The fennel herb (Foeniculum vulgare) has a long and varied history of use. The Egyptians and the Chinese used it strictly for medicinal purposes and their lore was brought back to Europe by early traders. During the Middle Ages, it was believed to hold magical qualities and people hung fennel plants over their doors to drive away evil spirits. Eventually, someone recognized its use as a flavoring for eggs and fish. Today, its crisp anise flavor makes it a favorite of cooks everywhere.
How to Grow Fennel Plants
Fennel is easy to grow. They prefer full sun and well-drained soil. They will do best in rich soils. Water them during dry periods, once or twice per week. Add a general-purpose fertilizer once or twice a season. While classified as a herb, Fennel is a popular European vegetable too. Native to Mediterranean region, the bulbous base and stalk is popular eaten raw like celery, cooked, or boiled. Closely related to Parsley,
Fennel is popular in Italian and other Mediterranean recipes. Also called Florence Fennel or Finuccio, it is easy to grow and very hardy, lasting well after the first frost. With bright green, fern-like leaves and aromatic yellow flowers, this plant will grow three to four feet tall. Plant it in the back of the herb garden or in your vegetable garden. Foliage and seeds have an anise-like flavor.
Fennel is a perennial but is grown as an annual in northern climates. Treat it as an annual if winter temperatures in your area regularly fall below fifteen degrees Fahrenheit.
You can also easily grow fennel in containers. Just be sure to plant in containers that are at least ten inches deep.
Fennel can groњ up to five feet tall, depending on which variety you’re growing. Be sure to take its eventual size into account at planting time so it doesn’t shade the rest of your vegetables. Also, it can inhibit the growth of tomatoes and beans, according to several sources, so you may want to avoid planting them near either of those crops.
How to Plant?
You can direct sow fennel seeds in your garden near your last spring frost date. Seeds should be planted ten to twelve inches apart and will germinate in eight to twelve days. You can also sow the seeds indoors, under lights, about four weeks before your last frost date, then harden them off and transplant them into your garden.
Pests
The main pest that seems to bother fennel is the parsleyworm, which looks like a green caterpillar with black and yellow bands. Check leaves regularly, and hand-pick worms as soon as you see them, to prevent them from eating the foliage. Or consider leaving them be, if you don’t mind sharing your harvest. Parsleyworms turn into black swallowtail butterflies, which are good pollinators.
Harvest and Storage
You can harvest fennel leaves anytime during the growing season – the more you trim it, the bushier it will become, leading to more and bigger harvests for you. Be sure not to trim more than a third of the plant when you harvest. Some types of fennel also produce bulbs, which can be harvested once they measure several inches across. Leaves can be kept on the counter with cut stems in a glass with water. Unwashed bulbs can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
Florence fennel recommended varieties
- ‘Sirio’ – quick to mature, this variety is best sown in May-June for harvesting in autumn
- ‘Perfection’ – this bolt-resistant variety produces medium-sized bulbs with a delicate aniseed flavour. It’s a good variety for early sowing
- ‘Cantino’ – a bolt-resistant variety with good strong flavour
- ‘Amigo’ RHS AGM – good, regular, but slightly flatter bulbs and is bolt-resistant
- ‘Colossal’ – a bolt resistant variety that produces a very large bulb