The herb lovage ( Levisticum officinale ), which is often called maggi herb because of its intense taste, is basically uncomplicated in cultivation and care. However, choosing the right location is important.
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Outdoor, bucket and pot
The lovage feels at home in many locations. The aromatic herb can be kept very well outdoors. It is perennial and can easily overwinter outdoors. Planting in a bucket for the balcony or terrace is also possible. If you want, you can also keep the herb in a pot in the house.
The ideal floor
Like all herbs, lovage needs nutritious soil in order to develop well. The earth is welcome
- sandy-loamy to loamy
- slightly acidic to slightly alkaline and
- kalkhaltig
being. The herb should always have enough moisture, but not stand in waterlogging. The soil should therefore be permeable and slightly moist. Fertilizing with special fertilizer or compost is recommended in spring and late summer.
The right lighting conditions
The Maggi herb likes it sunny, bright and warm. You should therefore choose an appropriate location. However, the herb also does well in semi-shade. If kept in pots indoors, a bright and warm window sill is suitable for the herb plant.
The space requirement
The vigorous plant Levisticum officinale grows tall and wide with unrestricted growth. It only becomes fully grown after about three to five years. You should therefore choose a sufficiently large location outdoors so that the lovage does not come into conflict with other plants. If you grow several plants, the plant spacing should be at least 50 centimeters. Suitable neighbors for the lovage are
- Parsely
- fennel
- chives
Otherwise, the herb is more of a loner and can inhibit the growth of other plants due to its high nutrient consumption. You can also reduce herbaceous growth by pruning. Regular pruning is not necessary.
frequently asked Questions
Like all herbs, you should also change the location of the Maggi herb every three to five years. On the one hand, this prevents the soil from being stressed on one side and, on the other hand, the change counteracts the weed being leached out. The best time for this is late autumn. When the spice plant has lost all plant parts above ground, transplanting can take place. When transplanting, remove the tired-looking root parts and only replant the active and vital root parts. In the spring, the herb will sprout again in the new place.
If you keep them in a bucket, you should make sure you use the right substrate. The substrate should suit the needs of the plant well: calcareous, nutrient-rich and permeable. Moisture should be kept well without waterlogging. The risk of waterlogging is particularly high when keeping buckets. To reduce this, you can drill holes in the bottom of the planter if it doesn’t already have small holes. This allows too much moisture to escape better and waterlogging is avoided.
The Levisticum officinale is completely hardy. You therefore do not need to take any measures or winter protection. The plant can easily withstand temperatures down to -20 degrees. A Maggi herb planted in a tub can remain in a slightly sheltered place in the garden in winter. The substrate only needs to be watered very little in winter.
