How to Grow Lovage at Home
Lovage is a herbaceous, perennial plant that resembles celery in its look and taste. Due to its distinctive celery flavour, with a blend of lemon, in Italy it is called “Mountain Celery”. This hardy plant largely takes care of itself and requires little attention to grow. These herbs flower in late summer and from leaves and flowers to its stem it is edible and can be used both raw and cooked. Grow a few lovage plants in your garden and add taste to your food. Besides adding flavour, this herb can also be used as a home remedy for stomach upsets.
Things Required:
– Lovage seeds or seedlings
– Pot
– Fertilizer
– Pruning saw
Instructions
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1
Get lovage seeds
The first step in growing lovage at home is getting the seeds. Visit your local nursery to purchase good quality seeds. You can also grow lovage from seedlings, once again you will have to go to the local nursery to purchase a few lovage seedlings. -
2
Decide the location
After you have bought the seeds, choose a suitable place in your house. You can grow lovage both indoors and outdoors. If you want to plant it in the garden, decide a place that receives ample amount of sunlight, since these herbs like full sun or semi-shade. Lovage thrives best in an alkaline soil that is moist and well drained. -
3
Sow the seeds
This herb is best sown in spring (between March and May). You can directly sow the seeds in the garden or grow seedlings in a pot and transplant them to the garden once they are big enough to handle. When growing in the pot, sow the seeds 5mm deep. Put four to five seeds in each pot and retain the strongest seedling.
Average germination time for lovage seeds is 12 to 14 days. Keep the soil moist until the seeds have germinated and are established. When transplanting, keep a distance of 12 inches (30 cm) between seedlings. -
4
Water regularly
Water your lovage plants regularly, ensuring the soil remains moist (not wet), especially during hot, dry summer months. -
5
Fertilize
Feed your lovage with the right balance of fertilizer mix once every spring. -
6
Harvest
Start harvesting your lovage plant around seven to eight weeks after sowing. Young leaves taste the best. -
7
Prune
Like all other plants, lovage also requires proper pruning for ample growth. Cut the plants right back in summer to make it more bushy.
