How to grow chervil (beginner-friendly guide)

Chervil is a biennial herb that thrives in cool areas. A staple of French cooking, it has a mild licorice flavor. This beginner-friendly guide will teach you how to grow it at home.

Chervil can be grown from seeds in the ground, in a container, or as a microgreen. Because it’s sensitive to bolting in hot temperatures, chervil should be grown in moist soil in partial shade.

Also known as French parsley because of how common it is in French cooking, chervil makes for an ideal beginner’s herb: it is fast-growing, relatively hardy, and doesn’t require much fuss. If you live in USDA Hardiness Zones 3–7, you can easily grow and harvest chervil year-round. If you live in Zones 8 and above, you can grow it in spring, fall, and winter (it will bolt in the summer heat).

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Chervil is a biennial herb, which means it has a lifespan of two years. Leaves are more flavorful in the first year, and gradually lose flavor over time. Whether you’re growing it indoors or outdoors, you can expect to start harvesting your chervil 30–60 days after it starts to sprout, or once your plants reach at least 6 inches (15 cm) in height. If you plan to use chervil frequently, sow seeds every 3–4 weeks to secure a constant supply of fresh leaves.

Chervil is relatively hardy, but will bolt (begin to flower and lose its flavor) when temperatures get too high. If you live on any of the coasts or in the South, we recommend keeping it inside where it’s protected from the summer heat.

Growing chervil from seeds in the ground

Chervil seeds germinate in soil between 60–65°F (15–18°C). It is best to plant them in early spring, but chervil can be grown year-round in most climates. Sow seeds 9–12 inches (23–30 cm) apart, and ¼–½ inches (5–10 mm) deep.

Make sure you pick an area that is protected from the midday sun—chervil thrives in cool areas with moist, loamy soil. If your soil isn’t naturally nutrient-rich, fertilize it before planting. A single application of slow-release fertilizer is normally sufficient.

It is important to keep your soil moist, but avoid overwatering. You can tell when it’s time to water your chervil by sticking a finger in the soil. If the top ½ inch (10 mm) of the soil is dry, it’s time to water.

Growing chervil from seeds indoors

Chervil makes for a great windowsill herb, but there are a few things to take into consideration if you plan to grow it indoors.

Picking an appropriate container

Chervil plants grow long taproots (similar to that of a carrot) to anchor themselves in the soil, so it’s best to pick a deep container. To make sure your plants have enough room to thrive, make sure your container is at least 10 inches (25 cm) deep and 8 inches (20 cm) wide.

You should also make sure the container has adequate drainage holes. Any material will work, but we recommend using a ceramic container as it will hold the moisture better than a more porous material like terracotta or clay.

This is our favorite deep, ceramic container:

Avoid moving your chervil plants from one container to another, since its delicate taproot responds poorly to disturbance.

Picking the right soil

Because chervil prefers to grow in moist soil, it’s important to pick a mix with high water retention.

We recommend going with a commercial potting soil specifically formulated for moisture-loving plants. If you can’t find one, you can always mix extra coconut coir or peat moss into a normal potting soil to increase water retention.

If you’re in the U.S., we recommend that you use this soil, which is organic and retains water really well:

Instructions

1. Fill your containers with pre-moistened soil
2. Place seeds on top of the soil, 3–4 inches (8–10 cm) apart
3. Cover the seeds with about ¼–½ inches (5–10 mm) of soil
4. Your seeds will start to sprout after 7–14 days, as long as you keep the soil moist (but not soggy)
5. When your plants are about 3 inches (8 cm) tall, thin them out to one plant per 8-inch (20 cm) container or three plants per 12-inch (30 cm) container

Growing chervil as a microgreen

You can also grow chervil as a microgreen. In this article we’ll just cover the easiest method you can use, but we go into greater depth about microgreen gardening in our Microgreens 101 article.

You will need a growing tray, coconut coir, and a spray bottle.

Instructions

1. Fill your tray with about one inch (2.5 cm) of moistened coconut coir
2. Spread seeds evenly over the entire surface
3. Sprinkle a little bit of coconut coir over them
4. Gently press the seeds into the coconut coir to help them make contact with the growing medium
5. Cover the tray with the moisture dome (or use cling wrap—just make sure to poke a few holes in it)
6. Keep moist—if your tray is in a windowsill, you will likely need to mist the seeds at least once a day

When your seeds sprout, you can remove the moisture dome and place the tray in a location where it receives 3–4 hours of sunlight per day. Once your chervil microgreens are ready to harvest, use sharp scissors to cut plants down just above the soil line.

How to keep your chervil healthy

Once your chervil plants have established themselves, there are only a few things you need to keep in mind to make sure they stay healthy.

• Protect your chervil from the midday sun. It will bolt if exposed to too much heat.
• Keep the soil moist, but not saturated. Drought can easily turn the leaves bitter or even kill the plant.
• Remove flower buds as they form. This will extend its lifespan: once the plant flowers it loses its flavor and should be discarded.
• Avoid overfertilization. You may spray plants with liquid seaweed after they leaf, but avoid overfeeding as it will result in larger but flavorless leaves.

Popular varieties

Aside from the plain chervil with its characteristic flat leaves, there are three common varieties or cultivars that you may be interested in:

• Crispum. Curled green leaves with a milder flavor profile than plain chervil. Very pretty, but not as useful in the kitchen.
• Vertissimo, also known as Brussels Winter. Flat and lacy dark green leaves that withstand winter temperatures better than plain chervil. Slower to bolt. Can be planted in fall for spring harvest.

Chervil vs. parsley

Chervil is related to parsley, but has a mild licorice flavor whereas parsley is more peppery. Parsley prefers sunny areas, but both can be grown inside on your windowsill or as microgreens.

Both parsley and chervil, along with tarragon and chives, are used as fines herbes in French cooking—meaning they are added as last-minute seasoning to poultry, fish, and eggs.

Want to grow all four fines herbes? Check out our other beginner-friendly guides: