Chervil
Despite it's delicate appearance, chervil is a robust, quick growing plant.
It's best to wait till July to sow, otherwise it'll soon run up to seed. It will thrive through late summer and autumn, and even survive the winter on a sheltered patio or roof terrace - with a flush of fresh growth in the springtime.
Time from seed to plate: 12 weeks
Sowing Calendar
Sow
Fill a pot with compost and firm it down gently with your palm.
Scatter your chervil seeds leaving about a couple of centimetres between each one. Sprinkle over a fine layer of compost to just cover the seeds, and water gently to moisten the compost.
Place outside, scattered with a few organic slug pellets.
Growing method: Extra wide pot
Grow
Chervil can be slow to germinate, so don't panic if you don't see leaves quickly. Once it gets going it will fly along.
Thin your seedlings when they're a few centimetres tall. Pull out and discard the smaller plants to leave around 5-10cm between each plant. They'll soon bush out.
Try and position the pot in light shade and keep moist because chervil can get scrawny and shoot up to flower in the full summer heat.
Harvest
Chop away freely as and when you need leaves, but leave the tight rosette of leaves in the centre intact. This will quickly resprout.