How to grow Cumin

Cuminum cyminum

Requires long (3-4 months) hot summer. Likes to stay damp but do not keep their feet wet3.

Growing Cumin from seed

Plant the seeds outside in mid May in a block (not a row). Use a cover until ALL danger of frost is gone3.

Soil temperature should be kept higher than 15°C / 59°F to ensure good germination.

By our calculations*, you should look at sowing Cumin about 120 days before your last frost date .

How long does Cumin take to grow?

These estimates for how long Cumin takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.

Days to Germination How long does it take Cumin to germinate?
11 days

Average 11 days | Min 7 days | Max 20 days (5)

Days to Transplant How long until I can plant out Cumin?
+ days

Average days | Min days | Max days (0)

Days to Maturity How long until Cumin is ready for harvest / bloom?
+ 120 days

Average 120 days | Min days | Max days (0)

Total Growing Days How long does it take to grow Cumin?
= days

When should I plant Cumin?

Our when to plant Cumin estimates are relative to your last frost date.

When to sow The number of days to sow Cumin before or after your last frost date.
120 days before Last Frost Date

Cumin Etymology

The English “cumin” derives from the French “cumin”, which was borrowed indirectly from Arabic “كمون” Kammūn via Spanish comino during the Arab rule in Spain in the 15th century. 1

Cumin Folklore & Trivia

Cumin has been used for millennium. It is mentioned in the Bible in both the Old Testament (Isaiah 28:25-27) and the New Testament (Matthew 23:23)1.

Superstition during the Middle Ages cited that cumin kept chickens and lovers from wandering. It was also believed that a happy life awaited the bride and groom who carried cumin seed throughout the wedding ceremony.1

Cumin is also used for boosting milk supply in nursing mothers.42

Cumin is the dried seed of the herb Cuminum cyminum, a member of the parsley family.5

Other names for Cumin

Jeera, Devanagari जीरा, Jira, Zeera, زيره, "jeerakam" ( ജീരകം ), Jeerige ಜೀರಿಗೆ, ಕನ್ನಡ, Kannada, Jeeragam, Seeragam, Tamil, ஜீரகம்/சீரகம், Jilakarra (telugu), Duru, Suduru, Maduru, Zireh, Kimyon, Ziran (孜然), Al-kamuwn (الكمون), Kemun

Misspellings: kumin, kumum,

Footnotes

1 Wikipedia

2 ‘Mother Food for Breastfeeding Mothers’
By Hilary Jacobson page 271

3 Growing Taste-Cumin

4 Susan Weed-NATURAL REMEDIES FOR PROBLEMS IN BREASTFEEDING

5 wikipedia.org


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