Image – Flickr/Gertjan van Noord
Many herbs are used as ingredients in culinary recipes: some because they are edible, others aromatic, but all very easy to grow. in pots, like caraway, whose scientific name is Carum Caraway.
It is a relative of celery, so when it flowers we will see that it produces an inflorescence very similar to that of this plant. But, How is it maintained and what is it used for?
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What are the characteristics of Carum Caraway?
Image – Wikimedia/Jerzy Opioła
It is a biennial herb (i.e. it lives two years: the first, germinates and grows; during the second, it flowers and bears fruit) native to Europe, as well as North Africa and Western Asia . Its leaves are compound and have toothed edges.. The flowers grow from a stem that reaches a height of about 40 centimeters.sometimes 1 meter, and they are white and small.
It is popularly known as caraway, carvia or meadow road. And out of curiosity, know that it can be grown in a pot, which you can do by following the advice we offer below.
How to take care of caraway?
Do you dare to grow your own caraway? If so, you will see that it is not difficult. It is a plant that resists drought relatively well, so you won’t have much trouble getting it to finish its development to be able to use it in the kitchen:
Location
The Carum Caraway It’s a fast growing herb, but to be able to do it well it is important that it receives direct sunlight. So our first advice is to put it outside. Even if instead of an already grown plant you bought seeds, the seedbed should be exposed to the light of the royal star. This way you will ensure that they have a good development.
soil or substrate
Image – Flickr/Gertjan van Noord
- Court: undemanding. It grows in many types of soil, but it’s important that it be rich in organic matter or it will struggle to stay healthy.
- Flower pot: if you intend to grow it in a pot, you can fill it with a universal substrate like this or with a specific one for urban gardens (on sale here).
Irrigation
It is a grass that does not need to be watered frequently. You only have to do it during the summer (and if it’s dry), and if you have your potted caraway. So that the problems do not arise from lack or excess of watering, it is necessary to check the humidity of the soil or the substrate before rehydrating the plant.
You can do this easily by inserting a wooden stick: if you see that when you take it out it comes out the same as when you put it in, that is, if you see that it comes out clean and dry, that means that you have to water his caraway, because the soil is very dry; and if, on the contrary, it comes out wet and with a substrate stuck to it, you do not have to water it.
The Carum Caraway it is susceptible to rot, so if you are going to have it in a pot, it is very important that it has drainage holes. But beware: this is not enough. If you are one of those who put a plate under the containers, it is better not to do this with caraway, unless you plan to drain it after watering.
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As it is an edible plant, we will pay it with organic fertilizers, suitable for organic farming. For example, with manure from herbivorous animals, compost or guano (not mixed with fertilizers). We will start doing it during its first year of life, in spring, and we will stop doing it at the end of summer; then we will resume fertilizing the following spring, and we will continue until it is time to harvest it.
Multiplication
the seeds of Carum Caraway they are sown in the spring, or if you want at the end of winter if you have an electric sprouter. You have to put them in a sunny place so that they can germinate well, and bury them a little. They should not be stacked, because if that were the case, two things could happen: they would not all germinate and/or on the contrary, many would germinate together, which would be a problem when you want to separate them, because not all of them would survive .
In fact, it’s best to plant them in a vegetable seed tray, and put one or two at most in each hole. This way, as soon as the roots come out of the holes, you can easily separate them and plant them in a pot or in the ground.
hardiness
Caraway is a very hardy plant, able to withstand temperatures up to -18ºC.
Why is it?
It has several uses:
- In the kitchen: the fruits and seeds are used as a condiment, as well as to flavor certain foods, such as Danish cheeses. It is also often associated with cabbage, even used to make alcoholic beverages.
- in folk medicine: The seeds, together with the essential oil and the tincture are used to improve digestion, reduce gas and in case of bronchitis, asthma or skin wounds.
- Other uses: personal hygiene products are produced, such as soaps.
The Carum Caraway It is a very interesting and easy to maintain grass.