Growing Chervil 101: A Complete Guide -Plant, Grow, Care and Harvest-

Chervil is common in Russia, Central Asia, and Southern Europe, where it grows as a weed along the sides of highways. The plant was employed for culinary and medicinal uses by the ancient Greeks and Romans. At maturity, this feathery plant grows to be approximately two feet tall, with parsley-like leaves. Chervil, often known as French parsley, is a well-known carrot-family culinary herb commonly used in French cuisine. It gives eggs, cheese dishes, cream sauces, and meats like veal, poultry, and fish its distinct parsley-anise flavor. When chervil is dried, it loses a lot of its taste; it’s finest when harvested fresh. When turned into a tonic, chervil was traditionally used as a diuretic, digestive aid, and skin refresher. Some herbalists felt it might aid with eczema, gout, and kidney stone. It’s now been proven to help relieve the symptoms of high blood pressure, as well as inflammatory skin problems like eczema.

Quick Guide: How to Grow Chervil

• Pick a Site: Chervil has a tendency to bolt fast in hot weather, so keep it out of direct sunlight to lengthen its lifespan. Chervil thrives in cooler climates. Pick a spot that isn’t under direct sunlight.
• Soil Requirements: Chervil grows best in moist, rich soil with a pH of 6.5 to 7.0. Incorporate a substantial amount of organic matter, such as compost, to improve the nutrients in the soil. Mix it with peat or chunks of coconut coir to help with water retention.
• Start Indoors: Chervil seeds can be planted in the spring a few weeks before the last frost. Chervil should be started in separate pots under fluorescent lights and transplanted after the final frost of the spring season. To avoid damaging the taproot when transplanting, use separate pots. Germination of chervil seed does not necessitate covering it. It takes 7 to 14 days for seeds to germinate.
• Plant: After the final frost in the spring, transplant chervil to the garden, careful not to damage the taproot. As soon as the soil can be handled in the spring, sow chervil seed directly in the garden. If you seed chervil in the spring, you may seed it again in mid-to-late summer. Seeds can also be planted in the fall and will grow and flourish in the spring.
• Planting Space and Depth: Chervil seed should be sown 14 inches deep and 3 inches apart. Plants should be spaced 6 inches apart when they are 3 to 4 inches tall and 8 to 12 inches apart when they are 3 to 4 inches tall.

Growing Conditions

Chervil thrives indoors, where the temperatures are lower than outside during the summer, but it is still necessary to offer the proper growth conditions. Cool-season vegetables and herbs thrive in cooler climates and will bolt if the temperature rises too high. They should be planted early in the spring or late in the summer if grown outside. This culinary herb is a fantastic addition to a sunny windowsill within your house due to the need for a more moderate temperature. It’s easy to cultivate, with basic supplies and growth conditions as many other herbs.

Lighting

Chervil grows best on a windowsill that gets at least 4 to 6 hours of indirect sunlight every day. Avoid placing it in direct sunlight since this can cause the leaves to dry. Plants like low shade from partial shade to full sun when cultivated outdoors. Hang T5 fluorescent bulbs are approximately 12-inches above the tops of plants if you need extra exposure indoors.

Watering

Keep the plants well-watered and the growth medium slightly wet at all times. Avoid overwatering, which can promote root rot, as well as leaving pots in standing water. It is crucial to achieving the correct balance between providing adequate water and not overwatering plants.

Temperature

When growing chervil indoors, the temperature is just as vital as correct lighting and irrigation. Chervil loves temperatures below 70 °F during the day and below 55 °F at night. Avoid placing pots too close to leaky windows, or anywhere else they are vulnerable to draughts from doors or register vents. Internal stressors caused by extreme temperature changes affect plant development and the quality of plants.  

Care for Chervil

• To prevent birds and rabbits from destroying young plants, cover chervil seed and young seedlings with a floating row cover. Pinch out flower stems later in the season to encourage further development. To keep the plant’s efforts focused on leaf formation, remove blooming stems. The presence of long flower stalks indicates that the plant is nearing the end of its life cycle.
• A thin coating of soft bark or straw will keep weeds at bay by regulating soil temperature and moisture. When mulching, avoid burying the root end of the stems, as too much moisture trapping leads to root rot.
• Aphids and slugs are attracted to chervil. Pests can be kept at bay by cultivating companion plants nearby and pulling slugs off by hand.
• Chervil is claimed to keep slugs away from lettuce, as well as ants and aphids. Radishes are thought to taste better with chervil.
• Trim and apply chervil frequently to keep it from bolting. Your chervil plant will become bushier and fuller as a result of this.
• Chervil is a plant that thrives in pots. Choose a container with a depth and width of at least 8 inches.

Harvest

Because it takes around 1 to 1½ months from sprouting to harvest for the first chervil leaves, harvest happens shortly after seeding. It’s best to wait a month after seeding to reap the benefits. New branches will grow if you snip the leaves at the base of the stem. In terms of taste retention, collecting them first thing in the morning is better. Refrigerate fresh chervil for up to 3 days by wrapping it in moist paper towels and then plastic. Leaves may be frozen by carefully putting them in a plastic bag. Butter or ice cubes can be used to freeze leaves. Leaves should be kept in an airtight container.