How to Successfully Grow Chamomile?

[Susan W]

I have never done well with chamomile, well the few times I planted it. What are your tips? Dry feet? watered? sun?

I would like to put a couple in one of my mini-garden tubs of herbs, just not sure where.

[rainbowgardener]

Unfortunately I have never done well with chamomile either, so mainly I can tell you what doesn't work . What doesn't work is too much shade. I have an herb garden that gets some morning sun, but very little afternoon. Not ideal, but you have to work with what you've got. Some things do fine there (mint, oregano, lemon balm), some things hang in (thyme, sage) and some things keep dying out of it (tarragon, chamomile)

I would say the chamomile needs full sun!

[emerald7]

I have a chamomile plant, but I've only had it about a month so I can't really advise you based on experience. But, here is some info based on some research I did before I got my plant. (German chamomile is slightly different)

ROMAN CHAMOMILE
Chamaemelum nobile

Native to: Europe, Azores Islands, North Africa, Egypt
Type: Low-growing, herbaceous perennial
Zones: 7-10
Height: 6-9 inches
Pests: Few or none.
“Easy to growâ€

[!potatoes!]

I've grown the annual, german chamomile (the variety 'bodegold') a number of times and never had any problems...last year, after reading that chamomile makes a good companion plant for onion (especially if there's more onion than chamomile), we put them somewhat randomly in a big plot of onions. did quite well...don't think I've done anything 'special,' care-wise with them.

can't speak on th roman, though.

[soil]

I just toss the seeds out where I want it to grow late winter. it grows in spring it re seeds every year and spreads. before you know it chamomile is everywhere! but I love it.

[lj in ny]

I grew chammomile for the first time last year. I started it from seed using the wintersow method. I planted it between the sage and oregano in an area with not so great soil, it got morning and early afternoon sun, definitely dry feet. It did well there, it got a little floppy but I was too chicken to cut it back.

[emerald7]

Hi! This info is about Roman Chamomile.

I have had my chamomile plant for about 2 and a half months now. Up until maybe 3 weeks ago, it was not doing well at all. It constantly had yellow leaves that I was snipping off, and did not show any sign of positive growth... it looked like it was barely surviving.

I read a thing online that said that chamomile can survive drought for long periods of time, which made me go hmm.... And I decided to water it less often.

So it turns out that it was overwatered. After 3 weeks of less watering, the leaves look very healthy and green, and I can tell that they are growing vertically. I also see new green leaves appearing. Overall it looks happy. Today I ran my hand over it, and I smelled the 'apple-like smell', which was the first time I had smelled that since I got the plant. So I would recommend less watering and full sun. Right now it is doing great under a lot of hot indoor lights, being watered every 6 days. So I you have less light/heat than that on the plants, you could make it even longer.

[lj in ny]

I agree with Soil it appears to self sow readily. I just noticed in the garden where the chammomile was planted last year there are little chammomile volunteers popping up. One is starting to flower. I bought the seeds last year from Heirloom Seeds, I have the German variety. Maybe try full sun and neglect? I've loved many plants to death. Some just like bad soil and to be left alone.

[muffinmagic]

I think that is the key to most annual herbs. They don't like to be told where to go. They'll come up where it suits them. They can't be pampered like we do our vegetable and flower gardens. I try to neglect mine without them really knowing

[applestar]

Same here. Self seeded ones from last year's spot, others from scattered seeds, but I couldn't tell you the best way to grow them. As it is, most of the ones I keep an eye on, hoping they're chamomile, turn out to be yarrow!