Easy-to-Grow Fennel: a Herb for Garden and Kitchen

Common fennel (lat. Foeniculum vulgare) has been known since ancient times for its noble aroma and healing effects. Medieval monks already considered it both a vegetable and a spice. It became part of salads, soups, sauces, fish dishes and even liqueurs.

Fennel through history

Fennel was highly valued by the Romans; it was part of meals prepared for gladiators, as they believed it would increase their strength and courage. Romans regularly used it to maintain health. Women believed it helped prevent obesity. Fennel is also mentioned in the ancient work of Dioscorides, who writes that it was used to support breast milk production, for menstrual problems and to treat urinary system diseases. Later, the Anglo-Saxons included it among 9 plants they revered for their power in fighting evil. Fennel was described in his work by Strabo, who says: "it benefits the eyes when a deceptive shadow affects them, and its seeds, drunk with goat's milk, relieve so-called stomach gas and promote the dissolution of slowed, long-blocked digestion." The famous Hildegard of Bingen ranks fennel among her favorite herbs. According to her, fennel delights people, provides pleasant warmth, supports digestion, suppresses bad breath and improves eyesight. Our ancestors also placed fennel seeds in keyholes, supposedly to protect the entire dwelling from evil spirits.

Originally, fennel comes from southwestern Asia. Thanks to trade caravans, the Mediterranean became its second home. Currently, it is widespread in all temperate zones, where it also grows wild along field paths and on waste ground. It is cultivated especially by the French, Italians and Japanese. Common fennel can also become part of your herb garden; it is an increasingly popular herb here.

How to grow fennel? Mainly undemanding

Common fennel (lat. Foeniculum vulgare) is a perennial herb that grows up to 2 m tall. It belongs to the carrot family (Apiaceae). We sow fennel seeds directly in the bed during April-May. We can also sow it in planters. Be careful not to plant it near dill, as cross-pollination may occur. Coriander herb reduces its fertility. Fennel has a blue-green bare and glossy stem. Its lower leaves have stems and the upper leaves are sessile, cut and thread-like. They are finely divided and have a lemon color. Fennel likes warm sunny locations, moist, well-drained, loamy soil with calcium content. It flowers in summer and its fruits ripen in autumn. It creates beautiful yellow umbels. The fruit of fennel is a so-called cremocarp.

We collect the above-ground part of the plant before the fruits ripen, during August - September, to prevent premature seed drop. We gather the umbels in the morning when covered with dew. We tie the collected plants into bundles, allow them to ripen, and then thresh them. Ripe fennel fruits have a greenish-brown color and taste sweet to slightly pungent. The entire plant has a beautiful, captivating scent and looks very attractive in the garden bed. It also propagates by self-seeding and can be divided in autumn. The fleshy fennel bulbs should be dug up in autumn. In winter, we cover the plants to protect them from cold, frost, and rodents.

Effects of Fennel

Thanks to its content, fennel is used in natural medicine as a remedy for various ailments. It contains 4-6% essential oils, which include the following substances: β-pinene, camphene, α-pinene, myrcene, α-phellandrene, fenchone, anethole, anisic acid, methylchavicol, limonene, dipentene, and others.

Fennel has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects. We use it as therapy for upper respiratory tract diseases, bronchitis; for coughs it supports expectoration, relieves spasms, improves digestion, supports intestinal and stomach motility, flatulence; we administer it for gallstones and kidney stones; it increases lactation and regulates the menstrual cycle. It also reduces the toxic effects of alcohol. Perhaps for these reasons, it is used in the production of many spirits such as Absinthe or Becherovka.

Fennel Leaves and Fruits Are Also Used in Cooking

The entire fennel plant is edible. We use fennel leaves to flavor sauces and stuffings. They are especially suitable for salads and flavoring fish! We also add its seeds to sauces, fish, and salads, and to bread dough when baking. We slice or grate the fennel stalk for open-faced sandwiches. It can also be prepared as a cooked vegetable. It is believed that adding fennel to any liqueur or spirit increases male libido.

Fennel seeds can be dried, leaves can be added to oil or vinegar, or frozen. We store seeds in a closed container protected from light for a maximum of 6 months.

Fennel for Good Digestion

We very often combine fennel in tea blends with anise and caraway, but it is also a suitable herb for combining with other medicinal plants. We add crushed fennel to tea blends so that it infuses better.

For adults, we prepare fennel from 2 tablespoons of crushed fruits, which we pour into 600ml of boiling water. We let it infuse for 1 hour and after straining, we use up to 6 times daily in the amount of 1 dcl (100ml) 15 minutes before meals and 30 minutes after meals.

Eye wash with fennel content is prepared as follows: Mix equal parts of crushed fennel, calendula flower and eyebright herb and infuse with hot water. After steeping, strain through cloth and use for eye rinses.

In cosmetics, we use fennel leaves for facial steaming or bath preparation. Conversely, we use the seeds for preparing eye compresses and can chew them to freshen breath.

Growing fennel is easy in all respects and is suitable even for beginner growers.. :)