How to Grow Chervil

Chervil is a culinary herb grown for its leaves, which look similar to parsley but have a more subtle flavour with a hint of aniseed. This short-lived herb is a biennial

Biennials are plants that complete their life cycle over the course of two years. In the first year, biennials typically produce leaves and roots but no flowers. In the second year, they flower and produce seeds before dying. Some common biennials include foxgloves (Digitalis), honesty (Lunaria annua) and viper's bugloss (Echium vulgare). but is usually grown as an annual. With its delicate, finely divided leaves and clusters of tiny white flowers on stems 30–60cm (1–2ft) tall, chervil makes a charming addition to any herb garden.

Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) is easy to grow from seed sown indoors or outside. It does best in a cool, lightly shaded spot, either in the ground or in a container. The leaves can be harvested until the plants start to flower, which usually happens fairly quickly, especially in hot weather. Regular sowing of small batches can provide continuous pickings through summer and autumn – and beyond if you protect plants with clochesor keep them in a greenhouse.

Chervil has been used since Roman times and is popular in French cuisine. The delicate anise flavour does not withstand cooking, so leaves are added to salads and to hot dishes, especially those containing egg, chicken and fish, just before serving. As chervil isn’t widely available in supermarkets, it’s well worth growing your own.

As well as the usual flat-leaved chervil, there is a curly-leaved form and a small selection of other varieties, such as 'Vertissimo', which is slow to bolt

When a vegetable plant starts flowering and forming seeds, often prematurely, making the crop unusable – salad leaves may turn bitter and root crops fail to swell. Adverse weather or changes in day length can cause bolting in a wide range of vegetables, including lettuces, onions , carrots and otheer root crops. .Chervil seeds are widely available in garden centres and from online seed suppliers. Young plants may also be available in spring and summer, mainly from herb nurseries.

Recommended Varieties

Chervil

Anthriscus cerefolium – the leaves have a parsley-like flavour with warm, subtle aniseed tones.

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Chervil is quick and easy to grow from seed sown indoors or outside. Sow small batches regularly through spring and summer to provide ongoing harvests of young leaves. Chervil seeds remain viable for about a year. Water immediately after sowing and aim to keep the compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. /soil slightly moist.

Sowing indoors

You can sow chervil seeds on a sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse from early spring. Sow in modular trays if possible, to minimise root disturbance when transplanting outdoors later (see Planting below). Germination

Germination is the process by which a seed develops into a new plant. It starts with the seed coat absorbing water, expanding and splitting, which allows oxygen and water into the seed so its food reserves can be broken down and used by the embryo for growth. The first root (called the radicle) pushes into the soil to anchor the new plant in place and start absorbing water and nutrients. The first shoot (called the plumule) then grows upwards, out of the soil, towards the light. should take 5–10 days. If you sow in pots or seedtrays, move seedlings

A seedling is a young plant grown from seed. into individual pots as soon as they’re large enough to handle. Keep the seedlings in good light and water regularly until ready to plant outdoors.

Sowing indoors provides a head start in spring, and the delicate seedlings are protected from harsh weather. However, chervil plants should be moved to their final growing position as soon as possible, before their tap root starts to form. For more sowing tips, see our guides below.

Sowing outdoors

Sow chervil seeds outdoors from April to August, ideally in a lightly shaded area. Before sowing, weed the ground thoroughly then fork it over to break up any hard lumps. Remove any stones and rake to a fine texture. Alternatively, if you’re practising no-dig, mulch

Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings. the surface with a layer of well-rotted, fine organic matter and sow directly into the mulch.

Make a shallow drill

A miniature furrow typically 1–5cm deep, made with a stick, hoe or rake. It is used for planting seeds or bulbs, and ensures they are positioned at the correct depth and spacing. , about 1cm (½in) deep, water along the base, then sow the chervil seeds thinly. Space rows 30cm (12in) apart and thin out seedlings

A seedling is a young plant grown from seed. to 15cm (6in) apart. Chervil seedlings can take up to three weeks to emerge, depending on outdoor temperatures.

Sowing in containers

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Chervil can be sown directly into containers outside, which is ideal if you have limited ground space. Use a container at least 25cm (10in) deep and wide and fill with peat-free multi-purpose compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. . Sow thinly and cover the seeds with about 1cm (½in) of compost.

Plant indoor-sown chervil and bought plants into their final growing position from mid-spring onwards, once they’re about 5cm (2in) tall and before their long tap roots start to grow. Harden them off first, slowly introducing them to outdoor conditions. Chervil is best planted in light shade, especially in summer, as hot sun can cause premature flowering (bolting). Plant them at the same level they were previously growing and try not to disturb the roots.

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Chervil needs little maintenance, apart from watering in dry weather to deter premature flowering. Remove plants when they begin flowering, as the leaves will be past their best – or allow a few plants to flower, so you can collect the seeds for future sowing.

Watering

Aim to keep the soil/ compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. consistently moist but not waterlogged

Describes soil or potting compost that is saturated with water. The water displaces air from the spaces between soil particles and plant roots can literally drown, unless they are adapted to growing in waterlogged conditions. Waterlogging is common on poorly drained soil or when heavy soil is compacted. . In hot, dry weather, chervil is prone to bolting, but regular watering can delay this. Plants in containers need particular attention, as the compost can dry out very quickly in warm weather. For water-wise tips, see our guides below.

Protecting your crop

For harvests into autumn and early winter, sow seeds in late summer and cover with cloches, or keep them in a coldframe or greenhouse. Plants still growing well in containers can be moved into a greenhouse in autumn.

Propagating

Chervil will readily self seed when given suitable growing conditions. If you leave some plants to flower and set seed, you can either collect the seeds to sow yourself or let them drop and grow where they like. If you collect your own seeds, sow them within a year, as they don't store well or stay viable for long.

Chervil leaves should be ready for harvesting in about eight weeks from sowing, once plants are at least 10cm (4in) tall. Choose the soft young leaves, taking only a few from each plant to keep plants productive and attractive. Alternatively, if you need a large harvest, remove all the stems down to 5–7.5cm (2–3in) – healthy plants should produce another flush of growth.

Chervil is prone to bolting

When a vegetable plant starts flowering and forming seeds, often prematurely, making the crop unusable – salad leaves may turn bitter and root crops fail to swell. Adverse weather or changes in day length can cause bolting in a wide range of vegetables, including lettuces, onions , carrots and otheer root crops. in hot dry weather, so water regularly, especially if growing in a container, and sow summer crops in a cool, partly shaded spot. Chervil is a short-lived plant and will naturally flower fairly quickly, which curtails leaf production. Sow new batches of seeds every few weeks to ensure a fresh supply over several months. Chervil’s delicate foliage is vulnerable to aphids – see Common problems below.

Common Problems

Bolting in vegetables

Bolting is the term applied to vegetable crops when they prematurely run to seed, usually making them unusable. A cold spell or changes in day length...

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Aphids

Aphids are sap-sucking insects, they have many predators and are the basis for many food chains. The sap sucking can cause a lack of plant vigour, dis...

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