"Growing Fennel"
Fennel seed is normally fairly easy to get going and apart from earthing the bulbs up later in the year if you want to develop the root as a vegetable, fennel is fairly easy to maintain. Plants can grow to over 2 metres high, so they should be positioned at the back of a herb bed.
Choose a sunny spot but behind any lower growing plants so that the fennel plants don't overshadow them. Dig over the ground first before planting. Remove any perennial weeds and turn well to break up the soil. Rake over and transplant your fennel plants. Fennel can be started in bio-degradable pots to avoid damaging the roots when transplanting as the whole pot is planted. Allow about 12 inches (30cm) of growing space per plant. Make your own pots to help save some cash and the planet! Seeds can be started outside, but not until all danger of frost has passed and its advisable to cover the seed bed and seedlings overnight until the plants are stronger and the ground is warmer. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, thin to around 12 inches apart. Try to thin out the weakest plants leaving the strongest to grow on. The plants that you pull out could be re-planted, although care should be taken not to damage the roots.   Growing fennel - Care: One problem you may have with growing fennel is its tendency to 'bolt' or run to seed in hot sunny periods. If you can shade your plants through the hottest period of the day and keep them well watered you should be able to stop them from bolting. Fennel shouldn't be waterlogged but needs to be watered regularly in long dry periods. When the bulb is about the size of a tennis ball, earth up your plants by raking the earth up carefully around them. The fennel bulbs will tolerate cold nights and can be left in the ground well into autumn and perhaps some of the winter. The bulbs and leaves are always best eaten fresh, although the leaves can be dried and stored in glass jars. Remember to label the jars and store out of direct light. Happy Gardening! Grow Your Own Winter Food: A good diet incorporating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables is a must if you want to stay fit and healthy and keep the bugs at bay during the cold winter months. Growing your own winter food is just one way of ensuring you get the freshest, tastiest produce packed with goodness straight from the garden to the kitchen table. This easy-to-follow self-sufficiency book shows you how to grow your own fruit and vegetables for winter use and includes facts on each fruit, vegetable or herb as well as nutritional value, recipe ideas and storage suggestions.  Grow Your Own Winter Food is perfect for those with limited gardening experience, with gardens big or small who are looking to become more self-sufficient. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow Your Own Winter Food Grow It, Cook It!: Many crops, including herbs, can be produced in a relatively small space with a little pre-planning and organizing: in containers, on a balcony, and indoors. Herbs are perfect for enhancing the flavour of cooking, treating minor ailments, and preventing colds and flu. Your own back garden will not only produce the best food on the planet for you and your loved ones, it is also economical, environmentally friendly and more fun than shopping. Gardening is more than a hobby; it's a way of life. .  This book provides all the information you need to keep your family and friends healthy, fit and enjoying life to the full. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow It, Cook It! Grow Your Own Pharmacy: If, like me, you want to be able to eat the best food on the planet, grow your own!  • Clear instructions on planning, planting, growing and harvesting the fruits, vegetables and herbs required for a healthy vitamin intake. • Recipes and menus to help incorporate the fruit and vegetables into your daily diet. Grow Your Own Pharmacy Herbs and Spices: Some herbs grow vigorously, some are tender and need special growing conditions, some are annuals, some perennials, some you can grow indoors, all can be grown in pots or directly into the ground. There are also certain spices, such as chillies, that can be grown in temperate climates. ("More about growing fennel in this wonderful book!")  This clear and concise directory of herbs and spices provides all the essential information to help you grow a selection of these flavour-enhancing foods in small or large spaces. Ideas for which herbs and spices go best with which foods also accompany each description, so that you can really enliven your repertoire of recipes. Order it now direct from the publisher... Herbs and Spices Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense is packed full of great ideas and tips. Granny brings traditional home-making up to date with cooking, gardening, needlecrafts and even games to play with the kids...Click on the link below to order your copy.  Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore and preparing nourishing home cooked meals for the family will certainly keep them away from the goodie shelf. Gardening encourages physical exercise and a good healthy dollop of fresh air. And you can get the kids involved too. Before the days of computer games and electronic pets, children used to have fun without rummaging about in the fridge every five minutes. Enjoy a few rainy-day games and crafts of yesteryear with today’s kids. They’ll love it and so will you! Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense Back To Garden Herbs Back to Flower and Garden Tips Homepage Click here to subscribe to "Creative Gardening" - Your FREE monthly ezine! http://www.flower-and-garden-tips.com/growingfennel.html |
