Lovageis a valued addition to soups, the main ingredient of Maggi seasoning.Lovage is also used in herbal medicine as a specific for he alth, beauty and… love! Grown in the garden, it is completely frost-resistant and undemanding. Find out what thecultivation of lovage looks likeand learn about its most important uses.
lovage
Lovage(Levisticum officinale) is a perennial from the celery family. It is mainly grown as an industrial plant and a medicinal plant.Lovage grows up to 1.5 m in height, its stem is stiff, upright, oval, and its leaves are dark green, shiny and double pinnate. The flowers are small, yellow, gathered in the gable umbels, appear in July - August.LovageEasily recognizable by its characteristic spicy scent.
Lovage - application
Lovage is usedprimarily in the kitchen. Dark green lovage leaves are a valuable addition to soups, stewed and cooked vegetables, especially cabbage, roasted meats and fish dishes. The taste of lovage allows you to use this herb instead of table s alt. Especially when mixed with other herbs to help replace s alt.
For culinary purposes,lovage leavesare harvested throughout the growing season. The ones that we want to dry should be collected in early summer and dried in airy, shady place. The petioles can be discarded, only the mentioned leaves are valuable.Store the dried leaves in an airtight vessel and crush them just before use.
Unquestionably strongthe smell of lovagereminds us of the popular Maggi spice, because the lovage is the main component of this spice.Lovage root extractsare a component of bouillon cubes, sauces and czubryca.Lovage oilis used in liqueur - found in gastric, bitter and herbal tinctures.Lovage herb tinctureis used as a garlic odor masking agent.
The root and rhizome of lovageare ingredients in some herbal medicines. They are harvested in the second and third growing years in fall or early spring. Lovage infusions have a diuretic and antispasmodic effect, stimulate the secretion of gastric juice, and also have a slightly calming effect.
In the past,the use of lovagewas associated primarily with its healing effects.It was used for flatulence, edema, as a diuretic and as a menstrual stimulant. Decoctions, infusions or tinctures of lovage were administered as a stimulant of libido and as a love drink. Interestingly, the cut stalk of lovage was used as a drinking tube in diseases of the throat and mouth.
lovage - cultivation
Lovageis an expansive plant that likes a sunny and warm position and soil rich in nutrients. The soil forcultivation of lovageshould be light, humus-rich, rich in calcium, and deeply cultivated because lovage has a highly branched root system.
Thanks to numerous root suckers,lovagedoes not cause difficulties in reproduction. Regularly trim the carp with a spade, which also allows you to control the growth of the plant.
Lovagecan be grown from seeds by sowing them into pots in spring. When they form 3-4 leaves, plant them in a permanent place with a spacing of 50x50 cm. Seed germination usually lasts 3 weeks, and the entire period of seedling preparation is about 12 weeks.
Growing lovageis mainly based on weeding in the first year of cultivation. In the following years, the problem of weeds is much less, because the large leaves of lovage restrict the access of light for competing weeds.
In the cultivation of lovageit is also important to water it regularly. However, it is worth remembering that too intensive watering has a bad effect on the seedling. It can even inhibit plant growth. Lovage does not like excess moisture and waterlogged soils. It is also important to remove any inflorescences as lovage flower shoots weaken the development of leaves and roots.
Lovageendures the winter well, therefore it does not require any covering.
MSc Eng. Joanna Białowąs
