Green chamomile in a planter.

Where you grow your chamomile depends mostly on where you have space. You can plant chamomile as its own patch in your garden; you can even plant it among your vegetables if you want. Roman chamomile can grow in your garden bed with other plants. It is supposed to be especially good for garlic. Plus, the low-growing mat of leaves can help deter weeds. That’s less work for you!

If you’re planting an herb garden, just be sure to give all your plants enough room to spread out a little; don’t be afraid to thin the plants if it looks like things are getting too crowded. There’s nothing worse than plants competing for resources; in many cases, everyone loses.

Wherever you decide to grow your chamomile, just make sure it’s in a sunny spot. Chamomile likes sun. A little shade is OK, but it should get more sun than shade.

Growing in Raised Beds

 Growing in raised beds is really a matter of choice. If you already have raised beds for other herbs and vegetables, then all you need to do is find a sunny spot for the chamomile to settle in. One benefit of growing in raised beds is that you have somewhat more control over the moisture in the soil; that’s also one of the hazards. Just don’t over-water your chamomile. In fact, once you plant it, you can practically ignore it until it starts flowering. This is one of those plants that’s almost foolproof—unless you water it too much.

Growing Chamomile in Containers or Pots

If you don’t have the space for growing in open land or in raised beds—let’s say you live in an apartment with no land of your own for a garden, for example—you can grow chamomile in containers or pots on your balcony, porch, patio, or deck.

You’ll probably want to stick with German chamomile for container gardening; you’ll get more flowers for all your effort.

One of the positive things about container gardening is the control you have over where the plants sit. You can position them for just the right amount of sun and move them when you need to. Just be sure to keep an eye on the soil. Plants in containers get thirsty sooner than plants in the ground.

Now, if you decide to plant in a big, 24-inch terra cotta planter because you really want a lot of chamomile flowers, consider putting that planter on a plant stand with wheels. Your back will thank you.

How do you grow your chamomile—in open land, in garden beds with other crops, in its own special spot, or in containers? Why do you prefer your method? Please tell us your tips and tricks for creating your ideal herb garden.