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Let’s talk about how to grow and use chamomile from the garden. Chamomile is one of our favorite herbs, much like lavender. Chamomile is incredibly safe calming herb that is a must have in the medicinal herb cabinet when having kids.
In this article we will discuss how to grow chamomile successfully, some medicinal benefits, suggested ways to use chamomile and lastly a few recipes to get you started. Without further ado!
Table of Contents
- How to Growing Chamomile
- Roman Chamomile
- German Chamomile
- How to Harvest Chamomile
- Medicinal Benefits of Chamomile
- Medicinal Properties
- 4 Suggested Uses for Chamomile
- 1. Chamomile Tincture
- 2. Chamomile Salve
- 3. Chamomile Tea
- 4. Chamomile Essential Oil
- Recipes for Chamomile
- Chamomile Tincture
- Tea for the Bath
- Chamomile salve
How to Growing Chamomile
There are two types of chamomile, Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) and German chamomile (Matricaria recutita). These two varieties are both grown best in zones 3 to 9. You can check your growing zone here. Chamomile enjoys full sun but can tolerate part shade. It is a drought tolerant plant, needing water only a couple of times a week depending on the weather. Once chamomile is established, it is a pretty hardy plant.
Both varieties of chamomile have delicate white daisy like flowers with a bright yellow centers and has a sweet apple like scent. As well as reach maturity and full bloom with 9-10 weeks. Both varieties tend be large bushy plants however, Roman Chamomile can be used as more of a ground cover or used as in boarders.
Roman Chamomile
This variety is considered an annual plant however, due to self-seeding Roman Chamomile most likely will return year after year. While both varieties are fragrant, Roman chamomile has a stronger scent. This variety also tends to be better for distilling and using for essential oils.
German Chamomile
This variety is a perennial that tends to have more frequent bursts of blooms. While it is still fragrant like Roman Chamomile, this variety tends to be used more for teas.
How to Harvest Chamomile
Harvesting chamomile is a bit tedious but absolutely worth every second. Once flowers are in full bloom simply snip off the tip of the flower with either garden shears or by pitching the head of the flower off with one hand while holding the stem in the other. Be sure to leave the full stem as this will encourage more blooms.
Once you have your harvest lay your flowers out on a tray and allow to dry for 7-1o days. The best thing to use is an old window screen where there is significant air flow. Our favorite way to dry any herb is by freeze drying them. It is as if you froze time when you freeze dry herbs. The scent amplifies and the plant or flower stays completely intact. It is mind blowing! We use a Harvest Right freeze dryer and have been so pleased with our investment.
Medicinal Benefits of Chamomile
The medicinal parts used are in the delicate little daisy like flowers. The flowers contain volatile oils that hold all this little plants powers. Powers that can help bring relaxation to ones mind, help calm an uneasy stomach, reduce fevers, reduce inflammation, sleep, colic, teething, for sore muscles and anxiety. Chamomile can ease the mind from stress, making high intense situation feel more manageable. I mean come on, is this not amazing. Here are a few medicinal properties to chamomile.
Medicinal Properties
Chamomile is an antipepsin, which helps calm the stomach.
It’s an antibacterial, which helps kill the bad bacteria that causes sickness.
Chamomile is an antifungal, to help eliminate the bad fungus that causes sickness.
Chamomile is an antispasmodic, which helps relieve sore muscles.
It’s an antipyretic, which helps relieve fevers.
4 Suggested Uses for Chamomile
Chamomile can be made into a tincture, salve and tea or used as an essential oil.
1. Chamomile Tincture
A tincture is a sure way to receive all the benefits of chamomile. A tincture is made by infusing an herb in alcohol, apple cider vinegar or vegetable glycerin. Once made it is used by taking a dropperful under the tongue. By taking tinctures under the tongue, it enters the blood stream faster, allowing it to go to work right away.
Use a tincture to help relieve most if not all alignments. It is a concentrated dose that works fast. To me this is the best avenue in regards to building your herbal medicine cabinet.
For more information on tinctures in depth, download our free guide below!
2. Chamomile Salve
Another use is a salve. Salves can be used to rub chamomile on the chest or bottoms of feet to help relieve a cold, relieve anxiety or help promote sleep.
3. Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea can be made to help bring relaxation to the mind and help with sleep. It can also be used to help relieve colic or teething babies. I use to brew a double strength batch and pour it in my kids bath when they were a bit too crazy to tame when they were toddlers. And best of all it can also be used to reduce fever.
4. Chamomile Essential Oil
Essential oils are one of our favorite ways to use chamomile. You can diffuse it, use a carrier oil and rub it on you or if buying from a reputable company you can take it internally. We use Revive brand and love it!
Recipes for Chamomile
Chamomile Tincture
Ingredients:
80 proof alcohol (vodka or brandy) Suggested
Alternatives to alcohol- Apple cider vinegar or vegetable glycerin.
***Side Note: I prefer to use Everclear for my tinctures. It is the highest proof alcohol which helps to extract all the medicinal properties of any herb. Everclear is a spirit that is bottled at 190-proof or 95% alcohol by volume. Which is insanely potent. It is actually banned in certain states in the USA. So, if you are one of those states you want the highest proof vodka or brandy you can find.
Directions:
For tinctures, I use the folk method, which is using the good ol’ eyeball to measure. You can get precise but it is not necessary.
- Fill your mason jar half full with your dried herbs.
- Next pour alcohol, apple cider vinegar or vegetable glycerin about half an inch over the herbs. Now, the herbs are going to rise as you pour your liquid, don’t freak out, just when you see about an inch or two of liquid on the bottom of your jar, stop pouring.
- Place a lid on your mason jar and place either in a sunny window or a dark cool pantry for 6-8 weeks.
***Side note: I have read that the sun helps infuse the herbs and brings in that good pure energy. Then I have read that the herbs need to be in a dark spot. To each their own on this one. I have infused my tinctures on my window sill for years and have had fantastic results.
4. Everyday or a few times a week you want to shake up your jar. Get those oils moving around in your liquid. I like to say a little something like a prayer or mantra to help send it good juju. Sounds hippy, but hey man, you are giving your family this stuff, you want it to work. Why not say a little something positive while making it.
5. After the long wait of 6-8 weeks, you are going to want to strain out your herbs. Remember to throw all that beautiful herb mass in the compost. Once you have your strained liquid, pour it into your dropper bottle. And store the rest in your pantry. Slap a label on that puppy and enjoy.
How Long Will Tinctures Last?
Alcohol infused tinctures last 5-10 years.
Apple cider vinegar infused tinctures last 3-5 years.
Vegetable glycerin infused tinctures last 1-2 years.
Tea for the Bath
No this is not a tea to drink while you are taking a bath. It is to actually go in the bath.
What You’ll Need:
1/4 cup of dried chamomile
3 cups of filtered water
Strainer
Directions
- Boil about three cups of water on the stove.
- Pour 1/4 cup of herbs in water stir it up a bit. Put a lid on your pot. Turn off the flame and allow to steep for about 20-30 minutes.
- Once steeped, strain out herbs and compost them. What you have left is some double strength tea. Throw it in the bath for the kiddos or yourself to help relax or reduce fevers.
Chamomile salve
What you’ll need:
Quart size mason jar
Carrier oil such as olive oil, apricot oil, almond oil, fractionated coconut oil.
Dried herbs
Directions:
- Fill mason jar about half way with dried herbs. Pour oil about half an inch over the top.
- Place a lid on it and place in your pantry for 6-10 weeks.
- After 6-10 weeks, strain out herbs and pour herb infused oil on a pot. Begin to heat oil on low heat. Slowly stir in beeswax. For every cup of oil you put a tablespoon of beeswax. Slowly melt the wax.
- Once melted take off heat and pour in your small jar. Once it cools it will solidify. Use as needed.
Get some chamomile in your life y’all
All three of these recipes can be used with any herb. So, while chamomile is our topic of choice today, feel free to indulge in some lavender or whatever herb tickles that little fancy of yours.
If you have not had any luck growing chamomile check out Mountain Rose Herbs. I am not affiliated with Mountain Rose Herbs, I just have been super satisfied with their products. They are an all organic, non gmo, fair trade company.
What recipe do you want to try? For more on the benefits of herbs and how to grow them check out our posts on rosemary and sage!
Until next time…
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