Carum carvi
herbCaraway is a cool-season biennial herb in the carrot family, grown for its crescent-shaped seeds that flavor rye bread, sauerkraut, cheeses, and spice blends with a pungent anise-licorice character (driven by the essential oil carvone). The feathery first-year foliage is also edible and tastes like a milder dill.
Sun
full sun
Water
Every 3 days
Harvest
~365 days
Difficulty
easy
Lifecycle
biennial
Leaves year 1, flowers year 2
Spacing
8-12 in apart
Planting Depth
1/4 in
Soil pH
6.0-7.5
Soil Type
Average, well-draining
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3 β 8
Grown as an annual β this range is its winter hardiness, but you can grow it for a single season in any zone.
When to Fertilize
Light feed in spring of year 2 as flower stalks emerge
Fertilizer
Compost or balanced 10-10-10
Direct-sow seeds in early spring or late summer; caraway has a deep taproot and does not transplant well. Sow 1/4 in deep, thin to 8 to 12 in apart. Caraway is biennial: it forms a rosette of feathery leaves in year 1, then sends up a flowering stalk and sets seed in year 2 before dying. Plant in full sun on well-drained fertile soil. Caraway self-seeds modestly if seed heads are left on the plant.
Direct sow
Apr 1
Projected first harvest
Apr 1
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts β tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
Row cover bed and rotate Apiaceae for 3 years
Blast with water and encourage natural predators
Space for airflow and water at the base
Iron phosphate bait around young plants; remove garden debris where slugs hide
Harvest first-year leaves any time for a mild dill-like flavor in salads and soups. The main crop is seed: in summer of year 2, watch for the umbel flower heads to turn from green to brown. Cut the whole stalks just as seeds begin to mature (they shatter easily) and hang upside down inside paper bags for 1 to 2 weeks to finish drying. Rub heads to release seeds; sift out the chaff.
Caraway seeds are about 333 calories per 100 g with 38 g fiber, 19 g protein, and high levels of iron, manganese, calcium, and magnesium. Carvone, the main aromatic compound, has been traditionally used as a mild digestive and carminative; modern studies have looked at antimicrobial effects of caraway essential oil.
For educational and informational purposes only β HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.