Bronze Fennel in flower August 10, 2008
Thankfully I did notice the falling seed and got to it fast enough to still harvest more than I will probably be able to go through in one year. There are still a few unripe seed heads floating around on the plant that I will get to once they are ready. With the weather we are having (very dry and warm) they should be ripe within a week.
Fennel seed ripening September 10, 2008
Fennel seed is such a nice herb to gather and I find it to be very easy to grow as well which makes it an even more welcome plant in my ever growing herb garden. I use the seeds in all sorts of culinary dishes. When making spaghetti sauce I like to toss some crushed fennel seed in with the remaining ingredients. Fennel seed is found in Italian sausage and if you can envision that flavor then you can see that it would of course blend well in spaghetti sauce.
I also like to add some fennel seed to a rye bread recipe that I make that includes molasses. The anise flavor of the fennel compliments the strong flavor from the molasses.
Fennel has a reputation for relieving stomach upset and aiding in digestion so drinking a tea made from the seeds after a rich meal just may help your body not feel quite so full and bloated. In fact I have often wondered if this is was why fennel seed was first originally added to fatty meats such as pork.
Bronze fennel is absolutely beautiful in the spring and summer with its lacey bronze colored foliage. How wonderful is it that is also rewards us with its delicious and useful seeds come the end of summer?
If anyone is interested in reading a more extensive article on Fennel then I recommend visiting this page from Herb Companion’s website. It also includes some recipes using fennel.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Sounds like a great herb to grow. With all the interesting medicinal and culinary uses I will have to consider growing some herbs as well as veggies next year. Already planning on growing Basil. I like the flower heads on the Fennel too. Great multi-purpose plant!
Hi Racquel,
-Cynthia
It is a great herb- I failed to mention just how awesome it is at attracting beneficial insects too (three ladybugs were on it today when I was gathering the seeds). It is pretty enough to grow just for its foliage alone. With how tall and stately it is it looks great in the back of borders. I’ll get ya growing a ton of herbs if you stick around me long enough!
As you may know, I am kind of obsessed with fennel…
I’m sorry that yours fell over, can it be rescued to grow again next year? My bronze one is not doing too great in its current location, but I’ve heard that the taproot makes it hard to transplant. I’ll just have to put another one in somewhere else, I can’t live without that plant! I hope you will consider posting the recipe for rye/fennel bread, that sounds insanely delicious!
Hi Karen,
Maybe my title was confusing today- perhaps I should change it to Falling Fennel Seeds. The fennel is still (surprisingly) standing strong. I would have thought it would have been knocked down by the fierce winds we had today and yesterday but now it is still reaching for the sky! Its seeds though were being dropped all over the place by the wind. Thankfully I got to it before I lost all of the seeds.
Have you tried starting some seed in a newspaper pot? That is how I always start my fennel seed and it has always transplanted just fine.
I got the hint on the bread and will see what I can do.
-Cynthia
I’ve already got a spot picked out for an herb garden next year. I sure hope it’s big enough for all of the plants I hope to grow.
Hi Cinj,
I just love growing herbs. They are beautiful and useful. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! -Cynthia
You keep reading my blog and you will need a bigger plot for your herb garden!
Oooh, I love plants that are multi-purpose: pretty and useful! I grew dill for this first time this year and really enjoyed it’s similar-to-fennel foliage and flower heads.
Hi Fern,
-Cynthia
I also love dill. The smell of it always conjures up some very nostalgic memories for me.
Hello there !
I am obsessed by my fennel too .. I let it sprout just about anywhere it wants to. The look and scent of this plant is a little piece of heaven to me. I can’t imagine not having it in my garden . My fennel bouquet is still hanging in the kitchen as I wait for the seed heads to dry. Your recipe sounds wonderful with the rye bread ingredients ! Please take a picture of that when you make it ?
Joy
Hi Joy-
-Cynthia
Isn’t it such a beautiful plant to have in the garden? That is two requests on the bread….I’ll have to see what I can do.
Do you grow your fennel in pots? I’ve never grown any myself, but it’s been growing wild over in my neighbors yard (they haven’t lived there for at least two years because of ongoing work) and the smell is intoxicating. We use so much fennel in our cooking, I’ll have to seriously consider growing this next year too.
Hi Lacey,
-Cynthia
The fennel in the pictures above is actually growing in a half barrel. That is the only pot I have ever grown it in. It really is liking its home in the barrel too as it has done so well this year. It is one of the star plants on my deck. If you use it a lot in cooking then I would REALLY recommend growing it next year. You will not be disappointed!
Hi –
We love to get the caterpillars off our fennel each year and watch them change into swallowtail butterflies. I want to harvest the seeds this year – when is the best time to do it? After the seed heads turn brown or can we pull the heads and dry them inside? Thanks for your help!
Hi Nell,
Maybe next year…
-Cynthia
This year I waited for the seeds to turn brown on the plant but years past I have cut the seed heads down and placed them in a brown paper bag while I waited for them to ripen. Both ways work just fine. I envy your swallowtails! I did not find a single one this year.
Enjoy your fennel seeds- they are so yummy!