About Sesame (Sesamum indicum)
Sesame seed is a huge commercial crop owing to the valuable multi-use oil extracted from it,
but its culinary use is as a flavoring, always lightly toasted (untoasted sesame seed has
little taste). It has a deal more flavor than its silly use on hamburger buns would
indicate, and in many regions is an important element of the cookery.
Cultivars
There are literally thousands of named cultivars of this plant in worldwide commercial use,
but we could find none at all in domestic home-garden seed catalogues (Nichols carries a
seed sesame that they call Benne, but that is just an old alternative name for the
stuff). That is even more of a shame than is usual with spice and herb plants, because the
many cultivars have significantly different uses and advantages.
For example, sesame is short-day plant, whose flowering is initiated by daylength shortening
till it reaches a critical level; thus, many sesame cultivars have been developed each for
use at a particular range of latitude. But apparently we home gardeners have to take it on
trust that the generic "sesame" we get from our seedsmen is suited to the whole of the U.S.
(This is thus one plant for which it makes especial sense to get it from a seed source--that
grows its own or gets it regionally--at one's own approximate latitude.)
Moreover, since Sesame wants a long, warm growing season (it cannot tolerate frost), a
fast-growing variety--like "90 Day" (a University of California release)--would be nice in
our region: but, again, no choices.
Finally, since "shattering" (cracking open of the seed capsule prior to intended harvest) is
a problem with sesame as it is with many spice-seed plants, cultivars that minimize
shattering are important to the commercial trade, and there have been such "no-shatter"
cultivars for almost half a century now. But, again, no choices. And we suppose that
things will continue in this way till home gardeners get interested enough to demand that
their seedsmen identify cultivars on all their seeds and plants.
Planting
Timing
Because sesame wants a long, warm season, we're probably best off sowing it (direct where it
is to grow) in mid-May or even around June 1st. The minimum soil temperature for
satisfactory germination is 60° F., and higher is better--it should be treated more or
less like a bean, even a lima bean.
The Bed
The general rule for herb and spice plants is that their soil needs are not demanding, save
that the soil must be very well-drained: few herb or spice plants can stand "wet feet".
The soil should not be particularly rich, most especially not for flavoring plants we
grow for their seed (or fruit), common mis-advice to the contrary notwithstanding: a rich
soil will lower the concentration of the "aromatic oils" that give the seed its
characteristic flavor, which is the very thing we are growing them for. Plants that are
slightly nutrient-stressed (which doesn't mean starved) give better-tasting seed.
Sesame fits that model, save that it is just a little pickier about its soil pH, wanting
soil in the range of 5.4 to 6.7--it is intolerant of very acidic or saline soils. Good
drainage, always wanted with spices and herbs, is even more important with sesame, as it is
quite susceptible to harm from even short periods of waterlogging.
Planting Out
Sow seed in moist but not soaked soil. Sesame seed is quite small, so plant it fairly
shallow. Ideal spacing is unclear, but 6 inches is certainly enough; significantly less is
probably feasible (commercial row-crop stands are planted at 1 to 2 inches separation).
Growing
As with most spices, water only lightly, so as to concentrate the essential flavoring oils
in the seed.
Harvest when the seed capsules have mostly or entirely turned brown, and dry well before,
and then again after, threshing. Since the capsules are prone to shattering, it is probably
a good idea to enclose them, as harvest approaches, in permeable "mini-sacks" of cheesecloth
or the like (or perhaps old row cover bits) to catch seeds released by premature shattering.
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