Fennel

In my recent gather-greens-before-the-freeze foray to Sharp Farm, I had the great fortune to harvest some lovely small fennel bulbs, which I prepared and enjoyed.

The herbaceous plant finocchio , sometimes referred to as leaf fennel , ( Foeniculum vulgare ) is a biennial that deport as a perennial where growing conditions are favourable . In my zone 7 garden , fennel wintertime over and faithfully re-emerge , showing green fronds in former spring . In southerly clime and also the Mediterranean region it grows with reckless wildness and some might even consider it to be an invasive . In the fall , in cold-blooded , northerly climate , the tap ascendant need to be dig leaving a few inches of stem , overwinter over in a coldframe or solution wine cellar , and then put out again in leap . On the medium , fennel plant grow to be four to six metrical foot tall , although I have seen them as tall as seven to eight - feet , with large yellow umbels of prime . These bloom produce Florence fennel seed , which is a popular seed / spicery used in many cuisine . Attractive bronze - leaved finocchio ( F.var.vulgare‘Rubrum ’ ) also brook yellow flowers which can be eaten . Even though these plants are grow for their foliage , their roots are eatable .

Florence fennel ( Foeniculum vulgarevar . azoricum ) is the variety grow primarily for vegetable ingestion . It is a medulla - same vegetable with vacuous straw , crunchy like Apium graveolens dulce , only with a cherubic anise seed / licorice flavor . I ascertain it is often mislabeled in market and called anise . I have originate my own here in Maryland , as well as in Italy , and my bulbs never capture quite as prominent as the big orotund ones in the grocery and farmers ’ market . I expend the bulb and the greens , both clean and cook . It is delicious cut into piece or julienne and eaten as a in the buff vegetable , used as a crudite , and added to salad . When cooked , I find the flavor to become milder , though still clearly common fennel - tasting . It is honorable simply sautéed , oven roast , grilled and in soup and ragouts .

Besides being high in fiber , finocchio is fairly high in vitamin C , and contains vitamin B3 , calcium , folate , manganese , phosphorus , potassium and atomic number 30 . Fennel seminal fluid has a reputation for its soothing characteristic for the digestive tract ; it is also believed to help relieve indigestion and gas .

Thel seed should be soaked for a few day to quicken germination . It can be direct seeded into loamy garden soil in saltation through early summer , and again in early fall , calculate upon where you subsist . Make rows about 18 - inches apart and lean seedlings to 6 - inch apart in the rows . Once the medulla oblongata swells , it can be reap for culinary use ; loosely about 80 day until harvest . ‘ Zefa Fino ’ is a popular bolt - resistant variety . All fennel plants appeal the swallowtail butterfly – in particular the anise morning coat – so be indisputable to grow some supernumerary industrial plant for them .

In my late gathering - greens - before - the - freeze foray to Sharp Farm , I had the groovy luck to harvest some lovely pocket-sized common fennel bulbs , which I fix and enjoyed : Braised Fennel . attempt this unsubdivided and delicious recipe while the finocchio medulla oblongata are still available .

all right Gardening Recommended product

Razor - Back Potato / Refuse Hook

hunky-dory Gardening have a commission for point purchased through links on this situation , let in Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs .

The New Organic Grower , 3rd Edition : A Master ’s Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener , 30th Anniversary Edition

A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

Get our latest tips , how - to articles , and instructional videos post to your inbox .

Signing you up …

‘Transformer’ Yellow Fennel Flower Is a Showy Annual

Cabbage is Overlooked Vegetable at Holiday Time

Herbs with Anise-, Fennel-, and Licorice-Like Flavors

How to Grow Fabulous Fennel

Join Fine horticulture for a free engaging unrecorded webinar boast Dr. Janna Beckerman , a renowned flora diagnostician as well as professor emerita at Purdue University and the ornamentals technical manager …

When I spotted a particular sand dollar cactus ( Astrophytum asterias ) at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few months ago , I knew I was in fuss . With a delightful color design …

When we only prioritise plant we require over plants our landscape painting demand , each time of year is filled with a never - ending list of chores : pruning , pinching , tearing , treating , remedy , and fertilizing , with …

Video

Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat

You must be careful when you enter the backyard of garden designer Jeff Epping — not because you ’re likely to trip on something , but because you might be dive - flush it by a pair …