I have tried several times to start chamomille, from seed and plant and have had limited success. I love to drink the tea made from it, so I'm determined to have a bumper crop this year. Any suggestions? I have seed for both Roman and German. I will be interspersing it in my garden to help the crops grow. I must need to take some special care, for I can tend to be a "put it in the ground and let it grow" kind of gardener. Your help is greatly needed and appreciated. Vicki
Starting chamomille
hi Vicky~ just had to tell you dont give up. They dont need much dirt/soil on top. They reseed VERY easily so I think i remember that a light almost sandy topsoil watered regularly (A Fine spray or mist to not disturb them in the ground, i would not go from indoors to outdoors) once a day in the morning. You will maybe want to start witha lot of seeds to begin with, as for my own expeince they did not all sprout the first years try, though now they are multiplying wildly. You may want to buy some live plants instead of seed if there are conditiions ok there for shipping. I know its still cold in Dubuque (family there) so I assume you are too still in fairly cool season. You can put the seed out now and let them grow when it warms up enough. I would suggest a raised bed or some kind of border to keep them enclosed for your own knowlege as the seedings look like dill vs carrots, and are easily mistaken for weeds when small (to me any how) Here are mine in late spring.
Cheers and enjoy
Fernman23
:Darren
On the plant identification forum someone suggested that this plant might be chamomile, what do you think? I'd be so excited if it was. Thanks for your words of encouragement, I hope to find success this year.
I typed a reply, and looked at your photo agina and came back and it was gone i dii not send it yet oops, anyway, you might egt TWO answers from me; it is chamomile i'd agree for sure.
lotsa sun, and a foot to go you will have flowers.
The first mesage I typed was longer, but this is the readers digest version of it.
Cheers
:Darren
Vjbuffy-I always grow German chamomile for the tea.I only pick the blossoms & dry them.I have to pick the flowers at least once a week for about 2 months when they start blooming.Keep the seed starting moist at all times,don't let surface dry.I use a propogation dome over my seedlings.
The dome is a great idea, do you have one that you use outside? What is it like? Where did you get it? Now that I know I do have some chamomile started, I need info on picking the flowers. Do you pick them when they are done flowering, or just any stage of the flower. How do you dry them? I hang my other herbs to dry in my basement, but this won't work with the flowers. Thanks so much, I'm getting very excited. Vicki
No,I just use a dome indoors when I'm starting seedlings,then take it off when they get sprouted.It keeps the moisture in the cells ,but after they sprout a dome can cause damping off.
I pick the flower when the white petals fold back.We get so many days of cool wet & rainy that I try to pick on nicer days.Then put in my dehydrator & dry on low heat.
NedHudson1 ~~
howdy and props to you for that good idea! I stayed on the Kenai peninsula for half a year back in the Eighties...I envy your surroundings and miss them, my fellow gardener!! Keep the Tea going ~for the best thing is that Chamomile in the evening...I use a small tightly woven basket of wicker thats got just enough space for air to go through for drying mine, hanging it from a hook in the kitchen sun window.
:Darren
fernman23
I love herb gardening.
I started my German Chamomile with the winter sowing technique this year.. Very easy.
Bought some seeds , stuck them in a milk jug with soil, popped holes in the bottom and top., set it outside and let nature take it's course.. It was the first thing I felt like I needed to take out of the milk jug it was doing so well..
I too love the tea on a cold winter's night.. Helps me relax.
My chamomille is now blooming. When do I pick the blooms? And where do cut the stalk to help it rebloom? Thanks so much!
vjbuffy, I use my hand to "rake" chamomile blossoms. Start just below the flowering tops and slowly rake your hand upwards through the plants. The flower heads will come right off and leave the stalks so more flowers form. As soon as the flowers go from bud to flower is when you want to pick. You will be picking often once the blooming starts! I dry them on a flat screen in a cool, dark place with plenty of air circulation.
I noticed two weeks ago that where I had a chamomile plant in the ground,I've got hundreds of volunteer seedlings sprouting.So German chamomile is not hard to grow from seed.
Careful. Scentless chamomile is on our invasive list here http://www.gardenimport.com/index.php so make sure your volunteers aren't this one.
I have Roman chamomile and luv it. Easy, warm germinator for me.
The real thing smells a lot like apples when you crush it.
NEDHUDSON IS RIGHT! You buy one and get ten, it is the dael of the garding world. The key is to harvest as many flowers as possible leaving only a couple flowers to germinate new plants for the next bloom cycle. Make sure you have room for them, as its sad to have to pull one out....Definitely should cut as soon as the white petals are just starting to turn back.
:D
Kathy Jo....a milk jug? I never thought of that!!!!!!
another idea for recycling =)
Way to go!