How to Grow Caraway: Planting, Spacing, Care & Harvest

Quick answer

Direct sow around last spring frost (OSU). Late summer/fall sowing (Purdue/UMD). Biennial — flowers second year. No indoor start rule (transplants poorly).

Caraway at a glance

PlantDirect sow: last frost
SunFull sun; well-drained soil.
SpacingOSU: 6–8 inches.
Days to harvestBiennial — seed year 2
-3-2-1LF+1+2+3
■ Start indoors   ■ Plant out   ■ Harvest
Weeks relative to last frost (LF). Colored weeks show when our ZIP planner schedules each step.
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Planting dates for your ZIP: the ZIP planting planner counts each window from your local frost dates.

Organic pests and diseases: see also organic pest control. Use any product as the label directs.

Direct sow only: Illinois and UMD note caraway is difficult/not easily transplanted — no indoor seed-start frost-week rule.

Caraway plant
Caraway (Carum carvi). Photo: Anneli Salo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized).

Planting timing

Oklahoma Extension culinary herbs table: Caraway — Seed — “Around last spring frost”; spacing 6–8 inches. (OK HLA-6037) Purdue: biennial seeds “sown either late in summer or early in spring.” (Purdue Savory Herbs) UMD: fall plant → seed following year; not easily transplanted. (UMD caraway) Illinois: best directly sown; difficult to transplant. (Illinois caraway)

Depth and spacing

OSU: 6–8 inches. Purdue ~½ inch deep; UMD thin 8–12 inches.

Sun, soil and water

Full sun; well-drained soil. Mulch roots in winter (UMD).

Care

Biennial: dies back with frosts year 1, flowers year 2 (IL).

Harvest

Seed in the second season when umbels brown (Purdue cultural).

Pests and diseases

Few serious problems when direct-sown in place.

Related: ZIP planner · all grow guides · organic pest control

Frequently asked questions

When do I sow spring?

Around last spring frost (OSU).

Fall sow?

Yes — late summer or fall (Purdue/UMD).

Start indoors?

No — transplants poorly (IL/UMD).

More grow guides: All grow guides

Sources