This is going to be the home page for fennel. We’ve tackled getting to know garlic and, to be true to our lasagna sauce recipe, we’re going to move right on to fennel! It is, after all, the secret ingredient. This is the perfect time to study fennel. It is 100º Fahrenheit in July in our cozy Utah Valley and our fennel plants are going nuts. No longer are they the adorable, fluffy pronged friends that I lovingly brought home from the nursery and snuggled into my herb garden. They’re monstrous. They’re three years old and nearly taller than me (5’7″). They’re all sass and attitude as they do their best to crowd out lemon balm, bugleweed, horseradish, yarrow, and rue.
| ◆ NAME: FENNEL (FOENICULUM VULGARE), also known as anise fennel” or simply “anise“. Fennel is popular for its unique anise-like flavor, versatility in cooking, and its numerous health benefits. |
| ◆ SUNLIGHT NEEDS: Fennel requires at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day. |
| ◆ SOIL REQUIREMENTS: Well-drained, fertile soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0 and soil rich in organic matter. Read more about soil for fennel HERE. |
| ◆ LIFE CYCLE: Fennel is a perennial herb that typically grows as a biennial. |
| ◆ PLANTING: Sow seeds directly in well-drained soil. Read more about when to plant, how deep to plant, and how far apart to plant fennel HERE. |
| ◆ GERMINATION: Fennel seeds take 7 to 14 days to germinate. |
| ◆ GROWTH & SIZE: Fennel plants grow up to 4 to 6 feet tall and spread 1 to 2 feet wide. |
| ◆ WATERING NEEDS: Fennel requires about 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week. Learn about watering fennel through its growth stages HERE. |
| ◆ BLOOMING: Fennel blooms in late summer. producing yellow, umbrella-shaped flower clusters |
| ◆ HARVESTING: Fennel bulbs can be harvested in 85 to 100 days after planting. The seeds are ready to harvest about 120 days after sowing. Learn more about harvesting fennel HERE. |
| ◆ COMMON PROBLEMS: Common problems with fennel include aphid infestations, fungal diseases like powdery mildew, and bolting. |
| ◆ COMPANION PLANTING: Fennel can be used in companion planting to repel pests and improve growth when paired with plants like tomatoes, but it should be kept away from beans and carrots, as it may inhibit their growth. |
| ◆ FENNEL MISTAKES: Find a comprehensive list of fennel mistakes for planting HERE, for companion planting HERE, and for harvesting and storage HERE. |
| ◆ TOXICITY & CAUTIONS: Fennel is generally safe for most people, but high doses of fennel seeds or excessive consumption may cause allergic reactions or gastrointestinal discomfort in some individuals. |
I don’t want to sound too hard on them. I did plant them wrong. They needed space and I’ve snuggled them tight. I’m sure I’ve done all sorts of things wrong with my fennel so it’s time for HerbDigger.Com to take a deep dig on fennel. We’ll study and write it up quickly because I’m in the age-stage of hot flashes and fennel has phytoestrogenic properties. Whoot!
Do expect this page to be updated from this text…. Just wait and see what we pull up with our deep dig on our monstrous ferny pronged friend, fennel. It will be bursting full of facts and article links in no time. As a teaser, here is our bronze fennel gone to flower. —Sheryl J.
FENNEL ARTICLES:
Johnson’s Garden Fennel Summer 2024
