Arlene Wright-Correll

Growing Fennel, a Vegetable or an Herb? ©



Posted: Saturday, September 06, 2008

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http://www.learn-america.com

Say Fennel and most people look at you funny. Ask if it is a vegetable or an herb and most people cannot answer.

I started growing fennel for a lot of reasons. I like Italian and Mediterranean cooking and fennel is part of many recipes. I like licorice and fennel has an anise flavor. I like things that are easy to grow and fennel fits the bill and it will grow right up and through the first frost.

Fennel can be started from seed. It can be put in your herb garden or vegetable garden because it is both an herb and a vegetable. However, wherever you put it, put it in the back because it grows to a height of 3 to 4 feet tall. Basically it is classified as an herb and it closely related to parsley so I always grow some in my Mediterranean herb garden.

I plant it directly from seed in 4 feet by 4 foot section. There it grows with its stalk looking like celery with a similar bulbous base except for its fern-like leaves on top. It can be eaten raw, put in salads, cooked or boiled. I like to grill it on the grill with bastings of olive oil. It Italy is it often referred to as Florence fennel or Finuccio.

When I plant it I do so as soon as the ground can be worked and sow the seeds directly into the ground covering them with about inch of soil. Once the seedling start to sprout I thin the plants to about 10 to 12 inches apart and I make sure my rows are at least 18 inches apart. Since they are put in a 4 foot by 4 foot section of my Mediterranean herb garden I just make my rows 24 inches apart and have only two rows of them that are 4 foot long. That gives us plenty for our small family.

I then can start a planting again in mid summer that I am able to harvest in the fall and since fennel is hardy I do not bother to pull up the fennel in advance of the first frost.

Fennel likes full sun and a well drained soil. During dry periods I give them water once or twice a week. I can harvest the leaves as I need them.

Once the flower heads are formed and died I can harvest the seeds by shaking them out and drying them in a cool dry location.

When the bulbs have reached the size of a tennis ball or larger I can harvest them for cooking.

"Tread the Earth Lightly" and in the meantime May your day be filled with Peace, Light and Love,

Author's note: This article was originally written for GreenThumbArticles.com

About the Author & Artist. Arlene Wright-Correll (1935- ___), popular American award winning Artist, published author, columnist, & is the resident art instructor for Avalon Stained Glass School, at the age of 68, decided to pick up her paint brushes again after 54 years and paint.  She is a cancer and stroke survivor who is able to strive forward each and everyday to welcome the beauty of this small planet.  She also is a China & Porcelain painter, Sandblasting & Etching, Stained Glass & fused glass Artisan. She is one of the six KY Artists who worked 6 months to create the dolls for Journey Jots in 2006 and a Smithsonian Institute art exhibit in 2008. Her published books can be found here . She is also a featured writer for GreenThumbArticles.com and teaches Art Vacation Holidays at Avalon Stained Glass School and Creativity Center.

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