Cardamom is used in many cultures to add a unique and hard-to-describe flavor to dishes. The internal seeds of the plant are full of spicy, sweet and refreshing notes that make it instantly recognizable. Guess what: growing cardamom is easier than you think.
Many people assume that spices like cardamom are difficult to grow. After all, you don’t see the plants too often in home gardens. It’s a shame, because not only can you harvest a wonderful spice, but the plants have stunning flowers that enliven the garden.
Want to grow your own? So let’s dig.
Contents
Get to Know Cardamom
The cardamom spice comes from the seeds, which can be found clustered inside the pods that sprout from the flowers of the plant. The pods of Elettaria cardamom species are green in color. However, there are other types of this spice which can be black or white.
The white type comes from the same E. cardamom species but has been bleached to change its color. The black species is called Amomum subulatum and has a more smoky flavor.
For the purposes of this article, we will focus on E. cardamom.
This wonderful spice has been used for at least 4,000 years and is native to the forests of southwestern India. It’s related to ginger.
Today, cardamom is used all over the world, especially in Scandinavia and India, and has become a popular ingredient among professional chefs and home cooks.
If you live in USDA growing zones 10 and 11, you can grow this spice at home!
Appearance of Cardamom
Cardamom has thick rhizomes from which erect shoots emerge. Long dark green leaves grow on the stems. If you find cardamom growing in its natural environment of the tropics, it can grow between 6 and 15 feet tall.
However, it usually stays smaller in colder or drier regions.
In spring and summer, you will also see flowers blooming on the stem of the plant. These flowers resemble orchids and are white in color with lilac veins. They are beautiful in your garden!
Eventually seed pods develop in these flowers. Inside these pods are the seeds.
Here’s how to grow this beautiful plant and harvest the spice at home.
How to plant cardamom
It is important that you buy seeds for planting and not for cooking. Once you have your seeds, you can plant them in the ground or in a container. You will need to prepare your seeds overnight before planting them.
The first step is to place the seeds in a pot and cover them with a 2.5% nitric acid solution. Let the seeds sit for about two minutes in the solution, then rinse them under running water. Once cleaned, you can put them in a bowl with lukewarm water overnight.
If you have the right growing conditions for outdoor cultivation, plant the seeds 0.5 to 1 inch apart and 1/8 inch deep in prepared soil. However, if the weather is not ideal for growing cardamom outdoors, you can opt for growing the seeds in a pot or container indoors.
The soil should be rich, loamy and well-drained if planting outdoors. Indoors, use a soil that holds water.
Cover the seeds with mulch or cover them with a glass or plastic cloche to help keep the soil consistently moist. The seeds should germinate between 20 and 40 days. Remember to keep the plant in partial shade if planting indoors. Do not place the seeds in a window facing south or west.
Of course, you can always buy and plant a seedling from a local nursery and make it easier for yourself.
Caring for Cardamom
In addition to giving cardamom partial shade and fertile soil, you also need to ensure that the temperature and humidity are ideal for this plant. These environmental aspects are particularly important if you want the plant to flower (and therefore produce seeds).
Place seedlings outdoors when temperatures are at least 72℉. I can drop a little cooler, but it’s a good base to aim for. This plant prefers warm to cool weather. If you live in a place where the temperature can drop below 50°F, plant in a container and bring your cardamom indoors during the cooler parts of the growing season.
In addition to light, you ensure that your soil is rich, loamy and fertile. It’s a good idea to add extra granulated bark and leaf mold to the soil.
This plant does not like dry soil, so it is essential to keep checking soil moisture levels. Stick your finger into the ground. Does it look like a well-wrung sponge? Do not add moisture. Is it dry at all? Water.
Growing Cardamom in Containers
If outdoor temperatures aren’t warm enough, try growing cardamom in a greenhouse or warm bathroom with plenty of humidity and sunlight. Although it’s less likely to produce flowers if you grow cardamom indoors, it can still make a great houseplant!
For cardamom to grow well, you must place it so that it receives the right amount of light exposure. You will need to give this plant partial to full shade. Do not place this plant in direct sunlight and provide some form of shade during the growing process.
It may also be beneficial for the plant to mist the leaves from time to time. Cardamom likes consistency, so try to maintain the same growing environment throughout the year.
Dress once a month with well-rotted manure or compost.
Overview of growing needs
To make it easier to remember, here is an overview of the conditions needed to grow cardamom:
- Fertile, rich, well-drained soil
- USDA Growing Zones 10-11 or 9 with winter protection
- Party in full sun
- Around 72℉
Watch out for these pests and diseases
Nobody wants to deal with pests and diseases on their plants, but sometimes it can happen. Knowing what to look out for when growing cardamom can help you avoid trouble before it gets too bad.
pests
One of the most common pests that affect cardamom are nematodes such as root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) and the burrowing nematode (Radopholus similis).
These microscopic pests tend to impact plants that are already stressed due to lack of water, too much or too little sun, or disease.
Nematodes cause stunting, wilting and yellowing of leaves. If you notice any symptoms, you will need to dig up the plant and solarize the soil.
cardamom thrips (Sciothrips cardamom) are also common in Hawaii. Our guide to identifying and treating thrips can help you manage an infestation.
Diseases
boll rot is caused by oomycetes (aquatic molds) in Phytophthora gender. It causes stem lesions, watery leaf spots and pod rot. Treat your plants with a copper fungicide to control the disease.
Amortization affects seeds and young plants. It’s caused by fungi Pythium vexans and Rhizoctonia solani and results in germination failure or seedling collapse. Our article on this common disease can help you.
cardamom harvest
Once your cardamom is ready to harvest, you can start at the base of each steamer and work your way up. Deciding on the right time to pick the pods can be tricky because you need to make sure they’re fully ripe.
If you are in doubt as to whether the pods are ripe or not, choose a pod and check the color inside.
Ripe cardamom seeds are black, while immature seeds are white. You can also tell if the pods are ripe if they easily detach from the stems without pulling too much. If it seems difficult to pick the pods, you can wait a few more days or weeks until they ripen.
Storing and using cardamom
Not only is cardamom used in cooking, but it is also known to help stomach issues and has antioxidant benefits.
After harvesting the seeds, you can start thinking about how to use them in your cooking. The best way to keep your cardamom fresh for as long as possible is to dry it. You will need to wash the seeds and remove any excess debris around the stems.
Drying your pods quickly is crucial as they will start to lose their flavor if you wait too long. Dry the pods at a temperature of 120°F. Alternatively, you can dry the pods in the sun if you have a free windowsill.
However, drying the pods in the sun can ruin their original green color and turn them white, so it’s worth considering your drying method beforehand. All that remains is to savor your cardamom!
You can bake it into cardamom cookies, make lemonade, or use it in bread. Add it to oatmeal, to make a soothing chai or curry. Do you prefer!
Have fun planting cardamom at home and double-check this grow guide if you get stuck at any stage of the growing process.
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