How to Grow, Harvest and Dry Chamomile Flowers for Tea and More

updated with new chamomile tea recipe and more

The sun has been shining brightly on our little backyard garden and as a result, our plants are growing beautifully. All of our springtime planning and planting is paying off. Over the years we have made many different plans for growing a tea home garden and yet again our plans are bearing fruit. This is why I am happily sharing insights on how to harvest chamomile and how to dry chamomile flowers...we have a lot of chamomile flowers!

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We made a plan to grow an herbal tea garden, and the first of our tea crops is ready to be harvested...chamomile. I noticed the plant was covered in tiny white and yellow flowers, ready to be plucked. I called my daughters into the garden so that I could teach them how to harvest chamomile.

Everything About Growing, Harvesting, and Drying Chamomile at Home

Where to plant chamomile?

The first thing to know about growing chamomile is understanding where to plant chamomile in your garden. You will want to plant chamomile in a sunny, well-drained spot in the garden. They like the heat. Chamomile can be invasive...which is good if you have a patch of garden that you want to fill. If, however, you would like to keep it under control, plant chamomile in a pot or in its own garden. Our chamomile has popped up in other garden beds...yep, it can be quite invasive. Thankfully, it is easy to control. If chamomile pops up where you don't want it, simply pull the young plant (before it flowers), and that's it, the plant is gone.

What does a chamomile plant look like?

Chamomile is a beautifully feathery, tall plant. The leaves look similar to dill. In fact, you might think it is dill as it starts to grow. Once you see the stalks divide and the little flower heads appear, you know it isn't dill.

The signature tiny daisy-like flower heads are the source of much of chamomile's fragrance and flavor.

How long does chamomile take to grow?

Chamomile is a fast grower. You will see the first shoots in late spring, and within a few weeks, they will be grown and ready to harvest.

When to Harvest Chamomile Flowers

The best time to harvest chamomile is on a dry day. Harvesting wet flowers might lead to your flowers turning moldy instead of actually drying nicely. You will know when to harvest chamomile when the flowers are ready to be harvested and when the blooms are completely open. The white petals should be fully extended...if they are past this point, and the petals have begun to point downward, you can still harvest the flowers. By harvesting chamomile flowers at their peak, they will have the most essential oils in the flower head.

How to Harvest Chamomile Flowers

The first step in harvesting camomile is to gently pinch the stem of the plant, just below the flower head, with your left (or non-dominant) hand.

Next, place your forefinger and middle finger under the head of the camomile flower...between the flower head and your other pinched fingers. My daughter was most comfortable facing her hand downward. I preferred turning my palm up. Whichever way you are comfortable will work.

Gently pull and pop the flower head off. It is quite simple to do...they really do pop right off. In a few moments, you will have harvested all of the open chamomile flowers and clean flower heads. Be sure to leave behind any heads that have not come into bloom...these will be your next crop. By removing the blooming flower heads, the chamomile plant will reward you with many, many more flowers.

How to Dry Chamomile Flowers

Leave the chamomile flowers on a clean sheet of cheesecloth or paper towel on a tray. Try to lay them in a single layer. Overlapping the flowers will make the drying time longer.

Place the tray in a dry space. I put mine on my dining room table. Keep an eye on them and toss them, gently, every day. It will probably take about a week for them to fully dry. They will be crisp and dry to the touch.

What to make with dried chamomile flowers

Now you have a pile of chamomile flowers, and you're probably wondering what to do with them. Well, there are plenty of things to do with chamomile flowers. We are planning on drying our chamomile to be used for making chamomile tea (see below) and baking lemon chamomile shortbread cookies.

How to Make Chamomile Tea

So, now that you know how to harvest and dry chamomile flowers for tea, it's time to learn how to make chamomile tea from chamomile flowers. The easiest way to make chamomile tea is to use a metal tea ball or a metal tea infuser basket. I personally love my tea infuser basket.

Either way, you will want to add 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried chamomile flowers for a cup of tea. Scoop the dried flowers into the tea ball or tea infuser basket. Let the tea steep for 2-3 minutes. Then remove the tea ball or basket. You can drink chamomile tea with or without milk, it's up to you. Feel free to add a little squirt of honey for added sweetness.

How to store dried chamomile flowers

You will find that you will inevitably have more chamomile flowers than you can use at once. So, you will need to store the dried flowers. Store the flowers in an airtight jar. I keep mine in a mason jar. They will keep for about a year. Over time, they will lose the strength of their flavor.

Drying chamomile flowers is very simple to do. To dry the chamomile flowers, place the flower heads between two pieces of cheesecloth or paper towel, in a dry spot. Make sure you have dusted off any dirt or sand...the flowers must be clean. The flowers will take about a week to dry, depending on the humidity in your home. Once the chamomile flowers are dry, store them in an air-tight jar until ready to use.

Do you grow chamomile in your garden? Do you have any tips for us? Feel free to share your tips in the comments below.

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Learn everything you need to know about growing and harvesting basil

And, learn how to harvest coriander seeds from your cilantro plants

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