Garden calendar · USDA 6b

Grow lab

Written for East Tennessee hill country — last spring frost mid-April, first fall frost mid-October. A ridge runs colder than a hollow. Treat dates as a week either way, not a promise. Restricted species stay in the catalog as law and habitat notes; they have no grow protocol here. Size a timber bed in the bed planner. For indoor starts, transplants, and outdoor sowing from your frost date, open seed starting.

Choose a plantChamomilePeppermintGingerTurmericPurple coneflowerLavenderValerianLemon balmElderberryGarlicAloeCalendulaSt. John's wortMilk thistleAshwagandhaHoly basilYarrowNettleDandelionFeverfewWhite willowPassionflowerHawthornLicoriceKavaGoldensealComfreyWormwoodReishiLion's maneTurkey tailCordycepsShiitakeDaturaRosemaryGarden sageThymeFennelMarshmallowPlantainMulleinRhodiolaGinkgoWitch hazelSkullcapRed cloverMaitakeSnow fungusOyster mushroomFoxgloveDeadly nightshadeMonkshoodOleanderSweet basilOreganoHopsBurdockMeadowsweetDog roseRoselleCatnipEnokiWood earPoison hemlockEnglish yewLily of the valleyCastor beanLemon verbenaSpearmintGotu kolaAstragalusMotherwortBlack cohoshChaste treeRaspberry leafLindenLemongrassEvening primroseSelf-healOregon grapeChickweedCinnamonHyssopKing oysterAlmond mushroomPoriaMorelParsleyCilantroBay laurelDillChivesFrench tarragonSweet marjoramGreen cardamomAsian ginsengArnicaBorageFenugreekCuminCloveJuniperOatstrawPurslaneNasturtiumButton mushroomSaffronBlack pepperNutmegHorseradishBrown mustardStar aniseSlippery elmMugwortEleutheroBacopaSchisandraVanillaOliveCacaoCoffeeTeaSesameFlaxNigellaAniseCayenneSumacAllspiceGalangalCurry leafShisoLovageSorrelWatercressSummer savoryCarawayMoringaMacaAndrographisBlue vervainCramp barkWild cherryEucalyptusTea treeNeemDamianaHorsetailLady’s mantleBee balmAnise hyssopSteviaAmlaWintergreenNamekoPioppinoPokeweedHenbaneAutumn crocusPineBirchGoldenrodWinter savoryTomatoPotatoSweet potatoOnionCarrotBeetCabbageKaleBroccoliSpinachCucumberZucchiniPumpkinEggplantOkraGreen beanPeaCornAsparagusArtichokeApplePeachGrapeStrawberryBlueberryFigPomegranateLemonOrangeBananaAvocadoPineappleMangoWatermelonDurianLycheeDragon fruitPassion fruitJackfruitStarfruitRambutanMangosteenBitter melonCherimoyaTamarindPersimmonKiwiGuavaTaroCassavaSunflowerHeartseaseSweet violetArabian jasmineGarland chrysanthemumClove pinkOrange daylilyRose geraniumDahliaFrench marigoldZinniaCosmosSweet alyssumHollyhockGarden peonySnapdragonSweet peaCornflowerOpen the full plate

Chamomile

Matricaria chamomilla

Light

Full sun

Soil

Lean, well-drained, pH 6–7.5. Rich soil makes floppy plants.

Sow

Direct-sow in early spring; press seed, do not bury (needs light).

Harvest

Pick fully open heads on dry mornings; dry in shade on screens.

Days to harvest

60–70 days from sow to first flush

Flavor

Apple-sweet, hay, and a faint bitterness — like a warm orchard in a cup.

Grow tips

• Press seed on the surface — it needs light to germinate.
• Lean soil. Rich beds make floppy stems and fewer flowers.
• Pick heads as they open on dry mornings; a midsummer cut often brings a second flush.

Plant with

• CabbageBrassica oleracea var. capitataAn old companion list pairing. Chamomile is at least a useful flower.
• OnionAllium cepaThe old plant-chamomile-to-keep-the-onion-kind line. Harmless, and it flowers.

Open companion planting

Step 1 of 5

Prepare a sunny bed

Rake a fine tilth. Chamomile resents transplanting, so sow in place.

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