Lovage is a hardy, robust and prolific perennial with large fragrant leaves and little yellow - green flowers. The whole plant can be used culinary but mostly the leaves are used in soups, stews and in all sorts of vegetable and meat dishes. It can also be used in the bath tub. Heigth: 182 cm
Indoor sowing: March - April
Outdoor sowing: May - June
Germination: 7 - 21 days
Germintion temp.: 18 - 21 °C
Sowing depth: 1 cm
Plant distance: 35 - 45 cm
Plant position: half shadow - full sun
Days till harvest: 90 - 100
Sow indoors from March till April in trays filled with moist potting soil. Cover the seeds with a layer of approx. 1 cm soil. Keep moist, but not waterlogged. Keep the temperature as even as possible. Don't let the temperature drop during the night. Transplant the seedlings, when they're large enough to handle, to separate pots. Harden the seedlings of, by putting them outdoors during the day for 10 - 14 days, from the beginning of May. Plant them outdoors, from the middle of May, when there's no longer any danger of nightsfrosts. Put them on a sunny plot with some shade in free draining soil. Keep the plants 35 - 45 cm apart.
Sow outdoors, from the middle of May, when there's no longer any danger of nightsfrosts. Sow the seeds approx. 1 cm deep and cover them with soil. Keep moist during the germination period of approx. 3 weeks. Cover the soil with some plastic foil or glas to keep the soil moist. Lovage needs a sunny plot with some shade and free draining soil. Keep the plants approx. 35 - 45 cm apart from each other. Lovage can grow really high, so it makes good sense to put the plant in the back of your herb garden or herb border.
