Growing cardamom at home is possible with the right growing conditions.
Heres how to grow it in pots and plant it indoors.
Its straw-like leaf sheaths start small, grow larger, then open like flowers.
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Cardamom should be brought indoors to overwinter, and it canwork as a houseplant.
Cardamom will only survive outdoors in the warmest parts of North America.
If outdoor temperatures drop below 50F, the plant will suffer significantly.
Cardamom plants can be wintered indoors in containers in awarm, humid environment, such as a steamy bathroom.
The plants, however, will not flower or produce fruit when grown indoors in pots.
The plant grows tall by layered leaf sheaths and flowers in two or three years.
It will reach its full production after four years and continue producing for 10-15 years.
Guatemala is the largest producer of cardamom, with global export production.
Large quantities are also grown in India.
The plant is native to Ceylon and India and is frequently used in Indian and Asian cuisines.
Its height can range from 6-16 feet before it puts out pods.
Direct sun must be avoided.
Soil and Water
Cardamom prefers humus-rich soil that is slightly on the acidic side.
The soil must remain moist for cardamom plants to thrive, sowater the plant regularly.
Misting cardamom plants frequently will help simulate their native rainforest-key in growing conditions.
Harvesting Cardamom
Flowering begins in early spring and lasts through summer.
After 120-plus days, the pods mature.
Harvest the pods before they split open and when the seeds inside the pod are dark brown to black.
After removing the pods, rinse them quickly in cold water.
Dry them on a baking sheet in your oven or in your dehydrator at 90F125F.
check that the plant also has plenty of space to grow vertically after its third year.
Pests and Problems
Thrips are cardamoms primary pest.
The most effective way toprevent thrip infestationis to use row covers.
Do this by loosening the soil around the parent plant and lifting its roots from the ground.
Then separate a plant segment with 4 to 5 leaf sheaths, and plant it in a new area.
Replant the rest of the old plant in the same spot.
Growing Cardamom from Seed
Cardamom plants can begrown from seed.
Sow seeds 14 inch deep in 70F-80F.
Keep soil moist until seeds germinate in about 20-45 days.
Be sure to plant extras because germination rates tend to be low.
Frequently Asked Questions
It usually takes cardamom at least three years to produce capsules that contain seeds.
It may even take up to 5 years until the plants bloom.
Look for the plants to start flowering in early spring and continue to blossom through the end of summer.
The flowers hold capsules that have 15 to 20 cardamom seeds inside of them.
The capsules can be harvested when they begin to turn green.
The plant can also be grown indoors.
Just double-check your growing location has a tall ceiling because cardamom can grow up to 10 feet high.
Youll also need to monitor your container-grown plants to check that they dont become root bound and stop blooming.
