This blog post is on growing and harvesting fennel at home. Fennel is a vegetable/ herb has got anaseed taste to it. It is a used a lot in Italian and Mediterranean cooking as it grows well there. If it is grown well the bulb blooms and contains lots of fluid. It is possible to grow in the UK but I have only manage to grow to much smaller size. Probably because I didn’y pay much attention to it. The supermarket bought ones here in UK decent size ones do cost more to buy. In Italy, good size fennel is available everywhere in supermarkets and vegetable markets.
Fennel with it’s delicate leaves makes a good natural/ eco prints. Here is some tips on how to eco printing on fabric.
Growing and havesting Fennel
Fennel is grown from seed. I normally buy them from Premier seeds direct as they provide a good and reliable service. They are available to buy in other seed suppliers. Sow them under cover at the start of the gorwing season so as to optimize it’s growing season. Then plant out when the risk of frost is over. Do space them out so as the provide them some space to grow. It is possible to sow them on the ground once the risk of frost is over but it means the gorwing season is short.
Water them regualrly in dry season plant them in sunny spot. They are ready to harvest the bulb swells. Sometimes due to too much cold or hot weather it may not swell but the fennel plant get stress and flowers instead. When that happens save the seeds for next season or use it for eco/natural printing. Like growing rhubarb the herb vegetable is edible and is good for printing. Here is a link on how to grow rhubarb.
Thank you for reading and dropping by.
