Seeds of Ajwain, carom (Trachyspermum ammi)

Ajwain from seed

Ajwain is the small ridged 'seed' that gives Indian parathas, pakoras and lentil dishes their sharp, thyme-like bite. Botanically each grain is a tiny greyish-brown fruit, much like cumin to look at. The plant is a lacy annual of the carrot family with white umbels. Note that the fleshy 'ajwain leaf' sold as a houseplant is a different plant altogether, Plectranthus amboinicus.

How to sow

1. Sow about 1 cm deep in a light, sandy, well-drained soil that is neutral to alkaline; ajwain does poorly in acid ground.
2. Water straight after sowing and again four to five days later, then keep the bed only just moist.
3. Thin or plant out at roughly 30 cm between rows and 20 cm between plants.
4. In India it is a cool-season crop sown in September-October.

Growing in Europe

In Europe treat it as a warm-season annual: start it indoors in spring and plant out after the last frost into the sunniest, driest corner you have. It needs a long season, 130-180 days from sowing to ripe seed, so an early start matters. The main enemy is root rot in wet, cloudy weather, which is why raised beds and sharp drainage pay off. Cut the umbels when the fruits turn brown and dry them indoors.

Questions