A beautiful and intricate herb, fennel is an ancient herb that once carried medicinal values to the Egyptians and Chinese. Eventually, it’s most effective purpose, as a flavoring for eggs, fish, and meats, was realized, and fennel’s tart anise flavoring began making it’s way into spice racks around the world.

So you’ve decided to plant fennel in your fantasitc garden, nice! According to our research on fennel, we don’t recommend planting beans and tomatoes nearby.

Planting fennel in your home garden is not difficult, despite it not being widely offered at nurseries and home garden centers. Select a place in the back of a well-drained bed that receives full sun, and space each funnel herb 12-18 inches apart. When fully grown, fennel can reach up to 6 feet tall, making a stunning backdrop for the garden bed. An unspoken rule of growing fennel is to make sure it is not planted anywhere near dill. When the two plants cross-pollinate, the seeds take on a very unpleasant flavor that is not consistent with the flavors each herb should produce.

Fennel leaves may be harvested at any time during the growing season. The more than you harvest fennel leaves, the thicker the herb will grow back. Try to harvest the plant 1/3 at a time, so that trying to grow back too many branches doesn’t weaken the fennel. Fennel leaves can be used in soups, salads, eggs, coleslaws, and stews. The seeds are often used in sausage, and the flowers can even be used as garnishes for meat and fish dishes.