Heirloom Caraway- Biannual
Medicinal Herbs
(Tip: Use a paper or plastic bag and rubber band over drying blooms to catch seeds)
Caraway- Biannual
For best results, caraway seeds should be planted in dry, well-drained soil. The seed is a versatile culinary herb that is commonly used in breads – particularly rye bread, and also occasionally to flavor cheeses such as havarti. It is also used to spice certain sweet-tasting liqueurs. Caraway can also be cooked as a root vegetable much like parsnip or carrot. The primary medical benefit of caraway is its effect on digestion. It is a carminative which means it helps with gas and digestion. It is helpful to chew the seeds after a heavy meal. It has been used for colic as it is a light sedative and it can be used to settle a queasy stomach (antispasmodic).
Harvesting Caraway Seeds
Snip leaves from spring onward the first year for fresh use. Harvest seeds the second year after flowering. Allow seeds to dry out and turn brown and drop to a paper below for collection or snip off seed heads when they begin to turn brown, place them in a paper bag to dry, and then thresh seeds when they are loose. Complete the harvest before the frost.
