did you know?

The early Greek name for fennel was derived from a word that meant "to grow thin," as its seeds were used as an appetite suppressant. The Romans renamed the plant from the Latin which means "hay."

general maintenance:

To encourage bulb development, remove flower heads as they appear.

pests/diseases:

Stem and root rot, aphids, and slugs may occur.

controls:

For stem and root rots, reduce soil moisture and remove severely diseased plants. Hose off aphids with a strong stream of water, apply horticultural-oil spray, or use beneficial insect predators. Handpick slugs or use beer traps.

how to sow/plant:

Direct sow in midspring through late summer, 1/4 inch deep, 10 seeds per foot. Thin to 6 inches apart after true leaves appear. Or sow indoors in early spring in cell-type containers.

water and fertilize:

Keep soil well drained and evenly moist. Apply a balanced vegetable fertilizer along the rows when the plants are 6 inches high; follow package directions.

garden hint:

Bulb fennel is a cool-season crop that does best when sown in early spring or late summer for a fall crop. If you spot green, black-striped caterpillars eating your fennel, dill, or parsley, let them be?they will eventually become swallowtail butterflies.

features:

• Drought Tolerant
• Fragrant
• Frost Tolerant

garden uses:

• Containers
• Flowerbed borders

other uses:

• Culinary/Edible
• Dye (use flowers and leaves for mustard-yellow to golden-brown dye)
• Medicinal

combine with:

other culinary herbs such as anise (), basil (), chives (), dill (), nasturtium ( ), and parsley ( ) in the kitchen garden or in containers.