Last updated on September 26th, 2022 at 11:55 am
Every flowering plant possesses an internal time-keeping mechanism that enables them to detect and keep track of seasons as they go by.
At the appropriate time, the internal tool sends a signal to the shoot of the stem to trigger it, thus activating the flowering process.
If you’re gardening Chamomile for the first time, you may wonder when exactly this process happens.
So, when do chamomile bloom? A chamomile plant will begin flowering within Six to ten weeks after its germination. During summer, the plant will flower without end, especially if it gets constantly picked and harvested. The production of chamomile flowers goes on from midsummer down till the light frosts of autumn.
What Season Do Chamomile Bloom?
Chamomile is a sun lover. Summer and fall are its most favorite seasons in the year. These seasons provide it with the warm and sunny days it so much loves.
Chamomile is a self-seeder and a fast grower. Germination takes place within a week or two after the plant is put in the ground. Blooming follows within 6-10 weeks and continues right up until the temperature begins to dip below its tolerance limit.
Chamomile reseeds very aggressively. Just a single plant can birth up to a hundred more plants in your garden.
The herb can be annual and perennial, depending on the variety and its hardiness to the zone where you planted it. It is hardy to zones 4-10 and does not fare too well in the lower zones (3 and below).
It is not advisable to begin the cultivation of Chamomile during frost. Planting season is determined by weather and zones. In the mid-zones (zones 5-8), planting of Chamomile should not be done any later than September to avoid it getting swayed by the first frosts.
Perennial flowers are best cultivated during spring and fall. These seasons possess sunny days which aid in seed germination and flower blooming.
Chamomile blooms during summer. It also requires regular trimming during this period. Pruning and trimming stimulate new growth.
Pruning is easily done; you can do it either with your hands or with a garden shear. Trim/pinch off mature flowers, woody stems, and droopy leaves to encourage the production of more leaves and juicy flowers.
Do Chamomile Bloom All Year Round?
Even though winter is capable of shutting down the plant’s growth, measures have been invented to carry on the production of Chamomile all year round.
Summer is pretty much the highlight of the plant’s life because it produces its best yield at this point. Thus, it effectively maximizes the benefits of full sun to its advantage.
However, in seasons when the sun is not up at its peak, there are other ways to provide an alternative source of warmth for the plant, thus keeping them alive all year round.
Now, what are those ways?
1. Indoor planting
Luckily, chamomile plants do just as well indoors as they do outdoors. Planting chamomile indoors provides it with warmth and also shields it from the harsh rays of winter.
You can pot it alongside onion; they make excellent companion plants for each other. It would be best to make pots with a drainage hole because the soil becomes wet and soggy without one.
Damp and soggy soil in your pot can kill your plant just as fast as the frost can.
2. Planting in glass domes/cloches
The use of glass domes is ideal for growing frost-sensitive plants, especially fragile ones. In addition, a glass dome can serve as armor to the plant as it provides the plant with warmth while shielding it from the cold.
They also help to hasten the plant’s maturity process. Therefore, domes are more commonly used in the lower zones.
On the other hand, cloches are low-budget glass domes. They are small cubicles that perform the same task as a glass dome. They are glass domes, only smaller, and most times, they’re made of plastic.
3. Mulching
This comes in handy too. Covering the plant with thick heavy mulches helps to keep them warm. They also keep weed at bay, not that the Chamomile even gives room for weed at all.
Having established that it is possible to enjoy Chamomile all year round, I’d like to also bring to your notice that there are other factors, aside from frost, that can damage your plant and prevent them from blooming all year round.
Problems Commonly Encountered When Gardening Chamomile Plants
Chamomile, just like any other plant, is susceptible to problems. But, the plant is seldom affected by pests and diseases, so if your plant is not flowering, it could be as a result of either one of the following:
1. Over-fertilizing
Chamomile is not very picky when it comes to soil type. It can grow on pretty much any soil, provided it is well-drained.
You can entirely scrap out the use of fertilizers as the plant can maximize the little amount of soil nitrogen it can find.
If you must go for fertilizer at all, then you should opt for organic manure. You can get this from organic mulches or compost.
2. Overwatering/Soggy soil
Soil drainage is essential. Overwatering will not even pose much threat if adequate measures for soil drainage are put in place. On the other hand, too much watering or soggy soil will cause the plant’s roots to rot.
3. Insufficient nutrients
The leaves turning yellow are a sign of malnourishment. This usually happens when the plants are choked up in a spot and compete with each other for the available soil nutrients.
You can solve this by either transplanting some of the plants to a different location, thereby reducing competition, or applying additional fertilizer to curtail nutrient deficiency:
4. Not enough sun
Indoor chamomile plants are more susceptible to this. That’s why it is advisable to place chamomile pots close to sunny windows where they can access direct sunlight for a sufficient period.
Is Chamomile Perennial or Annual?
The lifespan of the different varieties is not the same. Some are grown as perennials, while others are grown as annuals.
The most commercialized types, however, are the Roman Chamomile and the German Chamomile. German Chamomile is considered annual, while Roman Chamomile is deemed to be perennial.
Conclusion
Chamomile plants are grown mostly for their flowers. The leaves are edible too. But the flowers are more valuable health-wise as You can use them to brew a herbal tea with many amazing health benefits.
The plant, being a sun lover, rises to its full glory during summer. The warm sunny days stimulate it to bloom in abundance.
Chamomile can be an annual plant as well as a perennial, depending on the variety.
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