When to Plant Chamomile
Chamomile is a half-hardy cool-season herb. It takes light frosts but not a hard freeze.
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost, and plant out from the last frost to 2 weeks after it. Or sow it where it will grow, in the 2 weeks before the last spring frost. The first harvest comes about 55 to 70 days after sowing.
Example dates
The same rules in dates for three climates, using typical frost dates. Enter your ZIP code above for the dates where you live.
| Task | Last frost Mar 15first Nov 15 | Last frost Apr 15first Oct 25 | Last frost May 15first Sep 30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start seeds indoors | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 |
| Harden off | Mar 8 – 14 | Apr 8 – 14 | May 8 – 14 |
| Plant out | Mar 15 – 29 | Apr 15 – 29 | May 15 – 29 |
| Harvest | Mar 14 – May 9 | Apr 14 – Jun 9 | May 14 – Jul 9 |
| Direct-sown: Sow outdoors | Mar 1 – 15 | Apr 1 – 15 | May 1 – 15 |
| Direct-sown: Harvest | Apr 25 – Jun 20 | May 26 – Jul 21 | Jun 25 – Aug 20 |
Growing chamomile
Press the tiny seed onto the surface without covering it, and pick flowers as they open fully.
- Spacing: 6 in apart, in rows 12 in apart. In a raised bed, 4 per sq ft at square-foot spacing.
- Days to harvest: 55 to 70 from sowing, then about 8 weeks of picking.
- Traditional companions: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupe, cauliflower, collards, cucumber, green onion, kale, kohlrabi, onion (bulb), watermelon. See companion plants for chamomile.
Plan your beds with these dates
Draw your beds, tap squares to plant chamomile and everything else, and get every crop's dates for your ZIP code in one calendar. Free, in your browser.
Open the garden plannerQuestions
When do I start chamomile indoors?
6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost: with a last frost of April 15, that's Feb 18 – Mar 4. Enter your ZIP code above for your own dates.
Can chamomile go in before the last frost?
Yes. Chamomile is half-hardy: plant it out from the last spring frost to 2 weeks after it.
How long does chamomile take to grow?
About 55 to 70 days from sowing to the first harvest, which then lasts about 8 weeks. Varieties differ: check the seed packet.
More planting dates
Sources
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal, by station: freeze dates at 32 °F)
- Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M System (J. Masabni): Growing Herbs (E-561, 2009)
- University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension Horticulture: German Chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla
- UC Master Gardener Program, UC ANR: Companion Planting Chart: Companion Planting for Edible Crops
- University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension, Kenosha County: Companion Plants for the Vegetable Garden (column, 2012)
- Oregon State University Extension Service: Herbs and Flowers in the Vegetable Garden
- Penn State Extension: Herbs Make Good Plant Partners and Companions
- University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County: The Art of Companion Planting (Master Gardener presentation, 2023)