Chamomile and Me

I ​love chamomile tea – it is such a blessing if my tummy hurts from stress, to calm my digestive system, and to relax me when I just need to relax. It also smells SOOOO LOVELY in my teacup. Last year for the very first time, I grew chamomile in the herb patch in the veggie garden. I was so pleased that it grew and I was even able to cut some to supplement our store bought teas for winter. It always felt satisfying when I could pull a little home-grown herb out of the freezer to enjoy in a cup.

THIS year my goal was to grow a huge patch of it and dry a ton, so we never had to buy it again at the store. I planted seeds in starter-packs, placed them in a sunny window and waited. All those seeds I planted only produced a few plants, maybe 5 or 6 total. Two in particular seemed to grow pretty large in the pots, and when they were ready, I helped them to adjust to the outdoors a few hours each day. 

I picked a spot in the herb patch of the veggie garden and planted all 5-6 in a little circle, allowing them enough room to grow. Two survived. I was so very sad. I knew two would not be enough to grow a huge patch for winter teas. So, feeling disgruntled, I prayed over them in my dejected tone, and just hoped in my heart that Yahweh would bless us. My deep hope was to harvest for teas, plus gather enough seeds for next year’s attempt to grow a much bigger patch in the prayer garden.

As summer wore on, I watched those two survivors grow, and amazingly, they grew twice as large as last year’s plants. Finally a small flower head seemed to pop out of each plant. As they grew the stalk from the larger plant seemed to clearly tower over the littler fellow. Then it spread apart, and produced flowers – about TWENTY OF THEM!! The flowers bloomed beautifully, drawing plenty of bees to the garden. I decided, though, with only about 20 flowers, I wouldn’t save any for teas, but would let them go to seed and harvest those for next years planting. Maybe, I thought to myself, Yahweh would bless them to be so filled with seeds that I can attempt a second planting this year to harvest flowers for fall.

Next thing I knew that flower stalk had 40 flowers on it, then 60 flowers, and now I have lost count! There are plenty to harvest for seeds and some to harvest for teas! How two small plants, grew so large, then produced so much - I don’t know what happened other than Yahweh’s blessings! It just kept flowering and flowering and flowering and is still flowering here 4 weeks later. A completely different experience from last years crop. 

I still didn’t pick any flowers for teas. But I plant to and maybe if more new plants come up, we will have more than enough THIS year to not have to buy from the store. 

I am very excited at the seeds we have harvested – I have planted a patch of about 1 teaspoon of seeds directly around the two plants. Plus I have harvested at least 2 tablespoons of seeds for next year! I have so many seeds now I can grow a HUGE patch – or two maybe three or four patches of chamomile! 

I am always amazed  and ever grateful for how Yahweh opens up the flood gates to provide what we need and MORE! He is so good, ALL THE TIME. Praising Him as we enjoy the blessings. . . 

​Shalom.

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