We didn’t go to farmers’ markets often when I was a kid. When we did, my dad always purchased a fennel bulb with the huge spray of feathery leaves that make it so attractive. I think he liked how it looked sticking out of the bag he carried.
He would rip off a few leaves, and chew the “finocchio” with gusto — often trying to share it with strangers as we walked back to the truck. Most would decline politely (and probably confused) by the random offer of a smiling, licorice-smelling Italian stranger with his teenage daughter blushing red with embarrassment.
He meant well though, because there is no flavor like a fresh fennel plant, and it’s an experience that many people are sadly lacking outside of an overpriced dish at some high-society eatery. Delicious both cooked and raw, this rather undersown bulb is sometimes a little tricky to grow satisfactorily. But if you plant it in the right conditions, you’ll be rewarded with quite the culinary delight.
Florence Fennel Or Sweet Fennel?
There are two types of fennel plants that you’ll find in seed catalogs. Florence fennel, commonly called by its Italian finocchio, and sweet fennel. Both share an anise-like, naturally sweet flavor and have similar growing needs with the distinct difference that Florence fennel will form a delicious bulb under ideal circumstances, and sweet fennel will not.
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Sweet fennel plant is the older of the two, and even now is barely domesticated –California residents are undoubtedly familiar with the invasive nature of wild fennel. A wild profusion of the non-native plant is prevalent along the coastline. Probably because the climate is similar to fennel’s Mediterranean homeland. The herb has been used for thousands of years as food, drink, and medicine.
Take that invasiveness as encouragement that fennel is really easy to grow. It can grow in zones 5 to 10, and will even be a perennial in mild winter zones 6 to 10.
How To Grow Fennel
The fennel plant isn’t picky, but for the best results, give it a good start. Fertile, well-draining soil in full sunlight is the gold standard for most garden plants, and fennel is no exception. Seeds sprout readily when planted after the last spring frost; keep in mind this plant will be rather large when mature. I space my fennel seeds a foot apart, and then eat the thinnings as the plants grow larger.
Remember, fennel came from the Mediterranean, so it can tolerate some dry weather. Also, since it does well as an invasive weed, you really don’t need to baby it. Just make sure the soil around it stays a little moist — not wet — and it should thrive.
For a continuous harvest, successively sow fennel through late spring, then start up again around late summer. The fennel plant is frost-susceptible even though it can be perennial in warmer climates, so chilly weather will probably mean the end of your aromatic endeavors until next spring.
Potential Fennel Problems
As a member of the carrot family, the fennel plant is often host to the parsley worm. While this may sound like a dire situation, there is one circumstance where it’s a good thing! The attractively-striped caterpillar will become a beautiful black swallowtail butterfly for the small price of a few fennel fronds, so leave them alone and plant a few extra seeds and everyone is happy.
The fennel plant is actually quite trouble-free. In fact, the biggest trouble you may face in your garden is the fennel itself. Left to themselves, these plants grow huge — sometimes around 5 feet tall — and dominate wherever they’re sprouting with masses of feathery foliage.
虽然这些松软叶子的味道对人类来说很美味,但花园的其他居民对他们的意大利邻居就不那么友好了。茴香会阻碍其他植物的生长,尤其是辣椒。Like walnut trees and several other invasive plants,fennel is allelopathic这意味着它会向土壤中释放化学物质,杀死或限制任何竞争对手的生长。
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I think of the poor, friendless fennel plant as a lone wolf in the garden so give it a place by itself where it can grow tall, feed pollinators, and not inhibit the rest of your harvest. My favorite plan for fennel is to give it its own growing space right near the entrance of a house. The strong smell is pleasant for people but deters pests. The dried leaves are alsoa flea deterrentso throw a handful of fennel in the kennel (easy to remember) for happier dogs.
Additionally, don’t plant fennel near dill. Though they’ll tolerate each other’s presence well enough, they’re close enough relatives to cross-pollinate and make saving seed for next year an issue.
Harvesting The Fennel Plant
Sweet fennel can be harvested at pretty much any stage of growth. The stems, leaves, flowers, pollen, and seeds are all edible and delicious. It is recommended to harvest no more than one third of the plant at a time to keep it from being damaged.
Florence fennel bulbs are prime for cutting from the root once they are around 3 inches across and nicely plump. Usually, this is around 90-115 days after being sown. Be sure to keep them decently watered to keep the plant from being stressed and bolting instead of making bulbs.
对于味道较温和的鳞茎,如从商店买来的茴香,颜色呈迷人的淡白色和绿色,当它们长到鸡蛋大小时,就把它们焯一下。在这个时候,在球茎周围覆盖覆盖物,你会得到一个稍微甜一点,更嫩的收获。不过,要确保不要浪费茎和叶。它们和植物的其他部分一样有用(你会在下面读到),如果只是把它们扔进堆肥里,那就太遗憾了。
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The fennel plant is a biennial, so if you live in milder weather, you probably won’t see flowers and seeds until the second year. If the plant becomes stressed, however, or if it was sown in the early spring, you may end up with a bolted plant the first year and get some seeds after all.
How To Use Fennel
托马斯·杰斐逊非常喜欢这种蔬菜,宣称“它超越了所有其他蔬菜,美味……事实上,我喜欢它胜过所有其他蔬菜,或任何水果。”不知何故,他的热情从未传播开来,导致茴香在新大陆一直默默无闻。但是,不要因为不熟悉而气馁。如果你有足够的空间来放置没有朋友的茴香叶,你可能会发现吃茴香既有趣又能尝试菜谱。
The flavor profile is intensely aromatic and reminiscent of licorice and anise, but with a sweetness. To me it is a distinctly Italian experience, pairing well with citrus, fish, or spiced meat like sausage, but if you didn’t grow up with it, the flavor may have a bit of a learning curve. It is most strongly flavored when raw, so if you find it too much, just cook it to mellow.
当这种植物开始长出羽毛状的叶子时,你可以摘下像莳萝一样的树枝,生嚼它们,让它们瞬间呼吸清新的气息,或者将它们浸泡在热茶和冷茶中。我最喜欢的夏日饮品之一是太阳茶,加一把茴香叶、柠檬香和薄荷——天然的甜味,如此清爽!
When you harvest the tasty bulb of Florence fennel, cut it so a bit of the base and the roots are left in the ground. The second flush of stems and leaves will extend the flavorful harvest. Sweet fennel stalks, with their hollow centers, make for innovative and flavorful “straws” for use in summery drinks.
生的球根放在沙拉里或在烤箱里烤焦都很美味。芹菜状的茎杆可以在夏天的高温下,比植物螺栓更嫩,更像蜜饯。即使你发现茎在这个季节晚些时候太硬了,它们仍然可以与其他蔬菜一起炖在美味的高汤中,或与鱼一起烹饪。
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When the dill-like flowers emerge, enjoy the visiting butterflies, and collect fennel pollen if you so desire. A sprinkle of this currently trendy ingredient on a finished dish may make your kitchen feel like it deserves a Michelin star, but no one will have to pay the associated price tag.
When the seeds form at the end of the umbel, collect some for next year’s planting and then use the rest as sausage spice, a warming ingredient to masala chai, a stand-alone tea to soothe an over-indulged stomach, or chewed straight for a naturally fresh mouth. The fennel plant will readily self-sow (some say TOO readily) so be proactive in catching those seed heads if you don’t want a permanent fennel patch.
Do any of you grow your own fennel plant and share Thomas Jefferson’s love of it? What’s your favorite way to use it? Let me know in the comments below!
Dionelsays
美好的家庭生活美好的家庭生活美好的家庭生活。要做的事要做的事要做的事要做的事。幻想曲,幻想曲。GRACIAS .
Wren Everettsays
¡Qué lindo comentario, Dionel! Estoy muy alegre de que el artículo pueda ser útil para usted.
GABRIELA COFRÉsays
谢谢你,你能吃到美味的沙拉吗?你能吃到美味的沙拉吗?你能吃到美味的沙拉吗?Apenas llegan a las verdulerias, compro mis hinojos y elijo lo mejor, y el mas felíz es mi esposo y también mis hijos, gracias me encanta toda la información valiosa que envías, desde CONCEPCION, CHILE una fiel admiradora, saludos cariñosos y bendiciones…soy Gabriela hasta pronto…te contare mas adelante que tal sale mi proyecto, soy VEGETARIANA…amo las verduras , frutas , frutos secos, legumbres…obvio las flores y la NATURALEZA…
Wren Everettsays
¡Fantástica, Gabriela! Gracias por un comentario tan entusiasta. Me encanta que tus hijos disfruten las verduras así. Hinojo es sabrosa en una ensalada– una excelente manera de prepararla.
¡Estaría feliz de escuchar actualizaciones sobre su jardín! Amo los verduras y frutas también.