How to Grow Caraway
Caraway At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Herb
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -18°C
Plant Family
Apiaceae
Growing Season
Cool Season
Plant Lifecycle
Biennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Caraway handles frost, so sow it in early spring, about 2 weeks before your last frost. Sow the seeds 0.5 cm deep in short rows and keep the soil damp, since they are slow: they sprout in 10 to 20 days. Thin them (pull the extras) so each plant has 30 cm. Sow it right where it will grow, because its one long main root does not like being moved.
Caraway takes two summers: the first year it makes a low clump of feathery leaves, and the second year it flowers, makes its seeds and then dies. Once you let it drop some seed, new plants often come up on their own each year.
When To Start
First chance to plant
14 Days Before Last Frost
Last chance to plant
60 Days Before First Frost
When should you plant Caraway?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Caraway Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Caraway Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Sow caraway outdoors now, it handles light frost
2 weeks before your last frost· every year
Second year: cut caraway seed heads as they turn brown
380 days after your last frost· every year· optional
Did you water your caraway seedlings today? Keep the top of the soil damp until they are up and growing.
About 1 days after you plant it
Checking in on your caraway! Keep the soil lightly moist and pull weeds while the seedlings are small.
About 30 days after you plant it
Your caraway is building roots this year so it can flower next year. Leave it in place over the winter.
About 90 days after you plant it
Picking time may be here: check your caraway.
About 175 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Caraway's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
0.5 cm
Seeding Depth
30 cm
Plant Spacing
45 cm
Row Spacing
1
Plants / Sq Ft
Vertical Growing
Yes: Tower.
Method: Tower.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 10–20 days
Growing Tips
- 1Grow caraway in full sun, at least 6 hours a day.
- 2Give it loose, well-drained soil with some compost mixed in, so the long root can grow straight down.
- 3Water whenever the top 2 to 3 cm of soil are dry, especially while the seedlings are small.
- 4A light feed of compost tea in the spring of its second year helps it flower well.
- 5The tall seed stalks of the second year can flop, so tie them loosely to a stake.
- 6Wash aphids off with a spray of water, and let the flowers bloom, since they bring in tiny wasps and hoverflies that eat pests.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~175
Days to Maturity
60 cm
Mature Height
30 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
30 days
When to Pick
Harvest seeds when dry
How to Harvest
- 1In the first year, snip a few young leaves for salads and soups, but leave most of the plant to grow.
- 2In the second summer, the seeds are ready when the flower heads turn brown and the seeds come off easily when you rub them.
- 3Cut the stalks with their seed heads in the morning, when the dew keeps the seeds from shaking loose.
- 4Hang the stalks upside down inside a paper bag in a dry, airy spot for 1 to 2 weeks.
- 5Rub the dry heads between your hands to free the seeds, then store them in a sealed jar for rye bread, soups and cabbage dishes.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Caraway seeds grow true as long as it is the only caraway flowering nearby, since bees can carry pollen between caraway plants. It only makes seed in its second year, after a winter in the ground. The seeds you save for planting are the same ones you cook with, so keep some of the biggest, plumpest ones aside. Make sure they are fully dry, then store them labelled somewhere cool, dark and dry, where they keep about 3 years.
Seed Production
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