GrowSabzHow to grow feverfew in pots
Also called Bachelor's Buttons, Featherfew, Wild Chamomile, tanacetum · Tanacetum parthenium
فیورفیو
- ☀️ Sunlight
- 6–8hours daily
- 💧 Water
- 0.3 Levery 3 days, 5 L pot
- 🌡️ Ideal temp
- 15–25°C
- 🪴 Min pot
- 5 L20 cm deep
- 🧺 Harvest
- 60–90days from sowing
- ⚖️ Yield
- 0.6 kgper 20 L pot
Feverfew keeps producing once it starts. First picking comes around day 60, and the plant then crops for roughly 120 more days — but only if you keep picking. Letting it run to flower is what ends the supply.
Short answer
Grow feverfew in a 5 litre container at least 20 cm deep, watering about 500 ml per 10 litres of soil every 3 days, and keep temperatures between 15 and 25 °C. First harvest comes 60–90 days after sowing.
Where to plant it
What size pot does feverfew need?
5 litres and 20 cm deep is the realistic minimum for a single plant. Pick a container below to see what changes.
| Container | Minimum size | Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pot | 5 L | 20 cm | Ensure good drainage |
| Grow bag | 5 L | 20 cm | Fabric bags provide good aeration |
| Open ground | — | 25 cm | Space plants adequately |
| Raised bed | 10 L | 25 cm | Good for soil control and drainage |
Watering
How often should you water feverfew?
Every 3 days through the growing season, at about 500 ml per 10 litres of soil — every 2 days in hot weather, every 5 days when it turns cool. Water at morning. Base of plant works best.
Too little water
- wilting leaves
- stunted growth
- yellowing leaves
Too much water
- yellowing lower leaves
- root rot
- stunted growth
Avoid: overhead watering (can promote fungal issues); soggy soil.
Climate
Can you grow feverfew where you live?
No hardiness zone needed — compare your actual temperatures against the plant's own limits.
| Ideal range | 15 – 25 °C |
|---|---|
| Survives | -10 – 35 °C |
| Germinates above | 18 °C — best at 21 °C, about 10 days |
| Flowers drop | above 30 °C, or below 5 °C |
| Sunlight | 6–10 hrs/day, best 8 |
| Frost | Low sensitivity |
The flower-drop thresholds matter more than the survival ones. A plant can be perfectly alive at 35 °C and still give you nothing.
How cold is too cold for feverfew? Check your temperaturesEnter your night low and day high — see if it survives, and if it will cropTimeline
Feverfew growing stages, day by day
Click any stage to see what's happening. Durations shift with temperature — a warm season runs roughly a quarter faster than a cool one.
Feeding
Fertiliser schedule for feverfew
Feed on the interval below, changing what you give as the plant shifts from making leaves to making fruit.
| Stage | What to use | Per 10 L | Every |
|---|
How to prepare each feed
Common mistakes
Why feverfew fails, and how to avoid it
- A container that is too small
Below 5 litres the root run is too shallow. The plant grows, flowers late, and drops whatever it sets because it cannot support the crop.
- Watering too lightly
A daily splash wets the top few centimetres and nothing else. Feverfew wants about 500 ml per 10 litres of soil — one deep soak beats three shallow ones.
- Ignoring the flower-drop threshold
Above 30 °C, or below 5 °C, flowers fall before setting. The plant can look perfectly healthy and still give you nothing — shade it through the hottest hours.
- Planting it beside None Known
Feverfew is generally considered a beneficial companion plant with no widely recognized negative chemical interactions.
Companions
What to plant with feverfew
Good neighbours
Repels aphids and Japanese beetles, protecting rose bushes.
Deters cabbage worms and other common brassica pests.
Deters cabbage worms and other common brassica pests.
Helps to deter Colorado potato beetles.
Can deter tomato hornworms and other general garden pests.
Acts as a general pest deterrent when planted nearby.
Keep apart from
Feverfew is generally considered a beneficial companion plant with no widely recognized negative chemical interactions.
Problems
Feverfew pests and diseases
Each lists the weather that brings it on, so you know when to start checking rather than reacting once it's established.
Aphids humidity any · temp 15-25
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth and the undersides of leaves, sucking sap and secreting sticky honeydew.
Spider Mites humidity <50% · temp >27
Tiny pests that cause leaves to look stippled, pale, and eventually turn yellow and drop. Fine webbing may be visible.
Powdery Mildew humidity 50-70% · temp 20-27
White, powdery fungal spots appear mainly on the upper surface of leaves. Causes leaves to yellow and die off prematurely.
Rust humidity >70% · temp 18-25
Orange or reddish-brown powdery spots on the undersides of leaves, often leading to defoliation.
Root Rot humidity any · temp any
Caused by overwatering or poorly draining soil. Symptoms include wilting, yellowing leaves, and stunted growth, with roots appearing dark and mushy.
Leaf Miners humidity any · temp 18-28
Larvae tunnel within leaves, creating winding, pale trails or 'mines'. Can reduce photosynthesis and plant vigor.
Harvest
When to harvest feverfew
First picking falls between day 60 and day 90, and the plant then keeps producing for about 120 days. Pick often — what you leave on the plant signals it to stop making more.
How to tell it's ready
- Flowers fully open
- Leaves are mature and healthy
How much to expect
Storing it: Use fresh, or dry leaves and flowers in a cool, dark, well-ventilated area for later use.
Questions
Feverfew: common questions
How long does feverfew take to grow?
About 80 days from sowing to the first harvest, with picking usually starting between day 60 and day 90. It then keeps producing for roughly 120 more days. Warm weather pulls that forward; cool weather pushes it back.
What size pot does feverfew need?
At least 5 litres and 20 cm deep for one plant. A raised bed wants 10 litres of soil and 25 cm of depth.
How often should I water feverfew?
About 500 ml per 10 litres of soil, every 3 days in normal weather — every 2 days when it is hot and every 5 days when cool. Water in the morning.
What temperature does feverfew need?
It does best between 15 °C and 25 °C and survives from -10 °C to 35 °C. Seed needs soil above 18 °C to germinate, ideally around 21 °C.
Can I grow feverfew in winter?
It tolerates cold better than most, down to about -10 °C, so a sheltered spot or a cold frame will often carry it through.
How do I know when feverfew is ready to harvest?
Flowers fully open; Leaves are mature and healthy. Once picked: use fresh, or dry leaves and flowers in a cool, dark, well-ventilated area for later use.
How much does one feverfew plant produce?
Roughly 0.6 kg from a 20 litre container, or about 1.5 kg in open ground. Larger containers give proportionally more, up to a point.