
Chamomile
Chamomile: plant 20 cm (8 in) apart in the row and 30 cm (12 in) between rows, 4 per square. Good neighbours: Cabbage, Red cabbage, Cauliflower.
Key facts
| Spacing in the row | 20 cm (8 in) |
|---|---|
| Between rows | 30 cm (12 in) |
| In a 30 cm (1 ft) square | 4 per square |
| Sun | Full sun, 6–8 hours a day |
| Root depth | 15 cm (6 in) |
| Height when grown | 50 cm (20 in) |
| Crop rotation group | Herbs, flowers and perennials |
| Support | None needed |
Sowing and germination
| How it is started | Sown straight into the bed, started in trays |
|---|---|
| Seeds per hole | 3 |
| Plants kept after thinning | 1 |
| Seeds per metre of row | 15 |
| Sowing depth | 0.2 cm (0.1 in) |
| Soil temperature | from 13 °C, best 18–24 °C |
| Days to emerge | 7–14 days |
| Light while germinating | Needs light, barely cover |
| Before sowing | nothing needed |
| When to sow | Indoors 6 weeks before the last frost; outdoors after the last frost; soil at least 12 °C |
From seedling to plant
| After emergence | 16–22 °C; take the cover off as soon as they show |
|---|---|
| Pricking out | at 2 true leaves |
| Takes transplanting | Easily |
| Hardening off | 7–10 days |
| Life cycle | Annual |
| Cold tolerance | Takes a light frost |
| Soil | Light, sandy, free draining, pH 6–7.5 |
| In a pot | 5 L, 20 cm (7.9 in) |
| Watering | Water when the soil is dry two fingers down |
| Feeding | Little; at planting |
| Support and training | None needed; pinch the tips |
Harvest and planning
| Days to first harvest | 60–80 days, from sowing |
|---|---|
| Ready when | The flowers are just open |
| Harvest window | Picked again and again, 6–10 weeks |
| Typical yield | 0.2–0.6 kg per plant |
| Botanical family | Asteraceae |
| Watch out for | Aphids, powdery mildew |
Good neighbours
Cabbage
Red cabbage
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Kohlrabi
Kale
Pak choi
Savoy cabbage
Pointed cabbage
Romanesco
Chinese cabbage
Collard greens
Broccoli rabe
Onion
Cucumber◐
◐ good with a condition · Why, with the sources →
Plan Chamomile in your garden
Open the free planner, drop Chamomile onto a bed and see how many plants fit.
Start Planning Your GardenSowing and harvest
| Sow outdoors | Apr–May |
|---|---|
| Harvest | Jun–Aug |
My dates for this crop
Give the date once and this page, the sowing calendar and the planner all follow it.
- Not recommended
- Marginal
- Conditional
- Favourable
Months for a temperate climate: about a month later in the north and a month earlier in the south. Give your own last frost date for exact dates.
From the same family
Plants of the Asteraceae family share diseases and pests, so they follow each other in the rotation only after a break.
Grown much the same way
Crops that need about the same room and care, from another family.
What to plant after Chamomile
Crops that still have time to grow on the same spot once it is lifted, from another rotation group.