Licorice: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
How do you sow your liquorice outdoors?
You can start your liquorice in spring or autumn by sowing in pots placed in a cold frame. This lets you follow the young plants without losing them among garden weeds. Choose seeds of Glycyrrhiza glabra and check the preparation instructions supplied with your batch rather than giving every seed the same treatment.
Use containers with drainage holes and free-draining seed compost. Moisten it before distributing the seeds, then cover them lightly as directed on their packet. Firm gently, label the pots and water with a fine spray so you do not move the seeds. Keep the growing medium moist, but do not leave the pots standing in a saucer full of water.
Check regularly for emerging seedlings and ventilate the frame as it warms up. Protect young shoots from slugs. Once the seedlings are large enough to handle, separate them carefully and let their roots develop in suitable pots. Plan a sunny permanent position with deep, fertile soil. This perennial will occupy the site for several years and needs substantially more room than a crowded seed tray provides.
How do you plant your liquorice in the garden?
When does your liquorice flower and how do you care for it?
Does liquorice need pruning?
How do you harvest liquorice?
