Chervil

Chervil Care

Anthriscus cerefolium

What is the plant

Chervil, sometimes called French parsley or garden chervil, is a delicate annual herb related to parsley. It is commonly used to season mild-flavoured dishes and is a constituent of the French herb mixture fines herbes.

Chervil plants grow to 40–70 cm (16–28 in), with tripinnate leaves that may be curly. The small white flowers form small umbels, 2.5–5 cm (1–2 in) across. The fruit is about 1 cm long, oblong-ovoid with a slender, ridged beak. A member of the Apiaceae, chervil is native to the Caucasus but was spread by the Romans through most of Europe, where it is now naturalized. Chervil is one of the four traditional French fines herbes, along with tarragon, chives, and parsley, which are essential to French cooking. Unlike the more pungent, robust herbs such as thyme and rosemary, which can take prolonged cooking, the fines herbes are added at the last minute, to salads, omelettes, and soups. It is usually grown as a cool-season crop, like lettuce, and should be planted in early spring and late fall or in a winter greenhouse.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

10°C - 15°C

Hardiness zone

3a - 8b

Difficulty

Medium

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Keep plants well-watered during the growing season, especially during dry spells. It’s best to water with a drip or trickle system that delivers water at low pressure at the soil level. If you water with overhead sprinklers, water early in the day so the foliage has time to dry off before evening, to minimize disease problems. Keep the soil moist but not saturated.
Fertilizer
Chervil requires little feeding. A single application of a balanced, slow-release fertilizer before planting should be sufficient. Liquid seaweed used as a foliar supplement can be sprayed on after the plants leaf. Too much feeding will result in larger but less flavorful leaves.
Sunlight
Plant in full sun to light shade. In very warm areas plants may benefit from afternoon shade.

Disease diagnosis

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Soil
Soil in which chervil grows should ideally have a pH reading between 6.5 and 7.0. Good water-retention is a must. Mix in plenty of sphagnum peat moss or coconut coir to assure that the soil won’t dry out. Mulches also help retain soil moisture and maintain even soil temperatures. For herbs, an organic mulch of aged bark or shredded leaves lends a natural look to the bed and will improve the soil as it breaks down in time.
Temperature
Sow in the ground 2-3 weeks before the last frost date, after danger of heavy frost. In frost-free areas, sow from fall to early spring. Chervil will produce more foliage in cooler weather.
Popularity
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