Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Lovage (Levisticum officinale)— schedule & NPK
Also called Garden Lovage, Maggi Herb.
More about lovage
About Lovage
Levisticum officinale · also called Garden Lovage, Maggi Herb · herb
Lovage is a tall, vigorous perennial herb whose hollow stems and glossy leaves taste intensely of celery and yeasty stock, earning it the nickname Maggi herb. A single plant feeds a kitchen all summer and dies back over winter to return each spring. It likes rich, moist soil and sun to part shade and grows surprisingly large.
Growth habit: Large, clump-forming herbaceous perennial with hollow celery-like stems and umbels of yellow flowers; dies back to the crown each winter.
What fertiliser lovage actually wants — and why
Lovage is a soft, fast leafy herb that you harvest hard — a modest balanced feed keeps tender growth coming without tipping it into bland or bolting.
A balanced general feed (even N-P-K) at modest strength — enough nitrogen to keep replacing the leaves you pick, but not so much that flavour thins or it bolts to seed.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for lovage: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed lovage, and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For lovage:
Moderate feeder. Top-dress with compost or a balanced fertiliser in spring to fuel its tall leafy growth; repeat lightly after a hard summer harvest. In practice: a balanced liquid feed every few weeks through the main growing and harvesting season (spring through early autumn), more often the harder you are picking it.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when lovage is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for lovage
Half strength is a sensible default for lovage — enough to fuel regrowth after cutting, gentle enough that the leaves stay aromatic rather than watery.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water lovage first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the lovage watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding lovage
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for lovage:
- Fast, soft, pale growth with diluted, less aromatic flavour.
- Early bolting (running to flower) and a bitter edge.
- Salt crust and scorched tips on container plants.
Signs you are under-feeding lovage
- Pale, slow regrowth after cutting and small leaves.
- A tired, stalled plant that cannot keep up with harvesting.
- Yellowing older leaves in a long-spent pot.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full lovage care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Pot-grown lovage builds up feed salts quickly — water until it drains each time and flush the pot with plain water every few weeks, especially on a sunny windowsill.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for lovage
Organic options
A diluted seaweed feed or worm-casting tea keeps soft growth coming without overdoing it. UK: dilute seaweed or Westland; US: Espoma Garden-tone or Neptune's Harvest. Gentle, hard to overdo, flavour-friendly.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A balanced liquid feed at half strength through harvesting — UK: Phostrogen, Baby Bio or Westland; US: Miracle-Gro all-purpose at half strength. Fast regrowth; just do not overdo the nitrogen.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising lovage — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does lovage need?
A balanced general feed (even N-P-K) at modest strength — enough nitrogen to keep replacing the leaves you pick, but not so much that flavour thins or it bolts to seed. Lovage is a soft, fast leafy herb that you harvest hard — a modest balanced feed keeps tender growth coming without tipping it into bland or bolting.
How often should I feed lovage?
Moderate feeder. Top-dress with compost or a balanced fertiliser in spring to fuel its tall leafy growth; repeat lightly after a hard summer harvest. Moderate feeder. Top-dress with compost or a balanced fertiliser in spring to fuel its tall leafy growth; repeat lightly after a hard summer harvest. In practice: a balanced liquid feed every few weeks through the main growing and harvesting season (spring through early autumn), more often the harder you are picking it.
What strength of feed for lovage?
Half strength is a sensible default for lovage — enough to fuel regrowth after cutting, gentle enough that the leaves stay aromatic rather than watery.
What does over-feeding lovage look like?
Fast, soft, pale growth with diluted, less aromatic flavour. Early bolting (running to flower) and a bitter edge. Salt crust and scorched tips on container plants. Over-feeding lovage with strong nitrogen is the usual mistake — it grows fast and lush but the leaves turn bland and it bolts to flower sooner, ending the useful harvest early.
Should I flush the soil of lovage?
Pot-grown lovage builds up feed salts quickly — water until it drains each time and flush the pot with plain water every few weeks, especially on a sunny windowsill.
Keep reading
- Lovage care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water lovage — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise basil
- How to fertilise herb garden
- How to fertilise mint
- All 1284 fertilising guides in the Growli library