Anyone tried fennel...

[GardenGirl]

from seeds? We bought our seeds when we planned our garden this weekend and I found fennel. I love it, but it is getting more and more expensive to buy. I was wondering if anyone tried to grow it and had luck with it. Thanks!

 

[patandchickens]

It self-seeds like a demon if you don't deadhead, so I don't see why it should be hard to start it from seed on purpose


Pat

 

[ozark hen]

I planted one plant last year...never have tasted it...and it didn't make it. I think it may have been because everything else in the garden grew so big they overshadowed it? It was deep in shade every time I looked at it. I guess I need some help planting this plant. I do want to get some more this year. Good to know it will reseed itself. Does it come up every year on it's own?

 

[GardenGirl]

I hope to have luck with it. I LOVE the taste of fennel and was happy to find the seed. I'm glad to hear it self-seeds. That sometimes make things easier to grow in the right conditions. As far as being over shadowed by other pants, I am planting it in the root veggie section with the carrots and radishes, so I hope that will take care of a shade problem for me.

 

[ozark hen]

I certainly will try it again but like you said...plant it with the root veggies. thanks for the info.

 

[Jayare's Food Plot]

I've noticed it has gotten expensive in the stores too. My wife likes to boil some in with the potatoes when she makes mashed potatoes. She also puts 1 or 2 sweet potatoes in with all that also. At Thanksgiving time when she made it for our first family gathering in about 17 years my nephews thought they were "cheesy mashed potatoes" and thought they were great. If they knew it was a sweet potato in there instead of cheese they would not have eaten any.

Jayare

 

[ozark hen]

I can't even find it in the stores around here. I see cooking shows that just roast it with other veggies and we love to just roast veggies here. I need to try that with the sweet potato.

 

[GardenGirl]

That sounds like a great way to use it! I love it roasted and plain old fresh. My grandma is Italian and had it out all the time for the kids, instead of celery, to munch on. Much more flavorful, but as my hubby says, it is an acquired taste.

 

[digitS']

GardenGirl,

Fennel may have some allelopathic effects on other plants. Here's a 4 page pdf from Michigan State extension on companion plants. You may or may not want to give much credibility to the entire notion but there's a tradition behind mixing plants in the garden and some think there are no-no's.

I grew Florence fennel in 2006 and didn't know what to do with it. Then, I grew sweet fennel in 2007 - and didn't know what to do with it . . . . :/

In both cases, the plants grew well and easily.

Edited to note that one of these plants (or both) is considered an invasive weed in some parts of the country. So be careful about letting it self-sow.

Steve

 

[ozark hen]

Steve, since you have grown both kinds which did you prefer and why? How did you use it? As a novice I would like some opinions as to how others use it. thanks