Caraway, Sprinter (Organic)
Carum carvi. 120 days. Annual.
This fragrant addition to the garden-grown spice rack is fun and easy to grow! Caraway grows to about 2’ tall with a feathery growth habit not unlike its herbal cousins dill, fennel, anise, and cumin. Perhaps most well known for its use in sauerkraut and rye bread, caraway seed is also a delicious addition to hearty soups, stews and some Eastern European cheeses. The fresh leaves may also be used in salads or as a potherb. Caraway was once widely used as a digestive aid in traditional herbalism. White umbelliferous flowers form in June and July and are attractive to small pollinators such as hoverflies. Seed does not shatter, making harvest a breeze. Caraway is usually a biennial herb but this variety has been selected for annual production.
For best results sow indoors in March or April. Ideal germination temperature is 70˚F. Shallow sow, as light aids germination. Transplant to 3” in-row spacing in rows that are 12″ apart after danger of frost has passed. Harvest whole plants in August or September, spread on a tarp to dry before threshing. We have not had luck direct sowing annual caraway in the PNW.
Harvest and Seed Saving
Collect seeds for culinary use or seed saving from seed heads that are fully dry. Thresh by hand; winnow or screen to clean. Some cross-pollination may occur, isolate from other varieties of the same species by 1/4 mile.
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