When to Plant Chamomile in Canberra, Cold / Highland Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Canberra), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Cold / Highland
In October the Cold / Highland zone normally runs 20°C by day and 7°C overnight, with about 58 mm of rain over 7 or 8 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -6.4°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 15 postcodes, SILO.
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This Chamomile guide is written for the Cold / Highland zone, which takes in Canberra, Cooma and Bright. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Oct to Dec
- Days to harvest
- about 13 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 30 cm apart
German chamomile is a hardy annual with small white daisy flowers used for tea. It likes full sun and cool weather. Picking often keeps it flowering.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Cold / Highland
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct D
- Nov D
- Dec D
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Cold / Highland zone right now, Chamomile included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Chamomile in Cold / Highland Australia
- Soil
- Well drained soil in full sun (Seed Collection).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- Sunlight
- Full sun, 6 or more hours a day (Seed Collection).
- Spacing
- 30cm apart
- Watering
- Regular water, moist but not soggy. Mulch to hold moisture (Seeds of Plenty).
- Good companions
- Onion, Garlic, Cabbage, Broccoli, Kale
Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Chamomile
Recommended Varieties
- German chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
Key Challenges
- Mildew in humid weather
- Short flowering season in heat
Pro Tips
- Sow in cool weather
- Pick flowers regularly
Pests and problems for Chamomile in Cold / Highland
Harvesting Chamomile
When ready: Pick blooms regularly while the petals are open flat. Late picking is bitterer (Seeds of Plenty).
How to harvest: Pinch or snip the flower heads.
Storing and preserving chamomile
How to keep it
- Drying. Dry the flower heads in a shady, airy spot until crisp, then store in a jar.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Chamomile
When do you plant chamomile in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): all year
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to Oct
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jul to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Sep to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Oct to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Aug to Sep
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jul to Nov
Can you grow chamomile all year round in Canberra?
No. In the Cold / Highland zone the planting months are Oct to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Chamomile in Canberra?
Derived from the cool chart, one month later to miss late frosts. The plant tolerates light to moderate frost (Seeds of Plenty) but seedlings are slow in cold soil. Short season.
What soil temperature do Chamomile need?
Chamomile germinate best when soil temperature is between 20°C and 30°C.
How do I know when Chamomile are ready to harvest?
Pick blooms regularly while the petals are open flat. Late picking is bitterer (Seeds of Plenty).
What are the best Chamomile varieties for Canberra?
Recommended varieties for the Cold / Highland zone include: German chamomile (Matricaria recutita).
What grows well with Chamomile?
Good companion plants for Chamomile include: Onion, Garlic, Cabbage, Broccoli, Kale.
Are chamomile salt tolerant?
Only a little. Chamomile are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cold / Highland zone, Canberra is its reference city.