Cumin (Cuminum cyminum)
-
General Information
-
Soil Preparation & Start Indoors
-
Transplant Outdoors & Start Outdoors
-
Crop Care
-
Harvesting & Storage
-
Seed Saving
-
Culinary & Medicinal
-
Companion Planting
-
Nutrition & Health Benefits
Native Range: Eastern Mediterranean
Ease of Growing: Easy
Grown as: Annual
Days to Maturity: 115 days
Hardiness: Tender. Cumin is a tropical plant and will not tolerate any frost.
Crops: Spring Transplant, Spring
Growing Season: Long
Growing Conditions: Warm, Hot. Cumin is a tropical plant and needs warmer temperatures, but is very susceptible to disease in humid conditions.
Outdoor Growing Temp: 50°F - 85°F
Min Outdoor Soil Temp: 60°F. Start outdoors when soil reaches to 60˚ F.
Start Indoors: Yes
Start Outdoors: Yes
Light: Sun: min. 6 hours daily (Warm, Hot). Cumin should be planted in full sun.
Water: Low. Although Cumin is drought tolerant, it prefers a moist climate and will benefit greatly from water during hot spells or dry periods.
Feeder: Moderate. Soil should be well amended with compost or another well balanced feed of nutrients.
Suitability: Drought tolerant, High heat
Small Gardens?: Yes
Containers?: Yes. Cumin needs a lot of light so be sure to place your container in a sunny spot. Just be sure to use containers that are at least 4" deep and 6" across.
Attracts Beneficial Insects?: Yes
Plant Height: 6-12"
Spacing: 4-6"
Sow Depth: 1/4" to 1/2"
Hardiness Zone: 5-10
Produces: Green feathery foliage and clusters of tiny white or pink flowers.
Soil Preparation
Soil pH: 5.0-8.0, Ideal 6.0-7.0. Cumin prefers a fertile sandy loam that drains well.
Soil Preparation:
Compost (Nitrogen), 2", in top 6" of soil, 1 time: Incorporate 2" of compost into the top 6" of soil about a week before transplanting.
Start Indoors
Soil temp for germination: 60°F to 80°F, optimal 65°F to 75°F, optimal 70°F
Total weeks to grow transplant: 14 to 17 (Spring/Summer), (Fall/Winter)
Germinate:
6-8 weeks before last frost date: Start indoors in a 4" containers, not a flat. Keep soil moist during germination.
Harden Off:
1 weeks before last frost date: Get plants acclimated to outdoor temperatures by leaving the plants outside for a longer amount of time each day for a week.
Transplant Outdoors
Warm, Hot: Cumin is a tropical plant and needs warmer temperatures, but is very susceptible to disease in humid conditions.
When outdoor temp: 50°F to 85°F, optimal temp 70°F to 80°F
When min soil temp: 60°F. Start outdoors when soil reaches to 60˚ F.
Spacing: 4.0"-6.0", 4 plants per sq ft. Space cumin plants 6" apart.
Support: No
Start Outdoors
When Outdoor Temp: 50°F to 85°F, optimal temp 70°F to 80°F
When Min Soil Temp: 60°F. Start outdoors when soil reaches to 60˚ F.
Seed Depth: 0.25"-0.5". Sow seeds 1/2" deep in warmer soils, and 1/4" deep in cooler soils. Keep moist.
Spacing: 4.0"-6.0", 4 plants per sq ft. Space cumin plants 6" apart.
Spring Crop:
1-3 weeks after last frost date: Sow cumin seeds 1/4" deep outdoors when there is no more danger of frost. Keep seedbed evenly moist but not soggy.
Support: No
Water Needs: Low. Although Cumin is drought tolerant, it prefers a moist climate and will benefit greatly from water during hot spells or dry periods.
Fertilizer Needs: Moderate. Soil should be well amended with compost or another well balanced feed of nutrients.
Watering, regularly: Water, 0.5 inch(es), regularly, 2 times a week. Watering also depends on your local weather; don't water if it's raining, or water more frequently if it's dry. Just be sure to keep soil moist but never soggy for the best crop. The best way to know how much moisture is in your soil is to feel 2" below the soil line. If it's dry, water.
Weeding, after sowing: after sowing, every 2 weeks. Stop weeds from taking over the bed until the plants are large enough to compete.
Support: No
Harvesting
When and How: Whole Plant, 1-21 days after maturity
When: Harvest Cumin 3 to 6 weeks after flowering, when the fruits become yellowish brown. Because Cumin seeds commonly ripen unevenly among different plants, harvest each plant as it ripens.
How: Harvest when seed pods turn brown and when one seed head is dry enough to crack when pinched. Once the first seed head is able to be pinched, cut down the whole plant and allow seeds to dry in a paper bag.
Seeds should be clean and dried as soon as possible. If you want store the flavor of the seeds do not immediately crush. Crushing the seeds brings out their flavor but the flavor will not last very long once crushed.
Storage
Storage Req: Drying
Storage Temp: 60-75°F
Storage Length: 1-360 days
Cover seed heads with a bag and rub the ripe seeds into the bag.
Seed Viability in Years: 1 - 2 years
Germination Percentage: 95%
Culinary
Culinary Use: The flavorful seeds are an important ingredient in many Indian and Mexican dishes, and also used in bread and cakes. Young leaves make a nice addition to salad mixes. Seeds can be roasted, toasted, or fried in oil to release their aroma.
Medicinal
Nutrition
The Health Benefits of Cumin
Digestion: Cumin is extremely good for digestion and related problems. The very aroma of cumin, which comes from an aromatic organic compound called Cuminaldehyde, the main component of its essential oil, activates our salivary glands in our mouth, which facilitates the primary digestion of food. Next is thymol, a compound present in cumin, which stimulates the glands that secrete acids, bile and enzymes responsible for complete digestion of the food in the stomach and the intestines. Cumin is also Carminative, which means that it relieves from you from gas troubles and thereby improves digestion and appetite. Due to its essential oils, magnesium and sodium content, cumin promotes digestion and also gives relief for stomach-aches when taken with hot water.Cuminseeds
Piles: The main cause behind piles (hemorrhoids) is constipation added with infections in the wound in the anal tract, which are also caused by constipation. Cumin, because of its dietary fiber content and carminative, stimulating, antifungal and antimicrobial properties, acts as a natural laxative in powdered form. These characteristics are due to the presence of essential oils comprised mainly of Cuminaldehyde and certain pyrazines. Adding cumin to your diet also helps in healing up of infections or wounds in the digestive and excretory system and speeds up digestion as well. That pretty much means that cumin clears up all of the symptoms and causes of hemorrhoids, so keep that it mind when you start itching!
Diabetes: Although research is still ongoing, early studies report that cumin, among a number of other spices, can have a powerful effect in preventing diabetes by reducing the chances of hypoglycemia. The animals that were tested showed a sharp decline in hypoglycemia when fed cumin seeds in their diet, and they also showed a decrease in glucosuria, which is a condition where the urine contains too much glucose, also resulting in hypoglycemia and diabetes. Human testing is ongoing, but early reports show that cumin can be a very powerful tool in the battle against diabetes!
Insomnia: This is a very peculiar property of cumin. It is a stimulant as well as a relaxant at the same time. This property cannot be attributed to a single component alone, just as causes of insomnia cannot be attributed to a single cause. However, studies show that the proper intake of vitamins (particularly B-complex) and good digestion help to induce a sound sleep. Cumin helps in both of these factors. Some of the components of cumin essential oil are hypnotic in nature and have tranquilizing effects, which also help to relieve stress and anxiety that commonly causes insomnia.
Respiratory Disorders, Asthma, Bronchitis: The presence of caffeine (the stimulating agent), and the richly aromatic essential oils (the disinfectants) make cumin an ideal anticongestive combination for those suffering from respiratory disorders such as asthma and bronchitis. It acts as an expectorant, meaning that it loosens up the accumulated phlegm and mucus in the respiratory tracts and makes it easier to eliminate them from the system via sneezing or coughing up and spitting. By eliminating as much of the mucus and phlegm as possible, it can inhibit the formation of additional material and help to heal the initial condition that led to its formation in the first place.
Common Cold: The common cold is a viral infection which affects our body frequently when our immune system becomes weakened or vulnerable. Again, the essential oils present in cumin act as disinfectants and help fight viral infections which can cause the common cold. Cumin also suppresses the development of coughing in the respiratory system since it dries up the excess mucus. Cumin is rich in iron and has considerable amount of vitamin-C, which are essential for a healthy immune system and keeps infections from forming or becoming worse. Vitamin-C is also a natural antioxidant, so it defends against other infections and toxins as well, further boosting the immune system.
Lactation: Cumin is rich in iron and thus very good for lactating mothers as well as for women who are undergoing menses or who are pregnant, since they are more in need of iron than others. Moreover, cumin is said to help ease and increase secretion of milk in lactating women due to the presence of thymol, which tends to increase secretions from our glands, including milk, which is a secretion from the mammary glands. Also, cumin is more beneficial if taken with honey. Cumin has remarkable amount of calcium (more than 900 mg per 100 grams) which accounts for over 90% of our daily requirement of calcium. This calcium is an important constituent of milk and hence cumin is very good for lactating mothers.
Anemia: As stated above, cumin is very rich in iron (more than 66 mg. in every 100 grams) which is more than 5 times the daily requirement of iron for an adult. This iron is the main constituent of hemoglobin in the red blood corpuscles of blood. It is hemoglobin which transfers oxygen (as the oxide of iron) to the body’s cells and whose deficiency causes anemia. So, cumin can be a nutritious additive to daily diet for anemic people and avoid the symptoms of anemia like fatigue, anxiety, cognitive malfunction, and digestive issues.
Concentration and Cognitive Malfunction: The amount of iron in cumin leads to increased hemoglobin production and subsequent prevention of anemia, but that increased blood flow has other benefits as well. When your blood circulation is in top form, adequate amounts of oxygen are able to reach the organs and the brain, leading to optimal performance of those bodily systems. Proper amounts of oxygen and iron in the brain lead to increased cognitive performance and a decrease in cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. For other organs, increased oxygenation increases efficiency and speeds up the metabolism, which can boost your overall health, increase strength, and prevent signs of aging.cuminbenefits1
Skin Disorders: Almost everyone knows that vitamin-E is good for the maintenance of skin and the prevention of premature aging symptoms. It keeps the skin young and glowing. This vitamin is also present in abundance in cumin. The essential oils present in cumin have disinfectant and antifungal properties. This prevents any microbial and fungal infection from affecting the skin. Not all skin issues are disorders or infections, some of them are simply signs of aging. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant in this regard and combats the free radicals that attack the skin and result in signs of premature aging like wrinkles, age spots, and sagging skin. This, combined with the antibacterial capacity of cumin, makes for healthy, beautiful skin that lasts far into your old age.
Boils: Boils are outlets for the removal of toxic substances and foreign matters such as microbes from the body. This means that they are symptoms which show that a high amount of toxic substances have accumulated in the body. In this way, cumin can help you a great deal. Those who regularly use cumin in food have a significant reduction in the occurrence of boils, rashes, pimples, and other signs of excess toxin content. Components such as cuminaldehyde, thymol, and phosphorus are good detoxifying agents which help in the regular removal of toxins from the body. The healthy way of removing toxins is through the excretory system, not through boils.
Immunity: As discussed above, an abundance of iron, the presence of essential oils, vitamin-C, and vitamin-A in cumin boosts our immune system in a number of ways. Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants that we have in our body, and it also stimulates the function and activity of white blood cells. As an antioxidant, vitamin C fights the detrimental effects of free radicals, which are the dangerous byproducts of cellular metabolism. They are constantly being created in the body, and therefore, must be constantly eliminated. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals that lead to many diseases, including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
Cancer: Cumin itself has detoxifying and chemopreventive properties, and accelerates the secretion of detoxifying and anticarcinogenic enzymes from the glands, as it also does to other secretions. Furthermore, it has beneficial antioxidants like vitamin-C and vitamin-A within its chemical makeup, in addition to those essential oils. Besides having countless other benefits, the antioxidants have anticarcinogenic properties too, and those found in cumin are particularly good for colon cancer prevention.
Other benefits: Even more? Cumin is also beneficial in treating renal coli, weak memory, insect bites and painful stings. With all of these benefits, how could you say no? Add some cumin to your diet as soon as you can!
Suggested Varieties
Broccoli: Green Sprouting Calabrese (Organic) (Brassica oleracea var. italica)
Broccoli: Purple Sprouting (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. italica)
Broccoli: Waltham 29 (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. italica)
Brussels Sprout: Long Island Improved (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera)
Cabbage: Early Jersey Wakefield (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)
Only a few left!
Cabbage: Late Flat Dutch (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)
Cabbage: Red Acre (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)
Cabbage is considered one of the oldest cultivated vegetables, since historians trace it back to 4,000 BC in China. The Romans also cultivated it and praised it for its healing qualities; philosophers Pythagoras and Cato both made the lowly cabbage the subject of a book. Jacques Cartier brought the first cabbage to America in 1536. Cabbages were quite popular in colonial America, being pickled and preserved in every possible way to provide food for the winter.
Cabbage, Chinese: Pak Choi (Heirloom) (Brassica rapa var. chinensis)
Cauliflower: Snowball Y Improved (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis)
Mustard: Red Giant (Heirloom) (Brassica juncea)
Mustard greens originated near the Himalayan region of northern India, where they have been growing for thousands of years. Chinese, Japanese, and African cuisine also make use of this peppery vegetable. Though not particularly well known in most parts of the United States, mustard greens are a traditional part of culture in the southern region.
Mustard: Tendergreen (Heirloom) (Brassica rapa var. perviridis)
Mustard greens originated near the Himalayan region of northern India, where they have been growing for thousands of years. Chinese, Japanese, and African cuisine also make use of this peppery vegetable. Though not particularly well known in most parts of the United States, mustard greens are a traditional part of culture in the southern region.
Beets: Detroit Dark Red (Heirloom) (Beta vulgaris)
Beets: Golden Detroit (Heirloom) (Beta vulgaris)
Beets seem to have originated in the Mediterranean region, where people grew them for thousands of years. Later, beets grew in Germany and Holland and were used as cattle fodder; they were later imported to England for this purpose, but the poor began to raise them for an affordable food source. American colonists later brought them to the New World, where they became a commonly enjoyed food both for their roots and their greens. According to historians, George Washington experimented with beets, cross-pollinating them to create new varieties.
Cucumber: Marketmore 76' (Heirloom) (Cucumis sativus)
Cucumber: Mexican Sour Gherkin (Heirloom) (Melothria scabra)
Sold out