Fenugreek Untreated - Herb

FENUGREEK (Trigonella foenum-graecum)

Annual (15 in/38 cm)Approx. 21,000 seeds per oz/28 gr. A member of the pea family.

Celery flavored seeds have a spicy odor when crushed. A common ingredient in curry powder, oriental sauces, soup sand stews and a Middle Eastern candy called Halava. Oil from the seeds are used for imitation flavors such as maple, butterscotch and caramel. Seedpods resemble string beans averaging 6in/15 cm in length and contain around 16 brownish yellow seeds. Plants are very upright, have a strong sweet clover scent and are sometimes used in Asia as an organic insect repellent in grain storages. It was also used in the nineteenth century as a tonic for diabetes and rickets. Flowers are a creamy yellow.

CULTURE: Sow indoors February 15th - March 1st. Germinates easily at 70-75ºF/21-24ºC in 10-15 days. Transplant into 4 in/10 cm pots 4weeks after germination. Move outdoors in May. Also can be sown outdoors June 15th. Space plants 16 in/40 cm apart. Plants prefer full sun to partial shade in fairly rich soil.