Lovage

Origin & history

Lovage probably comes from western Asia and reached Central Europe through Roman and later monastic garden culture; the St Gall monastery plan of around 820 already shows it in the herb garden. The German name has nothing to do with love (Liebe) — it is a folk reshaping of the Latin levisticum. The commoner German name Maggikraut is just as misleading: Julius Maggi’s seasoning does taste similar, but it was never made from lovage.

Varieties

There are barely any varieties in the real sense — the trade simply sells “Liebstöckel”, open-pollinated and without F1 hybrids. If you sow it, use fresh seed from the current season, because germination falls off quickly as with all umbellifers. For a home garden the easier route is a potted young plant or a piece of root from someone else’s garden anyway; established clumps divide well in spring.

Care

Siting is half the job: put it at the back or the edge of the bed, where two metres of growth will not shade everything else in summer, and into deep soil so the taproot has room. The flower heads appear in June — cut them out with their stalk and the plant carries on making tender leaves instead of going woody. A complete cutback to a hand’s width in midsummer brings a second, soft flush; in spring a dose of compost is enough, and watering is only needed in longer dry spells.

What can go wrong

Very little can really go wrong. In dry summers the foliage yellows and the plant flowers early — then water thoroughly and cut it back rather than feeding it. In early summer dense aphid colonies often sit on the shoot and flower stalks; cut the affected tips off and dispose of them, and the regrowth is usually clean. The classic beginner’s mistake is the position: lovage stands for ten years and more, resents being moved once the taproot has formed, and therefore does not belong in a bed that changes crop every year.

Harvest, storage & kitchen

Harvest from the outside inwards, young leaves with their stalk, ideally before flowering — after that the foliage turns coarse. It keeps its flavour very well dried and frozen, so a store put by in summer carries right through the winter. Whole stalks are cooked in broths, stews and potato soup and taken out before serving; the ripe seeds can be used as a spice as well.

Frequently asked questions

Is lovage winter hardy?

Yes, completely. The clump dies back in autumn and vanishes above ground over winter, then returns reliably in April. Mark the spot so nobody digs there or plants something else in spring.

How much space does lovage need?

Plenty: 60 centimetres in the row, 80 between rows, and up to two metres in height. Reckon on a good half square metre of ground for a single plant, which in a raised bed means a whole quarter of it.

Can lovage be kept in a container?

Only up to a point. The container should be at least 40 centimetres deep and around 30 litres, because the taproot goes a long way down. The plant stays smaller and needs frequent watering in summer, and it is far happier in open ground.

When can I harvest lovage?

From May to the end of September. In the planting year take single leaves only so it can establish; from the second year you can cut continuously. Leave it alone from October so the plant can die back in peace.