Chervil...a New Herb for the Garden

I've never grown Chervil before. I ordered it from Johnny's Seeds because it's supposed to be a good replacement for French Tarragon, which does not fare well here, in North Texas, at all! Too hot in the Summer!! I also ordered Mexican Tarragon, which is similar in flavor, and most of those seeds have already been planted and have sprouted.

The bag of Chervil that they sent me was much larger than what I'd expected...think they sent me a double! Anyway, I figured I should learn some more about this one before I went all willy nilly planting crazy! Do you want to come along?

motherearthliving

I've got Chervil Vertissimo, whose technical name is Anthriscus cerefolium...no, there's no test later. ;) Chervil resembles the ferny leaves of the Coriander plant, Cilantro, but has an Anise-like flavor. It bears tiny white flowers in clusters called umbrels. (they resemble tiny umbrellas for fairies) It is the leaf portions of the plant that we use in culinary.

herbco

Chervil is an herb that we'll sow in the Spring, going directly into it's permanent pot. The seeds of the Chervil plant actually do stale after the first year, and germination will drastically be reduced, so be sure to plant from current season seeds. Chervil seeds are placed just below the surface of a rich organic soil. It likes to stay moist, but not wet, and it doesn't care for the heat of Summer much. With it being potted, we can move it to the shady area of the garden when it gets hot. I'm going to sow the seeds in groups of five, thinning to four inches apart when the seedlings are about 2" tall. The seedlings of chervil are said to be very delicate, and the plant will not tolerate being transplanted. I do not know how it would react to being in a peat pot, and transplanting that way...but, I DO have enough seeds to give it the old college try! All of the research articles just stressed that Chervil will stress if I try to do that! So, for the sake of research, I'll do a few in my small sized peat pots, and we'll see whether or not that's a viable option.

livingthecountrylife

Because of its Anise-like fragrance and flavor, aphids and other such garden pests do not like it...so, Chervil makes a great companion plant for Carrots and Radishes...it's actually said to make your radishes crisper and hotter! Chervil is also a good garden buddy for lettuces of all sorts, and for members of the cruciferous family, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and the like.

rodalesorganiclife

We'll harvest the young, tender leaves before the plant starts to flower, while the flavor is at its strongest. Chervil is an herb best used fresh. The delicate fronds lose their potency with the heat of cooking or drying, in general. In French cuisine, Chervil is recognized as one of the four Fines Herbs, joined by chives, tarragon and parsley. With its Anise flavor, it's delicious in chicken or tuna salads, with poultry or seafood dishes, with eggs or in fresh salad dressings. It's nearly famous for it's unique flavor in a Bearnaise Sauce! Always add it after any cooking process has been completed, as heat will diminish the delicate flavor.

flickr

Chervil is another one of those herbs that has a short life span. It germinates within a week to two weeks after planting; it's six weeks to harvest. To maintain a steady supply, it's recommended that Chervil be planted in succession, every two to three weeks. Always leave a few heads of Chervil to allow the seeding to take place. The heads, heavy with seeds, will actually bend low to the ground and re-seed themselves! Or, you can harvest the seeds and collect them for the upcoming year.

appreciategoods

As do most herbs, Chervil has a laundry list of benefits! Here are just a few of those, from Motherearthliving.com.

• Stimulates digestion
• Soothes upset stomach
• Kidney support
• Lowers blood pressure
• Aids circulation
• Relief of inflammation, as in gout
• Relief of inflammatory skin conditions, like eczema and acne
• Relief of topical allergic reactions, like stings
• Rich in Vitamin C, Iron and Magnesium

So, quite the little jewel, this herb, Chervil, is! If it ever stops raining, I'll go outside and plant some! Until next time, my Steemian friends, take care! And, Steem on!