Why won't my chamomile seeds germinate?

Chamomile seed needs light to sprout and must sit on the surface, no more than 1 mm deep. If you bury it, it will not come up, so press the fine seed onto firmed soil, mist gently, and keep the surface damp until seedlings appear in 14-21 days.

What grows well next to chamomile?

Chamomile pairs well with basil, where it is said to enhance essential oil content, and with onions, improving their growth and flavour. Its flowers also attract hoverflies that prey on aphids, making it a useful companion near cabbage and other brassicas.

When can I grow chamomile in Brisbane?

Sow from March to October, through the cooler and drier months. Brisbane's humid summers cause bolting and fungal problems, so an autumn-to-winter sowing gives the quick 60-90 day crop the conditions it prefers.

How do I harvest chamomile flowers for tea?

Pick the flowers on a dry morning when the white petals are just starting to reflex backwards. Regular harvesting keeps plants blooming, and drying the flowers in a single layer out of direct sun preserves them for tea.

When to plant Chamomile in Subtropical Australia

Sow chamomile in subtropical Australia from March to October. Method: raise seedlings,sow direct. Seeds germinate in 14-21 days, with harvest roughly 60-90 days after sowing.

Subtropical zone — applies to Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Coffs Harbour, Lismore and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Cool · Tropical · Arid.

Sow chamomile direct from March to October, scattering the fine seed across the cooler, drier half of the subtropical year. Seed is tiny and needs light to germinate, so press it onto the surface no more than 1 mm deep and keep it just moist; it sprouts in 14-21 days. Thin seedlings to anywhere from 10-40 cm apart, in rows 15-20 cm apart, depending on whether you want a dense herb patch or larger individual plants. Quick to flower at 60-90 days, chamomile suits autumn and winter beds in Brisbane and Coffs Harbour, where it also draws in beneficial hoverflies.

Sowing calendar — subtropical zone

Green months are your sowing window: March to October.

Growing notes

Chamomile is easy and cheerful in the cool season, but in the subtropics it fails in two predictable ways. First is sowing depth: this is a surface-germinating seed, and bury it more than 1 mm and it simply never comes up. Press the seed onto firmed soil, water with a fine mist so you do not wash it away, and keep the surface damp until seedlings appear.

The second failure is heat and humidity. Chamomile bolts, browns, and collapses to fungal problems if you push it into the warm, wet months. Keep it to the March-to-October window, give it full sun and free-draining soil, and it will reward you.

Chamomile earns its place as a companion plant here. Grown near basil it is said to lift the herb's essential oil content, it improves the growth and flavour of onions nearby, and its flowers attract hoverflies whose larvae eat aphids off your cabbages. Let a few plants flower fully to feed those beneficials.

Harvest the daisy-like flowers when the white petals are just beginning to reflex back, picking on a dry morning. Regular picking keeps the plants blooming. Dry the flowers in a single layer out of direct sun for tea, and let the last flush self-seed to give you volunteer plants next season.

Chamomile at a glance

Sowing depth	1 mm
Plant spacing	10-40 cm
Row spacing	15-20 cm
Germination	14-21 days
Days to maturity	60-90 days
Frost tolerance	Hardy
Method	Raise Seedlings,Sow Direct

Companion planting

Grows well with

Basil Onion Basil Onion Cabbage

Basil: Enhances essential oil content in basil

Onion: Improves onion growth and flavour

Basil: Enhances essential oil production in basil

Common questions

Why won't my chamomile seeds germinate?: Chamomile seed needs light to sprout and must sit on the surface, no more than 1 mm deep. If you bury it, it will not come up, so press the fine seed onto firmed soil, mist gently, and keep the surface damp until seedlings appear in 14-21 days.
What grows well next to chamomile?: Chamomile pairs well with basil, where it is said to enhance essential oil content, and with onions, improving their growth and flavour. Its flowers also attract hoverflies that prey on aphids, making it a useful companion near cabbage and other brassicas.
When can I grow chamomile in Brisbane?: Sow from March to October, through the cooler and drier months. Brisbane's humid summers cause bolting and fungal problems, so an autumn-to-winter sowing gives the quick 60-90 day crop the conditions it prefers.
How do I harvest chamomile flowers for tea?: Pick the flowers on a dry morning when the white petals are just starting to reflex backwards. Regular harvesting keeps plants blooming, and drying the flowers in a single layer out of direct sun preserves them for tea.

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