); and some ideas for how to use fennel bulbs and fennel fronds in your home.
Fennel and anise: are closely related, but are not the same.
Botanically, anise is Pimpinella anisum.
Ive heard it argued that anise is the herb, and fennel a vegetable.
Use fennel for savory foods, like sausage-y dishes and stuffings.
Light, Moisture, and Soil Requirements
Did you know?
This is the plant with which Prometheus is said to have used to steal fire from the gods!
Moisture: moderate to dry moisture
Soil: relatively loose, gritty soils.
You in clay country?
Dig in last years leaves and lots of sand.
In fact, consider a pot.
Save that toil for the more grateful.
Speaking of seed, youll want to snip the (edible!)
flowers before they go to seed.
Varieties to Try
For Fennel Bulb:the best bulbs come from varieties labeled finocchio orFlorence.
These slightly stockier plants hold a sweeter taste in the thick, inflated leaf bases.
Not just pretty, these super tasty varieties are great in salads.
Personally, I never leave an Indian restaurant without grabbing a handful of seed on my way out.
Consider them a digestif.
Well get some recipes up here soon to help you braise it properly.
Is Your Fennel Running Amok?
Heres some tips, plus a link to the California Invasive Plant Council page on fennel.
dont cut it while its in seed.
That just scatters them further.
like most other invasive plants, fennel dashes into disturbed spots and sets up shop super quick.
This is a huge argument to not abandon disturbed soil.
Get in there and spread your preferred fast germinating seeds ASAP.
This goes for herbicide use too.
Never just Round-up and walk away, reseed within hours.
Nature abhors a vacuum and will fill that if you dont.
if you do feel you better spray it, early spring is the time.
Later in the summer itll take far more spray to be anywhere near as effective.
Bad for the planet, bad for your wallet.
digging it up by hand is the most effective.
It is also the most labor intensive.
See if your sports team will count this as exercise time for your team-wide fitness challenge.
