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Lovage

Lovage

Lovage is an herbaceous perennial that grows 3 to 6 feet tall and with a 32 inch spread. As part of the Apiacaea family, it is closely related to carrot, celery, and parsley. It grows in mounded clumps,
stems rise above foliage, topped with sprays of tiny yellow-white flower umbels that bloom mid to late summer. The glossy compound leaves that are divided grow from the thick stalks.


It looks like giant celery.
Introduction
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Description

The best way to get lovage is to find a gardener with a well established lovage patch and get permission to dig out a piece to transplant. Most gardeners with lovage will be happy to share a piece as it is plentiful and establishes very quickly. Heritage lovage patches can be found growing around the foundations of old homesteads. Lovage grows best in zones 4 to 8 and to zone 3. Lovage tolerates cold and is hardy to -5 degrees F (it’s less tolerating of heat). Stratify seeds 1 to 2 weeks and sow indoors 5 to 6 weeks before the date of last frost. Seeds will germinate in about 14 days.
Optimal Time/Temperature for Germination:
Plant Lovage at the back of the garden or in another spot where it can be a backdrop and left undisturbed. Give it lots of space as it gets large and multiplies to form a patch. Sun and well-drained soils are the key to growing lovage. It requires soil with a pH of 6.5 and sandy, loamy soils. You can also grow lovage in a pot 12 inches wide and deep.
Optimal Soil Conditions:
Seed Planting Depth, Spacing and Procedure:
Sow seed on the surface of soil and dust with sand. The seeds may also be sown outside in late spring when soil temperatures have warmed to 60 degrees F (16 C). Sow seeds outdoors ½ inch deep. Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart. Grow one lovage plant for culinary use and grow one plant for preserving. If transplanting seedlings to garden make sure night temps are at least 40 degrees F. Lovage has a taproot so transplant seedlings into the garden before the taproots are well established.
Best Companion Plants and Plants that Hinder:
Lovage has a reputation as a good companion plant for potatoes and other tubers, root crops, yams, taro, and artichokes. It should be arranged in the vegetable garden to form the best alliances and make their growth better and healthier. Plant lovage with fennel, hyssop, and catmint. Lovage can be used as a trap crop to lure tomato hornworms away from tomatoes and the greenish-yellow flowers attract beneficial insects to the garden.

Growing Instructions

Crop Maintenance

A well established lovage plant is low maintenance. Remove any flowers that appear as this will help them grow bigger roots instead of tall leggy stems and leaves. Removing flowers also encourages bushy growth and continuous leaf production. Do not till around Lovage as any pieces of root will spread the plant and it can take over. In some circumstance it may be necessary to harvest roots from lovage every three to five years to keep it from getting too large.
Moisture Requirements & Solutions:
Keep the soil evenly moist. The best watering time is in the morning because it helps keep their leaves from wilting and dying. Lovage plants should be watered about once a week unless there hasn’t been any rainfall or temperatures have reached 100ºF (37.8°C) during the day for two consecutive days. Once lovage is well established, it has a very deep tap root so it doesn’t need as much watering and no watering at all in good conditions with regular rain fall.
Weeding Needs & Solutions:
Lovage is large enough when established that it is not easily overtaken by weeds. Mulch lovage with ½ inch of compost in spring. Lovage dies back in winter so protect the roots with mulch.
Feeding Needs/Optimal Natural Fertilizers:
Give plants compost tea or dilute fish emulsion a few times during the growing season. Replenish the soil each spring by adding aged compost or a commercial organic planting mix.
Pests, Diseases & Solutions:
Leaf miners (small maggots) which tunnel inside leaves. The tunnels zig-zag just below the leaf surface but only a few leaves will be affected and the plant won’t be harmed. Pick off and destroy all affected leaves. Lovage is rarely bothered by diseases.
When to Harvest/Number of days to maturity:
With new plantings from seed it can take up to three years for the plant’s leaves and stems to mature enough to be ready for harvesting but a transplant from an established lovage patch grows larger very quickly and can be harvested in one year. In areas with long winters, Lovage is the first source of fresh greens in spring. You can harvest lovage leaves at any time but they are best in late spring when they are still young and tender. It is best to dig out the root in autumn. Seeds will arrive late in summer or early spring and the stems are best when eaten young. Containers can be brought indoors in winter for winter harvest so place pots in a bright spot.
How to Harvest:
All parts of Lovage are edible although caution is advised with the root. Use celery- flavored lovage leaves, fresh, frozen, or dried, anywhere you would use celery. Snip or pinch off outside stalks and leaves as needed for fresh use anytime during the growing season. Young and tender leaves are best. For best quality, gather stalks and leaves in the morning after the dew has dried. Harvest leaves for drying before the plant flowers. Harvest two or three- year-old lovage roots with a garden fork just before flowering. Wash and slice roots into ½ inch pieces before drying.
Optimal Storage temperature and conditions:
Blanch the stems and eat them like celery or slice them into salads, stews, and soups. Seeds whole or ground can be used in pickling brines, cheese spreads, salads, salad dressing, and sauces. Use whole dry seeds in baking. Best used right after harvest, store fresh lovage leaves and stems in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper. Cut 1- to 3-foot sections of stem for drying. Dry leaves and stems by hanging them upside down in a warm, shady place or dry in a warm oven or a dehydrator. Blanch lovage leaves before freezing in ice cubes or oil. Store lovage leaves and stems in an air-tight opaque container (the light will quickly yellow leaves and stems).
Optimal Preserving Procedures:
Seed Saving:
Use fresh seed harvested in fall and immediately plant is optional. Harvest entire ripe seeds heads in late summer. Ripe lovage seeds turn tan then brown. Place seed heads in a paper bag; they will drop as they ripen or gently rub off the seeds between your palms. If a mature lovage plant is allowed to have some mature seed heads left to winter over on the plant, small lovage plants will appear nearby in the spring that can be easily transplanted to another spot or put in pots to share with other gardeners. Too many seeds left to mature on the lovage plant can result in too many little lovage plants popping up all over your garden as they are blown around in the wind.

Harvest and Storage

Notes

The plant is frost-resistant, so it can be planted outside even when it’s colder than the freezing point. However, they may need protection from winds if you live in an exposed location near the coast or high up in the mountains. Otherwise, keep them under cover during cold weather, which means fewer problems caused by pests like slugs who don’t like cool conditions either. You can also use artificial grow lights but make sure they are designed for plants – these will help to struggle outdoor plants overwinter indoors during winter months when days get shorter. Lovage has a strong flavour that gets stronger as the plant matures, so be careful not to add too much when cooking with it as it can make a dish too bitter. Lovage has a much milder flavour when dried and is an excellent addition to winter soups and stews. Lovage enhances the flavor of potatoes, tomatoes, steamed vegetables, rice, chicken, and poultry stuffing. Lovage stems are hollow and can be used as a straw for savory juices like tomato. The Rootstock of Lovage has medicinal qualities. Lovage root is mostly used for its diuretic properties in cases of water retention and urinary difficulties. Lovage root makes a good remedy for digestive difficulties, gastric catarrh and flatulence. Skin problems will sometimes respond to a decoction added to bath water. CAUTION: Lovage root should only be used sparingly and intermittently. In excessive doses, it can cause kidney damage and should not be used by those with kidney problems. Lovage root promotes the onset of menstruation and should not be used by pregnant women.

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