Raising Fenugreek

Optimal Conditions

• Fenugreek grows best in soil rich in organic matter, and it needs full sun in order to flourish. It doesn't tolerate heat well and appreciates cooler temperatures both early and late in the season. If temperatures are extremely cold or the soil is wet, however, fenugreek will struggle. If you don't have an available garden bed in a suitable location, fenugreek can do well in a container, but because it likes full sun, it's unlikely to do well indoors.

Sowing

• Fenugreek doesn't transplant well, so you should sow seeds directly in the soil where you want the plants to stay. Sow the seeds while outdoor temperatures are cool; the young plants can withstand light frost. Seeds should germinate within five days to a week; soaking them overnight before you sow them can hasten germination. Once the plants sprout, they will grow quickly and will be ready to harvest within a few weeks.

Nitrogen-Fixing

• Fenugreek is a legume, which means that it can produce its own nutritional nitrogen with the help of bacteria that live in nodules on its roots; this ability helps the plant to thrive in relatively nitrogen-poor soils, and the nitrogen becomes available to other plants after the fenugreek dies. If you grow fenugreek in a bed that has previously hosted legumes, the bacteria is likely to already be present; you may also add the bacteria to the soil with a commercial inoculant.

Harvesting

• You can harvest fenugreek sprouts within three weeks, but young sprouts, while edible, can be bitter. In four to six weeks, the bitterness will have subsided, and the leaves will have a milder flavor. Harvest the plant when it's 10 inches high or less, cutting it down to a couple of inches above the ground. The plant will regrow, and you can harvest it in this way several times during the season. After the last harvest, you can cut the plant to the ground and leave the roots in place so that they will enrich the soil. If you would like to harvest seeds, allow the plant to grow to maturity; it will flower and produce seed pods.

Pests and Diseases

• Fenugreek is as tasty to rabbits as it is to humans, so netting or fencing might be required to keep your crop intact until you can harvest it. In terms of diseases, fenugreek is susceptible to collar rot, powdery mildew and leaf spot. Collar rot and mildew can sometimes be controlled with fungicides, but leaf spot is easily spread from plant to plant and may be difficult to contain.