Tips for Growing Great Fennel

The herb fennel was thought to be an appetite suppressant in medieval times. People would keep a handful of the seeds in their pockets to get them through church services or fast days. In modern times it is used in cooking and as a natural remedy, too. Many people grow fennel in their home garden. Here are some tips to help you grow fennel in your back yard.

Fennel can grow up to 4 feet tall. It makes a good border planting or you can place it among shorter plants. It is a perennial, but mostly grown as an annual. It will thrive in temperature zones 6 through 9.

Plant fennel seeds directly into the soil as soon as you can in the spring. The seeds should be planted about 6 inches apart. The soil should be a well drained bed of rich soil. Fennel grows best in full sunlight. Do not grow fennel near coriander, as it will prevent fennel's seeds from forming. The seeds need to be covered shallowly after planting. Be sure to keep the soil moist. If you would like a continuous crop of fennel all through the growing season, plant seeds every 2 to 3 weeks.

You can begin to snip leaves off of your fennel plant when it has become well established. This will be about 8 to 10 weeks after planting the seeds. Harvest the leaves as you want to use them through the growing period.

The seeds can also be harvested. You will have to keep a close eye on the flowers, however. When the seeds turn from yellowish green to brown, they are ready to harvest. Snip the entire seedhead off with scissors and let it drop into a paper bag. Store the bags of fennel seedheads in a warm dark place to dry. When they are dry, store them in glass jars.

Fennel has a taste similar to licorice. The fresh leaves can be used in salads and as lacy garnish. The stalks can be eaten like celery. The seeds are used in many recipes and can be used to garnish baked goods, also. Fennel goes well with beets, potatoes, pickles, barley, rice, eggs, cheese, and fish. If you use fennel seeds in her butters, cheese spreads and salad dressings, they will add a unique fragrance to the recipes.

Fennel looks a lot like dill. However the flavor is much stronger. The plant can be used as an ornamental plant along a wall, or as the focal point of an herb garden. However, you choose to grow fennel, hopefully, these tips will help you grow all the fennel you and your family can enjoy.

SOURCE

Editors "Better Homes and Gardens" magazine. "New Garden Book". 1990. Better Homes and Gardens Books. Des Moines, Iowa.

Editors of Rodale Organic Gardening Magazine and Books. "Rodale Organic Gardening Basics: Herbs Volume 5". 2001. Pennsylvania, USA.