Spring planting doesn’t start when the air feels warm, It...Read More
Cumin is an annual herbaceous plant that is most popularly known for its seeds which are used as a spice in Indian, Middle Eastern and Tex-Mex cuisine. This fragrant spice is a main ingredient in the popular Indian spice blend known as Garam Masala along with other spices such as coriander, cardamom and black pepper, among others. Although the seeds are the most sought after, the leaves of this plant are edible as well and can be treated like a fresh herb to add flavor to salads and other dishes or used as a garnish. The Cumin plant also produces compact clusters of small yellowish-white flowers. After the flowers bloom, oblong seed heads will grow which each contain a single cumin seed. In the fall, when the flowers are done blooming and the seed heads turn brown, it is time to harvest your very own fresh cumin seeds for home-grown spices!
NAME: Cumin (Cuminum cyminum)
VARIETY: Cumin
DAYS TO MATURITY: 100 – 120 days
POLLINATION: Open Pollinated
TYPE: Annual
HARDINESS ZONE: Zones 5 – 11
SUNLIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL: Well-draining, fertile soil with a pH 6.5 – 7.0
SPACING: 8 – 12 inches
PLANT HEIGHT: 10 – 16 inches
TEMP: 55 – 90ºF
These seeds do not required stratification.
To learn more about Stratification, click here!
Start seeds indoors in cell trays with seed starting soil mix 4 to 5 weeks before your last local spring frost.
Sow thinly and cover with 1/4 inch of soil.
Keep the soil moist and maintain a temperature of about 65ºF and germination should occur in 7 to 14 days.
When seedlings emerge, thin so there is just one seedling per cell.
Provide plenty of light on a sunny windowsill, or grow seedlings 3 inches beneath fluorescent plant lights turned on 16 hours, off for 8 hours, raising the lights with growth.
Once the seedings grow to be 2 inches tall, harden off seedlings for several days. Do this by taking them outside during the day and bringing them in at night (Outside temps should be above 50°F when you start this process).
Transplant the seedlings into a garden bed spaced 4 inches apart in rows 1 feet apart and receives full sun with loose, well-draining fertile soil that has a pH of 6.5-7.0
After your last local spring frost has passed, sow seeds in loose, well-draining fertile soil in a location that receives full sun.
Sow seeds 1 inch apart, 1/4 inch deep, in rows spaced 1 foot apart.
Water in well and germination should occur in 8 to 15 days.
Once seedlings emerge, thin them so they are spaced 4 inches apart
Allow the soil to nearly dry out in between waterings since cumin is susceptible to root rot if the soil is too waterlogged.
Avoid over-fertilizing, as cumin prefers lean soil conditions.
Harvest fresh cumin leaves as needed.
To collect the seed, allow the pods to ripen on the plant and turn brown but not until they are falling off; cut the entire plant, tie the stems together and place the heads in a paper bag with air holes.
Hang upside down in a warm, well-ventilated place to dry the seeds.
Store the Cumin seeds in glass jars and grind the seeds only when required to avoid loss of flavor and pungency.
