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Chamomile

Chamomile
Introduction
Mr. John Doe

Head Director

Description

Optimal Time/Temperature for Germination:
Roman chamomile does better in higher-quality soil. This variety is a perennial, meaning it doesn’t need to be replanted each year. It’s best to start your seeds about six weeks before the last frost hits. For many regions, this will be in mid- February or early March. Adjust the timing with hardiness zones 3 to 9. While chamomile can handle a little bit of shade, it prefers lots of sun. Set aside a spot in your garden that’s sure to enjoy plenty of light throughout the day. Remove any rocks, clumps of soil, or weeds by raking and hoeing the area. Go at least 1 foot (30.48 cm) deep. Then rake the soil back into place and pack it down for a nice, smooth planting surface. You should be safe to plant by mid-May or June with no threat of frost. Warmer southern states may be able to start earlier. Chamomile likes soil with a pH between 5.6 to 7.5. It shouldn’t be too rich, nor should it be dense, clay-like soil—the roots won’t be able to establish themselves.
Optimal Soil Conditions:
If going by the starter container method, fill each container about ¾ full with soil in a partitioned tray. Add enough water to make the soil moist. Pour chamomile seeds into an empty bowl. Use your finger to pick up several. Put about six in each container by scraping the seeds off your finger with your nail. Cover them lightly with just a little bit of soil as these seeds need light to germinate. You should still be able to see the seeds through their covering. Mist the seeds with water from a spray bottle right away. Continue checking on the seeds each day to make sure the soil stays moist, but not soaking. Spray the seeds as much as you need to keep the soil moist, probably about once per day. You can keep the seeds covered with a loose sheet of plastic wrap if you’re concerned that the soil isn’t staying moist enough. The plastic will trap the moisture. Leave space for air circulation, and be sure to remove the plastic entirely as soon as you see any sign of green. Ideal growing temperature is between 65-85℉ (18.33-29.44℃). During the day, put the plants in a sunny spot that’s set at the higher temperature. At night, make it a little colder. This will imitate the natural warm and cold cycles of the outdoors.
Seed Planting Depth, Spacing and Procedure:
Remove one seedling when plants are 2 in. (5.08 cm) high. This will leave only one healthy seedling in each container. To thin the chamomile seedlings, cut the seedling off at ground level. Don’t pull the seedling out by its roots, as you may disturb the roots of the chamomile plant you’re keeping. Do what’s called “hardening off” the chamomile. This prepares them for life outside. Start by putting the plants outside in a covered area for a few hours per day. Increase their outdoor exposure by a few hours each day for two weeks. Do this only when the weather cooperates. If the temperature drops or rises suddenly or there are strong winds, keep the plants inside to protect them. Gentle breezes, however, are good for the little guys. Alter the plants’ sun exposure as you go, giving them less and less shade over the course of the two weeks. Be sure to keep the soil moist during this time. Keep the plants indoors at night while hardening them off. While transplanting, gently loosen the soil and remove the plantings from their containers, placing them in holes double the size of their root balls about 8-10 inches (20.32-25.40 cm) apart. Fill the holes back in with a mix of soil. Water the plantings about an hour before you transplant them. Then gently mist them once they’re in the ground. Make the holes deep enough so the base of the leaves is at soil level. While perennial plants can be put in any time of year, they do best when started in early autumn or late spring. Annuals should always be planted during these times.
Best Companion Plants and Plants that Hinder:
Chamomile can help other plants by preventing fungal infections, aiding in seed germination, preventing pests, acting as a natural deterrent in your garden, and enhancing other foods flavors. Farmers have long used chamomile as a companion plant to apple, peach, and other fruit trees. Vegetable companions include: Cabbage, Onions, Beans, Bok Choy, Celery, Cucumbers, Broccoli, Garlic, Kale, Brussels sprouts, Cauliflower, Kohlrabi, Basil. Roses, Snapdragons, and Zinnias complement Chamomile. There are a couple of crops that you should not plant near it: Carrots, Mint, Parsley, and Parsnips (attract similar pests that can harm not only themselves but also chamomile).

Growing Instructions

Crop Maintenance

Chamomile plants can survive outside during winter, but they need a little bit of protection from dry, harsh winds. Lay several evergreen boughs over the plants at the start of the cold season.
Moisture Requirements & Solutions:
Until you see flowers on your plants, water them daily. This will give them the water they need to fully mature. Don’t soak the soil. Water until it’s just moist. If you’re getting lots of rain, you may be able to reduce your watering. Especially if it’s hot out, however, check the soil even if it’s rainy. Chamomile is a pretty hardy plant. Once it’s fully grown, it does fine with less water. Let the soil go almost dry between waterings, then soak the plants. This usually takes about a week or two.
Weeding Needs & Solutions:
Make sure the chamomile garden stays free of weeds. You don’t want them to choke off your chamomile. Give the garden a weekly once-over to remove them.
Feeding Needs/Optimal Natural Fertilizers:
: Compost can be applied as a “top-dressing”. This means that a 1″-2″ layer of compost is placed on the soil around the plant as a nutrient-rich organic mulch. Top-dressing perennial herbs with compost is generally done in early spring and early fall. Annual herbs can be top-dressed with compost after they are planted.
Pests, Diseases & Solutions:
While chamomile may attract bees and butterflies, it’s usually pest free beyond that. To prevent a fungal infection in saplings, spray a weak chamomile tea over them a few times a week. Spray them in the morning so that they can dry in the sun. Fungal infections are a common issue for saplings. To use chamomile tea as an insecticide, make a triple strength tea by using more tea bags and allowing your tea to steep for 24 hours. You can then spray your chamomile tea onto your plants to prevent pests. If you spray chamomile tea onto your plants, it will act as a natural deterrent because of its strong scent.
When to Harvest/Number of days to maturity:
It usually takes about two months from the time the seeds are planted for chamomile to produce flowers. This should occur by early to mid- summer, or about two weeks after you’re transplanted indoor seedlings.
How to Harvest:
Your plants should continue blooming all summer long. As you snip off blooms with garden scissors, new ones should grow in their place. This will give you plenty of flowers to dry and enjoy all year round. Snip the flowers at the base of their individual stems. You can then trim the stems down to the base of the blooms for drying.
Optimal Storage temperature and conditions:
Place the flowers on a plate and put them in a cabinet. This will allow them to dry fully. Wait until the plant crumbles easily to your touch, usually about 1-2 weeks later. Keep the dried flowers safe from moisture and sunlight, which could make them go bad. Mason jars work perfectly, and they’ll store easily in your pantry next to the tea.
Optimal Preserving Procedures:
Seed Saving:
German chamomile is a bit hardier than other varieties. It can handle a bit of clay or low nutrition in the soil. German chamomile is technically an annual, which means it needs to be replanted each year. However, it self-seeds, so you don’t need to do the replanting! This means it actually acts like a perennial plant. Roman chamomile, a perennial plant, can be grown from cuttings. German chamomile, an annual, is not a good candidate for cuttings.

Harvest and Storage

Notes

You can make tea with fresh flowers as well, although dried blooms work better. Double the amount you use. Add some honey to make this bitter-tasting tea sweeter. To aid in seed germination, soak the seeds in a weak chamomile tea for 8 to 12 hours before you plant them. Just remember when planting chamomile with any of the vegetables from the Brassica family that you keep other members of the Brassica family separated from each other as they can attract too many of the same pests to cause issues with your harvest. One easier way to control the growth and spread is to grow your chamomile in a container and place that near your lettuce crop.

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