Growing Fennel

If you want to start growing fennel, you can make use of these growing tips. When the plants are fully grown and ready to harvest, you can sell the leaves and seeds.

You can also store some for personal use. This herb can be used for culinary and medicine purposes.

Basic Info on Growing Fennel

Among the many perennials that are well loved by gardeners is fennel. With its feathery leaves and aniseed flavor, the herb is usually used for flavoring soups and fish dishes. A matured fennel plant can grow as high as 5 feet. Aside from the seeds, you can also use the herb’s leaves for garnishing. The leaf base can be eaten while the seeds are mainly for flavoring. It is important that you pick the right location for the fennel. Every year, the fennel will come back so you need to pick an ideal location for it.

If you are living in a cold region, you should cut down the fennel plant to around 8” during fall to prepare it for the winter season. When spring comes, the plant will grow once more. Aside from being used for culinary purposes, it has also medicinal properties. The fennel has carminative properties, so you can use it for flatulence, digestive cramps, and bloating. It can also be used to treat body odor that comes from your intestines! This is also beneficial for women breastfeeds their baby since it can increase the production of milk.

Fennel Farming Tips

If you have a big land area, you can start fennel farming so you can earn income at the same time. Fennel prefers dry and hot climates. It loves the sunshine but when grown properly, it can also thrive in colder climates. If the location is prone to strong winds, make sure that you place stakes to provide support to the plant. According to experts, fennel can hinder the growth of other plants in the garden. It would be best to choose an isolated location for the fennel just in case you also want to grow other plants or herbs.

Check the soil’s pH and it should be 6.0 to 7.0. Acidic soil is not ideal but you can treat it using dolomite and lime. There are kits sold in the market to test the pH of the soil. Before planting, dig and make compost or place well-rotted manure. A well-drained soil is ideal to ensure healthy fennel plants. Planting should start in autumn but if you live in colder regions, you can plant during spring. Plant the fennels in rows. Each plant should be 20” apart. Dig holes around 2 inches and place the seeds. When the fennels start growing, you can now thin them out to 18”. Root cuttings can also be grown by replanting them.

1 Comment

  • baljeet said on January 26, 2013
    i want start fennel and cumin seed farm in panjab village, with the view to export. but don't know how to go about. pls help is there only one variety or more?

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