Grow caraway in full sun, in soil that drains and stays evenly moist, and leave the first-year rosette in place through winter. Caraway is Carum, a biennial. Persian cumin is a shop name for this plant, not true cumin.
Give it full sun and soil that stays moist
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Full sun, at least six hours. Light shade is tolerable; seed is more aromatic in open light | Do not grow it in deep shade, where the stems stay weak |
| Water | Keep the soil evenly moist through the first year | Do not leave the roots in soggy soil |
| Soil | Moist, well-drained loam with organic matter | Do not plant in a wet pocket that holds water after rain |
| Feed | Little or no extra fertilizer once it is in the ground | Do not keep it in rich, wet soil |
caraway wants an open, sunny bed and ground that stays moist but does not sit wet. [1] Keep the soil evenly moist through that first leafy year, because a dry spell weakens the taproot that has to carry the plant into flower. [2] If you are sowing this spring or fall, the seed depth and spacing are on Planting Caraway. Seed for the kitchen is on Harvesting Caraway.
- Set it in full sun. Light shade is tolerable, but the seed stays more aromatic in open light.
- Water enough to keep the soil evenly moist. Do not flood the roots, and do not let a new plant dry out for weeks.
- Skip heavy feeding. Rich, wet soil makes weak growth around a taproot that already hates a move.
How much sun does caraway need?
Full sun, at least six hours. Light shade is tolerable, but the seed is more aromatic in open light.
How often should I water caraway?
Keep the soil evenly moist through the first year. Do not leave the roots in standing water.
Leave the first-year rosette in the ground through winter
This is a biennial. The first year it makes a low, carrot-like rosette and a long taproot. Frost knocks the foliage back. Leave the crown in the ground. New stems rise the next spring and then flower. [3]
- Do not dig the plant up in fall just because the leaves have died back. The taproot is still alive in the bed.
- Leave the crown at the soil line. A hard freeze may brown the leaves; that is the rest, not a dead plant.
- Wait for the second-year stems before you expect seed. Both a spring sowing and a fall sowing bloom in that second year.
Does caraway come back after frost?
Yes. The first-year leaves die back in frost, and new stems rise the next spring. Leave the crown in the ground.
Not cumin — and not fennel
This plant is Carum. Shop tags sometimes say Persian cumin or meridian fennel, but those are names for caraway, not a second spice. [4] True cumin is Cuminum, a heat-loving annual with a different seed. Fennel is Foeniculum, a taller ferny herb — see How to Grow Fennel. Dill is Anethum, an annual with yellow umbels — see How to Grow Dill. Caraway thyme is Thymus, a low mint-family creeper — see How to Grow Thyme. Black caraway is Nigella seed, not love-in-a-mist in the border. Toothpick plant was once labeled Carum visnaga; that plant is Ammi — see How to Grow Ammi. Poison hemlock has a similar umbrella flower and is not an herb to grow or eat. Keep it out of the bed.
Is caraway the same as cumin?
No. This plant is Carum. True cumin is Cuminum. Persian cumin on a caraway tag is this biennial, not grocery cumin.
Set it in full sun in soil that stays moist, leave the first-year rosette in the ground, and confirm the tag is not cumin or fennel.
FAQ
Can I grow caraway in a pot?
A deep pot with a drainage hole can hold a plant if you sow in that pot and do not move the taproot. Open ground is the easier home.
Can I plant caraway next to fennel?
Keep it off a fennel row. The two compete, and the ferny leaves are easy to mix up. Peas and other shallow-rooted crops share the same sun more easily.
Is there an annual caraway I can harvest the first year?
Garden seed is the biennial. Farm annual strains are not a second shop kind we hold. Sow in spring or fall and wait for the second-year stems.
Can dogs chew caraway?
Keep cats, dogs, and horses from chewing the foliage. Give them a different plant to nibble.
Is this caraway thyme?
No. Caraway thyme is a low thyme with a similar leaf scent. This plant is a biennial umbel that sets seed in year two.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] NC State Extension -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/carum-carvi/ - [2] Illinois Extension -
https://extension.illinois.edu/herbs/caraway - [3] Johnny's Selected Seeds -
https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/herbs/caraway/caraway-key-growing-information.html - [4] UC Master Gardener Program -
https://ucanr.edu/blog/garden-notes/article/herb-study-caraway
This note is part of Carum Guides.
More first-season notes by plant are gathered in How to Grow Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors