Shop at deodar-seeds.com 
About this seed
Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) is a delicate annual herb related to parsley, grown for its finely divided leaves with a faint liquorice or aniseed flavour. The seed needs light to germinate, and the plant bolts quickly in hot, dry weather, so it is sown in cool, lightly shaded conditions and re-sown every 3–4 weeks.
Also known as: Garden chervil, French parsley, Salad chervil, Cerfeuil (French), Kerbel (German), Perifollo (Spanish), Cerfoglio (Italian), Cerefólio (Portuguese), Kervel (Dutch); scientific synonym Scandix cerefolium.
Where chervil is used
Chervil is one of the four traditional French fines herbes, with tarragon, chives and parsley. It is added at the last minute to salads, omelettes and soups. Both leaves and stems are used; pick the leaves once they are fully open but still tender.
Sowing: light, temperature and timing
- Light: needed for good germination, so cover the seed very lightly or not at all.
- Temperature: laboratory germination tests use alternating 20/30 °C (16 h at 20 °C, 8 h at 30 °C), counting at 7 and 21 days. This is an approximate species value, not a result for this lot.
- Season: outdoors from April to August in a lightly shaded spot, or in late autumn for seedlings the following spring.
- Method: sow where the plants will grow; the long taproot makes transplanting difficult.
Growing on
Thin seedlings to 15 cm (6 in) in rows 30 cm (12 in) apart. Light shade and regular watering delay bolting. Flowering stems reach 30–60 cm. Sow again every 3–4 weeks for a steady supply of leaves.
FAQ
Why are no chervil seedlings showing?
Indoors, seedlings take 5–10 days; outdoors they can take up to three weeks, depending on temperature. A thick layer of soil also blocks the light the seed needs.
How long until the first harvest?
About eight weeks from sowing, once plants are at least 10 cm (4 in) tall.
Can chervil be transplanted?
Direct sowing is preferred. If you start it indoors, move seedlings at about 5 cm tall, before the taproot develops, harden them off and avoid disturbing the roots.