Description
(Anthriscus Cerefolium)
Chervil is a productive delicious and delicate herb that is considered one of the essential 4 herbs in French cooking! It has a mild parsley-like flavor that has slight hints of licorice or anise. It’s subtle flavor profile is perfect in salads, soups, with eggs, other veggies, fish, or meat. It is a productive plant and it relatively low maintenance!
Sowing: A cool weather plant, chervil grows well in full sun or partial shade and light, moist soil. Since it does not take well to transplanting, direct sowing is the best option. Direct sow about three weeks before the last spring frost for summer crop, or after the heat of summer for a fall crop. Sow winter chervil seeds on the surface of the soil in rows 12-18″ apart, thinning to 9-12″ apart as soon the seedlings appear. Germination should take place within 10 days. For a continuous supply of fresh leaves, plant a new crop every 2 weeks until the heat of summer, when chervil will no longer grow well. Winter chervil adapts well as a container plant, and can survive temperatures below freezing with some protection.
Growing: Keep the soil evenly moist, but avoid getting the leaves wet to prevent disease. Cut back the plant often for a longer harvest and to prevent it from going to seed, which often happens in hot weather.
Harvesting: Harvest leaves as needed, gathering the outer leaves first for best flavor. Though the flowers are edible, their development causes the leaves to grow bitter. Fresh chervil is best added to hot food at the last minute, since it soon loses its flavor with heat. The leaves will keep in the refrigerator for two or three days; drying or freezing are not recommended, since the delicate flavor is soon lost.
Seed Saving: Gather the seed heads individually as soon as they begin to dry on the stem. Since they shatter easily, check them often. Spread the heads out to dry in a protected location out of direct sunlight; thresh out the seeds. Store the winter chervil seeds in a cool, dry place; for best germination, use the seed in the next growing season.
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