# How to Grow Fennel After a Frost
Although fennel plants are hardy, it is best to plant them right after the last frost. This gives the fennel roots a chance to strengthen up all year and survive the following winter. Fennel is a hearty, edible plant. Its leaves and seeds are used for flavoring foods, while the bulbs can be blanched and eaten as a vegetable. Fennel's aromatic leaves also attract bees and butterflies, encouraging pollination among your other garden plants and flowers.
Things You'll Need
- Spade
- Garden fleece
- General-purpose fertilizer or compost
- High-output fluorescent bulbs (optional)
Instructions
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Loosen up the soil by using a spade to dig out your seed rows. Sow the fennel seeds into the soil an eighth of an inch deep, and cover lightly with soil. Space the seeds at a minimum of 10 inches apart. If you anticipate colder weather, cover the bed with a double garden fleece.
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Water after sowing and daily until the first leaves begin to sprout. Once the bulb appears, keep moist and water at least twice a week or when the soil appears dry. Do not overwater, or you can cause root rot. You do not have to water as often after the frost because fennel will be in the dormant growth stage, but check periodically for dryness.
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Fertilize once each spring with fresh compost or general-purpose fertilizer.
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