Chamomile is one of the easiest herbs a beginner can grow: a cloud of feathery green foliage covered in small white-and-yellow daisies that smell faintly of apples. It asks for almost nothing and, once it flowers, it will usually sow itself for next year.
The flowers are the prize — picked fresh or dried for tea, and scattered over salads. A small patch gives a surprising number of flowers, because each plant keeps producing new blooms for weeks if you pick regularly. This crop is in the Asteraceae family, needs full sun, and takes 60–90 days to reach maturity, so it pays to know what it wants before you sow. This guide covers it all: starting seeds, transplanting, soil and feeding, watering, sunlight, pests, companion plants, harvesting and the problems most likely to catch you out. Because the seed is dust-fine, mix it with a little dry sand before sowing so it spreads evenly instead of landing in clumps.
Chamomile at a glance
| Growing factor | What chamomile need |
|---|---|
| Sun | full sun |
| Soil pH | 5.5–7.0 |
| Days to germination | 7–14 |
| Days to maturity | 60–90 |
| Spacing | 6–12 inches |
| Water needs | moderate |
| Cold tolerance | hardy |
| Family | Asteraceae |
Starting seeds
Chamomile can be started indoors or sown direct. Indoors, sow in trays or cells and expect germination in 7–14 days; direct-sown seed goes into prepared soil once conditions are right. Starting indoors buys a few weeks of season, while direct sowing is simpler and avoids transplant shock.
Short-season gardens in Zones 3–5 gain the most from starting indoors, while Zones 8–10 can usually direct-sow with confidence. Our seed-starting calculator works out indoor sowing dates from your frost dates.
The seed is dust-fine and needs light to germinate, so scatter it on the surface of prepared soil and press it down gently rather than covering it. Keep the surface just moist until seedlings appear in 7–14 days.
Transplanting and planting out
Set young plants out once the soil is workable, or after the last frost where the plant is tender. Handle the root ball gently, plant at the same depth as in the pot, and water in well.
Space plants 6–12 inches apart — crowding is one of the commonest causes of small harvests. Our plant-spacing calculator works out how many plants fit your bed. Harden seedlings off for a week before planting out, and plant on a cloudy day or in the evening so they do not wilt in their first hours outdoors.
Soil and feeding
Herbs mostly want lean, free-draining soil rather than rich ground — too much fertiliser makes soft, leggy growth with weak flavour. Dig in a little compost for structure and make sure water drains away freely, especially in winter.
Aim for a soil pH of 5.5–7.0 — a simple soil test will tell you where you stand. Feed lightly and steadily rather than in one heavy dose: too much fast nitrogen late in the season pushes leafy growth at the expense of the part you eat. Our fertiliser calculator works out amounts for your bed size, and the raised-bed soil calculator tells you how much mix a new bed needs.
Watering
Water needs are moderate: keep the soil evenly moist, watering deeply when the top inch or two dries out. Deep, infrequent watering builds deeper roots than a daily sprinkle.
Herbs in pots dry out faster than herbs in the ground, so check pots daily in hot weather. In the ground, most herbs are happy with a deep watering when the soil dries out rather than a daily sprinkle.
Water at the base of the plant, in the morning, so the leaves dry quickly. Our watering calculator gives a starting point for your bed size, and the watering schedule generator can build a routine around it.
Sunlight and temperature
Give herbs the sunniest spot you have — a south-facing bed, or a pot on a sunny step. Full sun keeps growth compact and flavour concentrated; in shade, most herbs grow leggy and taste weak.
This crop is rated hardy for cold tolerance, so plan your season around that: hardy crops can be sown and harvested around frosts, while tender crops need warm soil and frost-free nights. Our sunlight calculator can check whether your spot gets enough sun, and the hardiness-zone finder will confirm your zone.
Pests and diseases
Chamomile are not especially pest-prone when healthy and well placed, but a few pests turn up regularly. The ones listed for this crop in the growing data are aphids, slugs, thrips.
- Aphids — Small sap-sucking insects that cluster on soft new shoots, weakening growth. A strong jet of water dislodges them, and ladybirds usually keep them in check.
- Slugs — Slugs feed at night, chewing holes in leaves and fruit — especially young seedlings and berries at ground level. Hand-pick them after dark and keep the ground clear of hiding places.
- Thrips — Tiny insects that rasp at leaves and flowers, leaving silvery streaks and distorted growth. Worst in hot, dry weather; keep plants watered and remove damaged leaves.
Inspect plants weekly, especially the undersides of leaves, and act early. If you need help identifying what you are seeing, our pest-identifier helper and plant-disease checker walk through the symptoms.
Companion plants
Companion planting puts together plants that help each other — sharing space well, attracting pollinators, or confusing pests. The companions listed for chamomile in the growing data are a good starting point.
Good companions for chamomile include:
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Marigolds
- Cabbage
Our companion-planting finder can suggest more pairings for your bed plan.
Harvesting
Pick the flowers when the white petals are flat or just starting to droop back and the yellow centre is raised — that is when they are at their most fragrant. Pick every few days through the flowering season, and dry them in a single layer out of direct sun until they feel papery.
Expect the crop to be ready about 60–90 days after sowing, though weather and variety shift that window by a week or two either way. Our harvest-date calculator works out your expected harvest date from your sowing date, and the vegetable-yield estimator can estimate how much a bed should produce. Harvest in the morning, using a sharp knife or secateurs rather than tearing, which damages the plant.
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Slugs on seedlings | slugs feeding on young, tender plants | protect seedlings with a ring of grit, sow thinly, and keep the seedbed aired |
| Wilting in dry spells | uneven watering | water deeply when the top inch or two dries out, and mulch |
| Aphids on the plants | aphids feeding on the crop | inspect weekly and act early — hand-pick, wash off, or use barriers |
Slugs on seedlings
Likely cause: slugs feeding on young, tender plants. Slugs love young chamomile seedlings, and the tiny plants can damp off if the seed bed stays wet and airless. Sow thinly, keep the surface just moist rather than wet, and protect seedlings with a ring of grit or a cloche until they are big enough to fend for themselves.
Wilting in dry spells
Likely cause: uneven watering. A dry spell while fruit or flowers are forming costs you the crop. Water deeply when the top inch or two of soil dries out, and mulch to keep moisture even.
Aphids on the plants
Likely cause: aphids feeding on the crop. Small sap-sucking insects that cluster on soft new shoots, weakening growth. A strong jet of water dislodges them, and ladybirds usually keep them in check.
Frequently asked questions
How long does chamomile take to germinate?
7–14 days, in warm, moist conditions. Cool soil slows germination down, so wait for the soil to warm up and keep the seedbed evenly moist — not wet — until seedlings appear.
What soil pH does chamomile need?
A soil pH of 5.5–7.0 suits chamomile best. A simple soil test will tell you where your soil stands, and lime or sulfur can nudge pH up or down over a season.
When can I harvest chamomile?
About 60–90 days after sowing, though weather and variety shift that by a week or two. For nursery-grown plants the wait is shorter than for seed.
Will chamomile come back next year?
Chamomile is an annual, so the plant itself dies at the end of the season — but it self-seeds so freely that a patch often returns on its own. Let a few flower heads ripen and drop seed, and seedlings should appear the following spring.