Fennel
Finely cut green leaves taste like anise. Flower
stalks grow 4 feet tall, but foliage is low. Seeds are also used as a
flavoring. To save the seeds, cover the seed heads with brown bags just as
the seeds start turning brown. Allow seeds to finish ripening, then shake
loose. Grow two plants. Perennial. All zones.
Fennel is a favorite of caterpillars and
butterflies. You will find many varieties of butterflies visiting your
fennel for its delectable nectar. This herb is also a favorite host plant
for ladybugs and other beneficial garden insects. NOTE: The dried plant is
an insect repellent.
Culinary uses: Use foliage to flavor fish and
vegetables, and as a garnish. Use the seeds in baked goods, fish, meats,
poultry, sauces, sausages, and soups.
Growing Fennel
Fennel grows best in full sun with plenty of water
and good drainage. Spaces plants 1 foot apart and remove spent flowers to
reduce number of volunteer seedlings. Once your plant is about 6 inches
high you can begin harvesting the young leaves, but only pick the top 2
inches, so it will continue to grow well. The leaves will stay fresh in
the refrigerator for a week with the stems in water, and the top covered
with a loose plastic bag. Also, you can freeze the leaves in small plastic
bags. The seeds should be harvested in late summer as they ripen so they
don't scatter-watch carefully and remove the heads as soon as they turn
from green to brown. The seeds can be dried by dropping the heads in a
paper sack and leaving there until dry. When dried store the seed in jars
in a dry, dark location for about 6 months for the best flavor.
Cut plants to ground after frost. To grow the
Florence variety, space the plants so they have plenty of room. About
mid-summer you will notice that the herb has developed yellow to green
flower clusters in which a number of flower stalks, nearly equal in
length, spread from a common center. These mature into seed heads. Expect
to enjoy the flowers from June through October.
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