Fennel is a perennial representative of the Umbrella family. It is found in the Crimea, Transcaucasia and Central Asia. It is listed in the flora of both Americas, China, Japan. The cultivation of vegetable fennel is widespread in many countries of Europe, Asia and the American continents. It is cultivated as a medicinal, vegetable and spicy plant.
Fennel. Botanical characteristic
The appearance of fennel is very similar to dill, but has a different fruit structure and a more refined (anise-like) smell. Plant height often reaches two meters. Fennel has a rounded, erect, strongly branching up stalk. Smooth regular leaves. It blooms throughout the summer months. Small yellow flowers are collected in simple umbrellas, which are collected in a flat complex umbrella of 15-20 cm in diameter. Oblong grayish-green two-seeded seeds with a pleasant anise aroma are the fruits of fennel.
FennelGrowing from seeds is the main way, but it is possible to propagate it by dividing an adult plant into several parts. Properly selected seeds for sowing are the key to successful fennel cultivation. In specialized stores, you can choose from two types of fennel - ordinary (dill pharmacy) and vegetable (Italian). What is their difference? The ordinary will delight with fragrant herbs and medicinal seeds. With skillful cultivation of the Italian variety, you get a crop of snow-white dense cobs.
Fennel. Growing
Seeds are sown in soil under winter or early spring to a depth of 2 cm. The distance between the rows is 50 cm. According to the advice of experienced gardeners, the bed should be after root crops and prepared in advance in this way:
- For 1 square. m of soil make 1 bucket of humus, 200 g of lime, 2 liter cans of stale sawdust. At will (or belief) 2 tbsp. tablespoons of superphosphate.
- If sowing is carried out in the spring, to preserve moisture, the bed is kept under the film until May.
Seeds germinate 10-14 days after sowing, at an average daily temperature of 8 degrees Celsius.
After the emergence of friendly seedlings (on the 5-10th day), the plants are thinned out without fail (1 stalk per 20 cm), since high-quality stalks develop in diameter up to 10 cm. After that, it is necessary to fertilize the mullein infusion.
Mullein Cooking
Initially, a working solution is prepared. 1/3 of the container is filled with cow dung, 2/3 is added with water and mixed well. To prepare mullein, the working solution is diluted with water in a proportion of 1:10.
Fennel. Home Gardening - Gardener Tips
In various literature it is recommended to repeatedly spud fennel. Growing by gardeners showed other results. With frequent hilling, snow-white stumps get dirty, the earth remains between the cuttings. To avoid fennel contamination, protection is needed - about 20 cm in the form of a ring of two-liter plastic bottles. No matter how ridiculous it sounds, but practice has shown the need for such "clothes." The ring is put on, slightly buried in the ground, on the plant before hilling. It is recommended to feed the mullein infusion two times during the growth period and regularly water the fennel. Growing it is not so difficult. And the result is the enjoyment of its greenery during the summer, and by the fall, beautiful snow-white stumps.