Anyone tried fennel...

[GardenGirl]

Steve, thank you for the link with the info. I'm glad I asked about growing fennel before I actually did it! I had heard about companion planting before. I think I shall find a different part of the garden for it now. Nice to know it grows easy, and will try to make sure I don't let it self-seed. I don't feel like only having fennel in the garden.

 

[mamaspider]

i've grown bronze and florence. left my bronze in ky when we left, so now we're in ga with the florence and it doesn't bother my other plants, but I have it in an herb bed in between some already huge rosemary and some chives. It gets to be about 4 feet tall in late summer, early fall before the swallowtail caterpillars get it (which is fine with me - we never use it all anyway!). They eat it almost down to the ground, and then it returns in the spring with the new butterflies it nurtured. seems fitting to me.

we only eat is a veggie on occassion, though. we usually use it as an herb - great on fish! i'm always looking for new uses for it, too.

jean

 

[ozark hen]

well, thanks, Jean, I have never got a good start of it and have never eaten it and I am anxious to plant some.

 

[GardenGirl]

I forgot it attracted butterflies! I have a butterfly/hummingbird garden along my front walkway. I did a lot of research for the garden and made sure I had both host and nectar plants. Now, not only will I get to eat nice fresh fennel, I know it will attract more butterflies to my yard!

 

[pjkobulnicky]

There are several kinds of fennel ... one grown mostly for seeds and one grown mostly for the bulbs. Bulb fennel ... wonderful when roasted, is a fall crop. Start it in late June or early July so it is ready to bulb in September or October. Seeds need to be kept moist for good germination. Keep plants moist while growing. Space 8-12 inches apart.

Avoid bronze ... it may be beautiful and it may give you seed but it is a royal pest ... sets seeds everywhere.

Here is a good link for seeds:

http://www.growitalian.com/


search for fennel.

Paul

 

[ozark hen]

thanks Paul, good info for newbies to fennel ...like myself.

 

[digitS']

Steve, since you have grown both kinds which did you prefer and why? How did you use it? As a novice I would like some opinions as to how others use it. thanks

My intention with the Florence fennel was . . . I guess I was going to boil it or something and eat it . . . never did even tho' the plants grew nicely .

My intention with the sweet fennel was to use the leaves as a tea. Tried that - was disappointed . For a licorice-flavored tea, both Korean mint and anise hyssop were better choices. The sweet fennel had a decidedly "green" taste.

Now, it may have been unwise to even bother trying the leaves as tea. It is, after all, the seeds that are used in baking (& in Italian sausage, I believe). The problem with using the seeds from my plants was that altho' they bloomed, they never quite matured seeds before hard frosts. I guess I could buy some seeds and see how they are but I have been quite happy with the other herbs .

Steve

 

[S0rcy]

When hot water hits fennel leaves, the composition of the phenols in the tissues change drastically, so it has a far different taste than anticipated. It works ok in sun tea, but there are better things

I love fennel in salads and wrapped around fish or vegetables when barbequeing.

 

[digitS']

When hot water hits fennel leaves, the composition of the phenols in the tissues change drastically, so it has a far different taste than anticipated. It works ok in sun tea, but there are better things

I love fennel in salads and wrapped around fish or vegetables when barbequeing.

That taste change makes sense. Sun tea brews wonderfully in the fridge rather than the sun. Really, I don't know why more folks don't make it that way. Don't you suspect that the cloudiness of sun tea is bacteria . . . ?

We like dill on baked salmon. That is so nice . . .

Very likely, I'd like fennel on salmon also, hmmm?

Steve