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Caraway Seeds - Carum carvi

Regular price: $5.99

Unit price: per

Carum carvi - Non-GMO, Open-Pollinated, Heirloom, Untreated
Classic Old-World Flavor: The source of the iconic, aromatic seed used in rye bread, sauerkraut, and cheese. Its flavor is warm, earthy, and slightly sharp with notes of anise and dill.
Dual-Purpose Harvest: While prized for its seeds, caraway also offers edible, carrot-like leaves for use in salads and feathery garnishes, as well as a taproot that can be cooked as a root vegetable after the first year.
Hardy Biennial Life Cycle: This resilient plant focuses on establishing a healthy taproot and leafy rosette in its first year, then bolts in its second year to produce beautiful umbels of white flowers followed by a bountiful seed harvest.
Beneficial Garden Companion: Attracts a wide array of beneficial insects, including parasitic wasps and lacewings, which help to naturally control pest populations throughout your garden.
Naturalizes Easily: Caraway will readily self-sow if some seed heads are left in the garden, creating a continuous, self-perpetuating patch for years to come with just one initial planting.
Drought Tolerant: Once its deep taproot is established, caraway is a low-maintenance and moderately drought-tolerant plant, making it a reliable choice for the herb garden.

$5.99

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USDA Hardiness Zones

3, 4, 5, 6, 7

USDA Zones 3-7 - Caraway is a hardy biennial herb that requires a cold period for vernalization (the process that induces flowering). It grows vegetative foliage in the first year and produces flowers and seeds in its second year.

Best Performance - The plant thrives in Zones 3-7, where cold winters provide the necessary chilling period to ensure robust flowering and seed production in the second summer.

Northern Zones (3-5) - This is the ideal climate for caraway. It easily survives cold winters and performs reliably, yielding a substantial seed harvest in its second year.

Hot Climate Zones (8+) - Caraway generally does not perform well in regions with mild winters and intense summer heat. The lack of a sufficient cold period can prevent the plant from flowering, making seed production unlikely. In these areas, it may be grown as an annual for its leafy foliage only.

Soil Temperature - Seeds germinate well in cool soil, with optimal temperatures between 55-70 degrees F. Spring or autumn sowing is recommended.

Growing Season - Caraway requires two full seasons to complete its life cycle. The first year is dedicated to root and foliage growth. Following a winter dormancy period, the plant flowers in late spring of the second year, with seeds ready for harvest by mid-summer.

Learn more about USDA Hardiness Zones here

USDA Hardiness Zones

3, 4, 5, 6, 7

USDA Zones 3-7 - Caraway is a hardy biennial herb that requires a cold period for vernalization (the process that induces flowering). It grows vegetative foliage in the first year and produces flowers and seeds in its second year.

Best Performance - The plant thrives in Zones 3-7, where cold winters provide the necessary chilling period to ensure robust flowering and seed production in the second summer.

Northern Zones (3-5) - This is the ideal climate for caraway. It easily survives cold winters and performs reliably, yielding a substantial seed harvest in its second year.

Hot Climate Zones (8+) - Caraway generally does not perform well in regions with mild winters and intense summer heat. The lack of a sufficient cold period can prevent the plant from flowering, making seed production unlikely. In these areas, it may be grown as an annual for its leafy foliage only.

Soil Temperature - Seeds germinate well in cool soil, with optimal temperatures between 55-70 degrees F. Spring or autumn sowing is recommended.

Growing Season - Caraway requires two full seasons to complete its life cycle. The first year is dedicated to root and foliage growth. Following a winter dormancy period, the plant flowers in late spring of the second year, with seeds ready for harvest by mid-summer.

Learn more about USDA Hardiness Zones here

Planting Tips

When to Sow:
For best results, direct sow seeds into the garden in either early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in late summer/early autumn. Fall-sown plants develop a strong root system before winter, often leading to a more vigorous plant in the second year.

Sowing and Germination:

Seed Depth: Sow seeds approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep.

Soil: Plant in a location with well-drained, loamy soil and full sun exposure. Caraway develops a long taproot and does not transplant well, making direct sowing the preferred method.

Germination: Keep the seedbed consistently moist. Germination typically occurs within 7-14 days in appropriate conditions.

Spacing and Thinning:

Sow seeds approximately 2-3 inches apart.

Once seedlings have developed their first true leaves, thin them to a final spacing of 8-12 inches apart to allow ample room for development.

Ongoing Care:

Light: Caraway requires full sun (a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight) for the best growth and seed production.

Water: Water regularly during germination and establishment. Once mature, its deep taproot provides moderate drought tolerance, but it will benefit from supplemental watering during extended dry periods.

First-Year Care: In the first year, the plant will form a low-growing rosette of leaves. Keep the area free of weeds to reduce competition. Leaves can be harvested sparingly.

Second-Year Care: The plant will send up a tall flower stalk in the late spring of its second year. The plant may reach 2-3 feet in height and become top-heavy; staking may be necessary in windy locations.

Harvesting: Harvest seeds in the second summer after the flowers have faded and the seed heads have turned brown and dry. Cut the entire stalk, and hang it upside down in a warm, dry place with a paper bag tied around the head to catch the mature seeds as they fall.

Planting Tips

When to Sow:
For best results, direct sow seeds into the garden in either early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in late summer/early autumn. Fall-sown plants develop a strong root system before winter, often leading to a more vigorous plant in the second year.

Sowing and Germination:

Seed Depth: Sow seeds approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep.

Soil: Plant in a location with well-drained, loamy soil and full sun exposure. Caraway develops a long taproot and does not transplant well, making direct sowing the preferred method.

Germination: Keep the seedbed consistently moist. Germination typically occurs within 7-14 days in appropriate conditions.

Spacing and Thinning:

Sow seeds approximately 2-3 inches apart.

Once seedlings have developed their first true leaves, thin them to a final spacing of 8-12 inches apart to allow ample room for development.

Ongoing Care:

Light: Caraway requires full sun (a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight) for the best growth and seed production.

Water: Water regularly during germination and establishment. Once mature, its deep taproot provides moderate drought tolerance, but it will benefit from supplemental watering during extended dry periods.

First-Year Care: In the first year, the plant will form a low-growing rosette of leaves. Keep the area free of weeds to reduce competition. Leaves can be harvested sparingly.

Second-Year Care: The plant will send up a tall flower stalk in the late spring of its second year. The plant may reach 2-3 feet in height and become top-heavy; staking may be necessary in windy locations.

Harvesting: Harvest seeds in the second summer after the flowers have faded and the seed heads have turned brown and dry. Cut the entire stalk, and hang it upside down in a warm, dry place with a paper bag tied around the head to catch the mature seeds as they fall.

Caraway Seeds - Carum carvi

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