Chamomile: Growing, Harvesting, Storing, and Uses
Growing an herb garden can be rewarding, in so many ways! From fresh and potent herbal teas and potpourris, to sachets and dried spices- there’s few reasons not to have at least a few pots around with some useful herbs growing. So, why not try growing Chamomile?
Growing
Chamomile is an herb that’s extremely easy to grow, even for absolute beginners. We have found that growing this wonderful stuff takes almost no effort at all- just a little watering! Last year, I bought two Chamomile plants, at $1.99 each, and put them in pots among other herbs at the base of a cherry tree. We harvested a jar’s worth of blossoms over the season and dried them to use as tea. This past Spring, we were delighted to find three new Chamomile plants had popped up in the pots around those two, and they’ve grown to twice the size of our plants last year. We weren’t even aware that our Chamomile had gone to seed!
If you’re starting from seeds, here’s a few things to keep in mind:
-German Chamomile may be preferable to Roman or Italian Chamomile. They’re essentially the same plant, with the same healthful properties- but, the German variety seems to give many more blossoms than the others. That means more for you, and more for the pollinators (bees, butterflies, etc) in your garden!
Chamomile seeds need light to germinate. Most seeds, you want to bury in soil- but not these! Scatter them over the surface of the soil in your pots, and, if anything, very lightly cover them with a dusting of sphagnum peat moss before watering. The peat moss will help hide the seeds from hungry birds at least.
Be sure to buy your seeds from a reputable company, if possible. Check reviews online to get an idea of a seed dealer’s reputation, expertise and customer service. Buying seeds from online companies is often hit-or-miss, and nobody wants to plant seeds and wait expectantly for nothing.
Check local sources first. Local farmstands, nurseries and herbalists may have seeds available, even if they’re not advertised or available to the general public. In addition to supporting your local community, you can rest assured that the seeds from local sources will grow in your zone, and you may even get valuable tips and advice for growing in your specific area.
Small pots are ideal for this herb- 10” to 12” will work just fine. Cut some drainage holes, if your pots don’t already have them, and place and inch of gravel in the bottom. Soil requirements for Chamomile are minimal- they’ll grow fairly well even in poor soil, as long as the drainage is good! Add organic materials like peat moss, vermiculite and perlite to improve soil drainage, if needed.
Watering requirements are also simple: just don’t let the soil dry out completely. A light daily watering will do fine, even in hot weather (in most areas). As long as the soil has some moisture, your plant will likely be thriving. Insert a finger 2” into the soil to check for moisture, if you’re not sure. Using a moisture-control potting mix will be ideal, if you’re unable to baby your garden daily.
Sunlight required for healthy plants is at least 4-6 hours per day. Some sources seem to insist that full sun is a must, but ours are kept around the trunk of a cherry tree. They get sun in the morning, and sun in the afternoon- the hottest hours of the day, they’re in shade… and very healthy!
By late Spring, your feathery-leafed little plants should be shooting up stalks which will branch out and bear blossoms!
Harvesting
Once your Chamomile blossoms are opening, you can begin harvesting. I like to wait until they’re fully open, personally; this way, the bees have a chance to gather some of the pollen before I snip them. Using a clean pair of scissors, carefully nip the flower from the stem, as high up as you can. You can snip off a longer piece, if you want- it may be easier to nip them again later on, while sitting at the table, instead of bending over in the garden! You want to use just the flower, not the stem, though- the green parts may tend to be a little bitter.
You can harvest heavily and often from healthy plants. Every couple of days will bring more blossoms! I always tend to leave a few for the bees, instead of snipping every single one. Sharing is caring, right?
Storage
Gently rinse your blossoms in a colander, and pat them dry in a single layer over a clean towel. Drying them is the next step- and there are two different methods you can use.
Laying them in the sun to dry is the most natural way to go. If you do this outside, however, you may run the risk of your harvest blowing away in a sudden breeze! These delicate little guys don’t have any weight to them, especially once they’ve begun to dry. Try leaving a clean piece of screen over them for this method- this way, you’ll still have free air flow around them.
Another method, is to use a dehydrator. Nicer (more expensive) models will have a temperature setting, and you should use the absolute lowest setting available. High temperatures will break down the oils and you’ll lose them with the evaporation of moisture, resulting in less flavor and medicinal value present in your finished tea.
I happen to have a cheap dehydrator, and it runs HOT. What I do is rinse the blossoms, pat them dry, and dry the colander out before putting the flowers back in it. Then I sit the colander on top of the dehydrator while it runs. It gets nice and warm, but not so hot as to destroy the flowers. It’ll take a few hours this way, but I run the dehydrator anyway for other herbs, so it works out just fine.
Once you think your blossoms are dry, be sure to check them! Place them in a clean jar, and seal it shut. After a few hours, check the jar: any condensation on the inside of the jar is an indication that they weren’t dry yet! You’ll want to dry them again; mold can ruin your whole harvest if you don’t make sure it’s dry.
Keep dry flowers in a simple mason jar (though any clear, airtight jar will do). Glass is preferable; plastic may impart plastic flavor (yuck!). Store your jar in a cupboard or pantry out of direct sunlight.
Uses
*Tea! Chances are, you’ve seen Chamomile teas in stores or advertised as a natural sleep aid- this is the most common use. Steep 2 to 5 fresh blossoms in a covered cup for 5 minutes, or 5-8 dried flowers (about a tablespoon). This tea is a traditional remedy for:
-upset stomach
-trouble sleeping
-spasming muscles
-mestrual cramps.
A more concentrated tea can also be made for topical treatments- a cloth soaked in strong tea is purportedly a soothing remedy for rashes, cuts, burns and scrapes.
*Flavor! Though we haven’t tried these yet, there are many recipes floating around that call for Chamomile’s light apple flavor, including home-brewed meads, cakes and other desserts.
*Medicine! If you can avoid ingesting some kind of mystery chemical from a money-machine company, why wouldn’t you? Especially if it’s right out in your yard! Chamomile can easily be made into a tincture to be taken orally (by itself or added to a cup of any tea). Recommended dosages are 1 teaspoon, no more than 3 times daily. Some other purported medicinal uses of Chamomile are:
-treatment of anxiety
-treatment of depression
-PMS symptoms
-Arthritis relief
-treating skin conditions
-anti-inflammatory
-antioxidant
-antimicrobial.
* Stay tuned for an upcoming post about making your own tinctures at home!
These are just a few of the uses of Chamomile! Some links are provided below, if you wish to do further research!
As always, you should check with your doctor before taking any herbal supplements or natural medicines. The information we provide is not the advice of a physician!
-:
-More information about Chamomile:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matricaria_chamomilla
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/01/050104112140.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16628544
