Why won't my chamomile seeds germinate?

Most often they are sown too deep. Chamomile seed is tiny and needs light to sprout, so press it onto the surface at about 1 mm, keep it moist with a fine mist, and it should come up in 14–21 days.

What can I plant chamomile next to?

It grows well with basil, onions and cabbage. It is said to enhance basil's aromatic oils and improve onion flavour, and its flowers attract hoverflies that help control aphids on nearby brassicas.

When should I harvest chamomile flowers?

Pick when the white petals are fully open and the yellow centres have domed up, which is when the flowers are richest. Harvesting every few days keeps the plant producing new blooms across its 60–90 day season.

Does chamomile come back each year?

German chamomile is an annual, but it self-seeds so readily that a patch often reappears each spring on its own. Let a few late flowers set seed and you will rarely need to resow.

When to plant Chamomile in Temperate Australia

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

Temperate zone — applies to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Cool · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.

Sow Chamomile direct where it is to grow from July to November, scattering the fine seed onto a firm bed and barely covering it at just 1 mm, as it needs light to germinate over 14–21 days. Thin seedlings to stand 10–40 cm apart with 15–20 cm between rows. Plants reach flowering in 60–90 days, giving you a long picking season of daisy flowers through a temperate spring and summer in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. It also grows happily alongside basil, onions and cabbage, where it draws in hoverflies.

Sowing calendar — temperate zone

Green months are your sowing window: July to November.

Growing notes

German chamomile is a hardy annual that all but grows itself in temperate conditions, tolerating light frost and poor soil while asking only for full sun and good drainage. It is a fine companion plant: sown near basil it is said to lift the herb's aromatic oils, near onions it can improve growth and flavour, and near cabbage its flowers attract hoverflies whose larvae eat aphids.

The main mistake with chamomile is burying the seed. It is extremely fine and needs light to germinate, so pressing it onto the surface at 1 mm and keeping it merely moist is essential; sow it too deep and it simply never comes up. Sprinkle it thinly, water with a fine mist so you do not wash it away, and thin once seedlings are established.

The other issue is damp, crowded plantings in a wet spring, which invite powdery mildew and flopping stems. Keep plants in an airy, sunny spot and do not overwater once established, as chamomile prefers things on the lean and dry side. Harvest the flowers when the white petals are fully open and the yellow centres are domed, picking every few days to keep the plant producing. Let a few flowers set seed at the end of the season and it will happily self-sow for next year.

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?: Most often they are sown too deep. Chamomile seed is tiny and needs light to sprout, so press it onto the surface at about 1 mm, keep it moist with a fine mist, and it should come up in 14–21 days.
What can I plant chamomile next to?: It grows well with basil, onions and cabbage. It is said to enhance basil's aromatic oils and improve onion flavour, and its flowers attract hoverflies that help control aphids on nearby brassicas.
When should I harvest chamomile flowers?: Pick when the white petals are fully open and the yellow centres have domed up, which is when the flowers are richest. Harvesting every few days keeps the plant producing new blooms across its 60–90 day season.
Does chamomile come back each year?: German chamomile is an annual, but it self-seeds so readily that a patch often reappears each spring on its own. Let a few late flowers set seed and you will rarely need to resow.

Track chamomile in your garden — sow dates, harvest countdowns, reminders. Free.

Add to my garden