What you need to know about growing your own fennel. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Fennel Field
Shutterstock ImageFlorence fennel bulbs (Fenouil)
By Arnaud 25 – Own work, Public Domain
The herb fennel has a long growing history and a multitude of uses including culinary and medicinal ones. Fennel might be best known for its role in Italian cooking. It’s high in fiber, low in calories, and full of healthy nutrients like vitamin C and potassium.
Common fennel has an anise-like flavor with feathery leaves and strong seeds.
The leaves have a delicious flavor that pairs well with fish and eggs. The seeds are somewhat spicier and stronger, but with a similar flavor. The plants have much smaller bulbs, if any at all, and have leafier top growth. Those who live in USDA Growing Zones 6-10 can grow common fennel as a perennial or biennial. It’s not able to withstand a hard frost, so most gardeners in North America grow it as an annual. This herb grows best in a location with full sunlight. The plant needs to receive at least six hours of direct sun each day. Fennel plants grow up to five feet tall depending on what variety you grow.
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