Chervil, a delicate herb with a mild anise-like flavor, is a wonderful addition to any garden. When it comes to letting chervil flower, the decision ultimately depends on your preferences and needs.
1. Benefits of Allowing Chervil to Flower:
– Seeds for future growth: Allowing chervil to flower and produce seeds gives you the opportunity to collect and save them for future plantings. This is particularly beneficial if you want to continue growing chervil in your garden without having to purchase new plants or seeds.
– Attracting beneficial insects: Chervil flowers, like many other flowering plants, attract beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies. These pollinators play a crucial role in the health and productivity of your garden by aiding in the fertilization of other plants. Allowing chervil to flower can help support the local ecosystem and promote biodiversity.
2. Drawbacks of Letting Chervil Flower:
– Reduced leaf quality: Once chervil flowers, the leaves tend to become less flavorful and more bitter. This is because the plant’s energy is directed towards producing flowers and seeds rather than leaf growth. If you primarily grow chervil for its leaves, it’s best to harvest the plant before it starts flowering.
– Limited leaf lifespan: Chervil plants typically have a relatively short lifespan, especially when they are allowed to flower. Once the flowers appear, the plant begins to decline, and the leaves lose their desirable qualities. If you want to maximize the lifespan and productivity of your chervil plants, it is recommended to remove them before flowering.
3. Finding a Balance:
If you enjoy the beauty of chervil flowers and want to collect seeds for future plantings, you can strike a balance by keeping a few plants specifically for this purpose. Allow these designated plants to flower and produce seeds while regularly harvesting the leaves from the other plants before flowering. This way, you can enjoy both the culinary benefits of the leaves and the aesthetic appeal of the flowers.
4. Maintaining Chervil Plants:
Chervil is a relatively low-maintenance herb. It prefers partial shade to full sun and well-draining soil. Regular watering, particularly during dry weather, is important to prevent premature flowering. Adequate moisture helps keep the plant focused on leaf growth rather than flowering. Mulching around the base of the plants can also help retain soil moisture and prevent weed competition.
Whether or not to let chervil flower is a personal choice based on your specific goals and preferences. If you want to prioritize leaf flavor and longevity, it’s best to harvest the plants before they start flowering. However, allowing some chervil plants to flower can provide benefits such as seed collection and attracting beneficial insects. Finding a balance between harvesting leaves and allowing a few plants to flower can offer the best of both worlds.
