Former presenter of the Gardeners World television show and garden writer Alys Fowler has claimed that chervil is one of the most underrated plants that a green-fingered enthusiast can grow.
In an article for the Guardian, she explained that she had overlooked them for so long she almost forgot about the plant altogether.
However, her lax attitude to deadheading meant that it successfully self-seeded in the shadiest corners of her green space – just in time for autumn picking.
While this may have turned into a happy circumstance for Ms Fowler, gardeners would be well advised to keep on top of all their deadheading duties.
Here at MowDIRECT, we offer the Bosch Ciso Cordless Secateurs for just £59.95 – and this lightweight yet powerful tool makes pruning and deadheading a breeze.
The Garden Groom Garden-Barber Cordless Collecting Hedge & Shrub Shaper is available for can also be used to £79.95 – and could also be suitable for the task. It glides over the edge of hedges, leaving it clean and smooth, removing dead waste as it goes.
Ms Fowler underlined the fact that chervil does not perform very well in the heat or sun – something anyone planning on growing the plant would do well to bear in mind.
She said that it will run straight to seed if it sees more than even half an hour of sunlight in the summer months.
However, now is the perfect time to grow it, as early autumn provides the ideal growing conditions.
"The soil is warm and wet, there is still enough sun to awaken it from its sleepy start, but it is not so strong as to upset it," the expert commented.
"To overwinter well, chervil needs a sheltered spot that's warmed by afternoon suns," she continued, adding: "In the UK, in a mild winter, particularly down south, it should need no protection."
