Germination of Fennel

The Mediterranean perennial Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is an herb that reaches 10 feet in height and 10 feet underground with its taproot. Above a large bulbous base, fennel displays a crown of light, delicate green foliage and, in the summer, yellow flowers. The entire plant is edible and all parts taste like anise, including the seeds. Sow them directly outside -- fennel doesn't transplant well -- after the last hard freeze.

Pickax
Shovel
Manure
Rake
Fine-textured soil
Soaker hose

Instructions

- 1
  Select a plot that gets at least six hours of sun a day. Find a site that drains within one hour of irrigation or average rainfall.
- 2
  Break the ground with a pickax and shovel to a depth of 8 to 12 inches. Spread a 2-inch layer of manure on the surface. Work it into the soil with the shovel. Rake the site to create a smooth bed.
- 3
  Broadcast the fennel seeds on the soil surface. Cover them with a ¼-inch layer of fine-textured soil, such as sand.
- 4
  Lay a soaker hose on the seedbed to irrigate the soil gently without dislodging the seeds. Water the bed at planting. Continue to keep the area moist through germination. New fennel seedlings appear in 12 to 18 days. Thin them to one fennel plant for every 8 inches when they reach 2 inches in height.

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