Chamomile

Susan W · Tue Jul 22, 2014 4:40 pm

I have never done well with the regular (Roman) chamomile, the small one. I am however trying the larger German chamomile. Are any of you growing it for teas or just pretty? From what I have read, grows as easily in a container as in-ground, a plus for urban gardeners.

This is a bit off season, but I added it to an order from Horizon Herbs, and planted seeds Sunday. They are already showing! Given that we have 3+ months before frost, it may make and flower. This is a test run, as I would like to add it to plant start inventory next season.

rainbowgardener · Tue Jul 22, 2014 6:00 pm

Yes, I have been growing German (annual) chamomile. It has done great. I have it in the ground and in containers. It did a bit better in the ground, bigger and more floriferous (which may also be because the in-ground location was sunnier), but the ones in the containers were perfectly OK. I harvested and harvested the little flowers. As long as I kept harvesting, it kept putting out more, but as soon as I quit, it went to seed and the whole plant just dried up. I'm hoping it will come back from seed.

grwrn · Tue Jul 22, 2014 7:12 pm

I was actually given a seedling of chamomile last October and I planted it in my raised garden bed and it over wintered and sprang up in the Spring. I harvested lots of blooms and even made tea from it. I couldn't keep up and it has dried up now.

rainbowgardener · Wed Jul 23, 2014 1:02 am

Incidentally, I started my chamomile from seed indoors under light. Very easy that way and I ended up with more chamomile plants than I knew what to do with.

applestar · Wed Jul 23, 2014 2:24 am

rainbowgardener wrote:...but as soon as I quit, it went to seed and the whole plant just dried up

Ah! I think this is where I go wrong. I have left behind/rejected little tiny flowers that don't seem worth harvesting, and they retaliate by going to seed.

Susan W · Wed Jul 23, 2014 12:03 pm

Thanks for input! Looks like best to keep flowers picked, and if not used at least dead headed. I am sure in ground better than container, but some are limited to the latter. My small tray of 10 peat pellets was started inside Sunday. Already moved out to shelf with light shade, overhang eave protects from rain.