Cristal Untreated Fennel - Herb

FENNEL - celery herb

oz/28 g sows 100 ft/31 m; oz/28 g contains approx. 8,200 seeds.

CULTURE: Fennel resembles celeriac or bulb celery. Plants develop seed stalks if sown at the wrong time, maturing during hot weather.

EARLY CROP: Sow seed indoors April 15th - May 15th directly into 2.25 in/6 cm peat pots, 0.25 in/6 mm deep and cover with fine soil. Germinate @ 65-70°F/18-20°C soil temp. Thin seedlings to one per pot. Grow @ 60°F/16°C air temp. Transplant outdoors June 1st in rows 18 in/46 cm apart, space plants 8 in/20 cm apart. Blanch root by hilling soil up around the base, 2-3 weeks before harvesting.

LATE CROP: Sow outdoors July 1st in rich, moist soil. Space rows 18 in/46 cm apart, sow @ 3 seeds per in/25 mm; 0.25 in/ 6 mm deep and cover with fine soil. Blanch roots Sept. 1st about 4 weeks before harvesting.

HARVEST: Mature bulbs are about 2 in/5 cm in diameter. Dig or pull plants from the soil, remove leaves and roots. The edible portion is the bulb like structure formed by overlapping leaf bases. Leaves and stems are gathered just before the flower umbels form.

USES: The bulb is eaten raw or boiled. Stems are eaten like celery. Leaves are used with fish dishes or to flavor cheese. Seed is used for flavoring breads, spiced beets etc.