frost date.
How to plant chamomile
Chamomile seed is very fine, and it needs light to germinate. Scatter it on the surface of the soil and press it in gently with your hand. Do not cover it. In warm conditions, the seeds usually sprout within a week.
Larger chamomile plants do not like to be moved. If you start seeds indoors, grow them in individual containers, or transplant them to the garden while they are still small.
Care
Chamomile has shallow roots, so water as needed to keep the top of the soil moist but not soggy. Skip the extra fertilizer. Keep young plants weeded until they fill in.
Chamomile reseeds readily. If you leave some flowers on the plants at the end of the season, you will likely find new seedlings the next year. If you would rather not have volunteers, keep picking every flower head.
Harvesting chamomile flowers
Chamomile blooms from early to midsummer, and longer if you keep picking. Harvest the flowers when they are near full bloom, snipping off just the flower heads.
For drying, gather them in the early morning after the dew has dried, and handle them gently. A basket is perfect for carrying them in from the garden.
Drying and storing chamomile
Spread the flower heads in a single layer on a drying screen or rack, somewhere warm and airy, out of direct sun. You can also use a food dehydrator: the National Center for Home Food Preservation suggests preheating it to 95 to 115°F for herbs, or up to 125°F in humid areas, and checking often, since herbs dry in about 1 to 4 hours.
The flowers are ready when they are crispy dry and crumble easily. Store them in airtight containers in a cool, dry, dark place to keep their color and fragrance. You can find more ideas in the drying section of the site.
Recipes with homegrown chamomile
- Mint Chamomile Herbal Tea, made with dried chamomile and garden mint.
- See every recipe that uses dried chamomile.
Chamomile FAQ
Do chamomile seeds need light to germinate?
Yes. Sow the tiny seeds on the surface and press them into the soil instead of burying them.
Is chamomile an annual or a perennial?
German chamomile, the tea type, is an annual. It reseeds freely, so it often comes back on its own the next year.
When should I pick chamomile flowers?
Pick them when the flowers are near full bloom, snipping off just the flower heads.
How do I know my dried chamomile is ready to store?
The flowers should be crispy dry and crumble easily. Store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place.
Annie