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How to Grow Caraways | Complete Growing Guide

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Caraway (Carum carvi)

Dried caraway seeds — “Kümmel 2012-07-08-9523” by Slick is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons

1 sources cited · Verified

Caraways (Carum carvi) — biennial.

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.

Quick Facts

Dried caraway seeds — “Kümmel 2012-07-08-9523” by Slick is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Kümmel 2012-07-08-9523” by Slick is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Factor Value
Soil pH 6 - 7.5
Sunlight 6-6 hours direct sun
Soil texture clay or loam, prefers light fertile soil (RHS)
Drainage well-drained
Lifecycle biennial
Edible parts seeds

Soil & Growing Conditions

Caraway plants flowering in a field beside a fence — “Carum carvi 15-p.bot-carum.carvi-28” by Ayotte, Gilles, 1948- is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Carum carvi 15-p.bot-carum.carvi-28” by Ayotte, Gilles, 1948- is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Water: well-drained, tolerates heavier soils (RHS)

Soil pH range

6 7.5

Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.

Growth Stages

Close-up of caraway's finely divided feathery foliage — “Carum carvi 15-p.bot-carum.carvi-33” by Ayotte, Gilles, 1948- is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Carum carvi 15-p.bot-carum.carvi-33” by Ayotte, Gilles, 1948- is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Stage BBCH Notes
Sowing 0 Sow seed directly; transplant seedlings only while small to avoid premature bolting, as the plant dislikes transplanting (RHS).
Foliage growth (year one) 3 Develops finely divided, aromatic foliage in its first year as a biennial (RHS).
Flowering (year two) 6 Small white flowers appear in umbels in its second year (RHS).
Seed set and harvest 8 Leave plants to set seed; harvest the strongly aromatic fruits once ripe (RHS).

Harvest & Storage

Close-up of a caraway flower umbel — “Carum carvi 15-p.bot-carum.carvi-10” by Ayotte, Gilles, 1948- is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Carum carvi 15-p.bot-carum.carvi-10” by Ayotte, Gilles, 1948- is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

When to pick: Leave plants to set seed; harvest the strongly aromatic fruits (seeds) once ripe, the plant's primary culinary product (RHS).

References

  1. An upright biennial herb with finely divided, aromatic foliage and small white flowers in umbels, producing strongly aromatic fruits (seeds). Native to temperate Europe and Asia, also native to GB/Ireland. Hardiness H7 (below -20C). Full sun, benefiting from south-, west- or east-facing aspects. Soil: clay, loam; well-drained; acid, alkaline or neutral pH; tolerates heavier soils despite a preference for light, fertile soil. Height/spread 0.1-0.5m. Time to maturity 1-2 years. Sow seed directly; transplant seedlings when small to avoid premature bolting, though the plant dislikes transplanting generally. Generally pest-free and disease-free. Leave plants to set seed; suits cottage gardens and flower borders. Aromatic fruits (seeds) are the primary culinary component.

1 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What soil pH do caraways need?

A pH of about 6–7.5. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.

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SoilCommander Editorial Team

Science-based growing guides · Thresholds that hold in any climate

This guide states the conditions the plant itself responds to — soil temperature, frost tolerance, day length — rather than dates, because the same calendar month means opposite seasons in the northern and southern hemispheres. Anything genuinely restricted to one part of the world is named as such rather than presented as universal. Written and maintained by our editorial team against international horticultural research and extension sources.

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Last verified 2026-08-29

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