When to plant Lovage in Arid Australia
Arid zone — applies to Alice Springs, Mildura, Broken Hill, Kalgoorlie, Port Augusta and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Cool · Subtropical · Tropical.
Sow lovage direct in August or September, dropping seed about 6 mm deep into a deeply worked, well-drained bed. Fresh seed germinates in 10–20 days when the soil is warming but not yet baking, which is why early spring suits it in the desert. This is a large, long-lived perennial herb, so give it room: space plants a full 100 cm apart with rows 60–90 cm across. It reaches useful cropping size in around 90–120 days and then returns year after year, dying back over winter and reshooting each spring from a tough crown.
Sowing calendar — arid zone
Green months are your sowing window: August to September.
Growing notes
Lovage is a cool-climate perennial at heart, so growing it in Broken Hill or Alice Springs is about sheltering it from the worst of the heat rather than baking it in the open. Give it the coolest, most protected corner you have, ideally with afternoon shade, and treat it as a thirsty plant in a dry climate. It resents drying out, and the leaves scorch and turn bitter under fierce sun and low humidity.
The main failure mode in arid gardens is heat-driven bolting and leaf burn. Plants pushed by long, hot days run to flower early and the foliage crisps at the edges. Head this off by:
- Planting into deep, humus-rich soil that holds moisture, and mulching heavily to keep the root zone cool.
- Watering deeply and regularly through summer rather than little and often.
- Cutting flower stems out as they appear to keep the plant producing tender leaves.
Because a mature plant is tall and wide, that 100 cm spacing is not optional; crowded lovage grows soft, disease-prone and floppy. Once settled it is remarkably durable, shrugging off the cold desert nights of winter and returning stronger each spring. Divide the crown every few years to keep it vigorous.
Lovage at a glance
| Sowing depth | 6 mm |
|---|---|
| Plant spacing | 100 cm |
| Row spacing | 60-90 cm |
| Germination | 10-20 days |
| Days to maturity | 90-120 days |
| Frost tolerance | Hardy |
| Method | Raise Seedlings,Sow Direct |
Common questions
- Does lovage grow in a hot, dry climate?
- It can, but it needs help. Lovage naturally prefers cool, moist conditions, so in arid gardens give it afternoon shade, rich moisture-holding soil and generous watering. Grown in the open desert sun without those it scorches and turns bitter.
- How far apart should I plant lovage?
- Space plants a full 100 cm apart, with rows 60–90 cm across. Lovage becomes a large, bushy perennial and crowding it leads to soft, floppy, disease-prone growth. Giving each plant room also improves airflow, which matters when you are watering heavily in a dry climate.
- Why are my lovage leaves bitter?
- Heat stress and irregular watering are the usual culprits in the desert. When the plant runs short of water or is baked in full sun, the leaves toughen and turn bitter. Keep the soil consistently moist, provide some shade in the afternoon, and remove flower stems as they form to keep new growth tender.
- Will lovage come back every year in Alice Springs?
- Yes. It is a hardy perennial that dies back over winter and reshoots from its crown each spring, tolerating the cold desert nights without trouble. Divide the crown every few years to keep it vigorous and productive.
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