🌿 Fennel

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is easy to grow but has specific spacing needs: 🌱 Climate: Perennial in zones 5-10; annual elsewhere 🌱 Temperature: Prefers 60-70°F (15-21°C) 🌱 Soil: Well-draining, fertile, pH 6.0-8.0 🌱 Light: Full sun required 🌱 Water: Moderate; drought-tolerant once established 🌱 Spacing: 12-18 inches apart 🌱 Container Growing: Possible in deep containers (12+ inches) 🌱 Propagation: Direct sow seeds; dislikes transplanting 🌱 Seeds: Plant 1/4 inch deep, germination 7-14 days 🌱 Growth Rate: Fast; ready to harvest in 60-90 days 🌱 Height: 3-6 feet tall 🌱 Companion Planting: DO NOT plant near dill; avoid near vegetables (inhibits growth) 🌱 Self-Seeding: Will self-seed readily 🌱 Bronze Variety: Bronze fennel is ornamental and magical Keep fennel away from other plants - it's allelopathic (inhibits neighbors).

Fennel seeds and leaves dry differently: ☀️ Leaf Harvest: Anytime before flowering ☀️ Seed Harvest: When seed heads turn brown ☀️ Cutting (Seeds): Cut entire seed heads ☀️ Bundling (Leaves): Tie in small bundles ☀️ Paper Bag Method (Seeds): Hang upside down in bags to catch seeds ☀️ Location: Warm, dry, well-ventilated area ☀️ Duration (Leaves): 1-2 weeks ☀️ Duration (Seeds): 2-3 weeks ☀️ Dehydrator (Leaves): 95-110°F (35-43°C) ☀️ Seed Collection: Shake dried heads to release seeds ☀️ Color (Seeds): Light brown to greenish when dry ☀️ Magical Timing: Harvest on Wednesday (Mercury day) for protection Fennel seeds are more magically potent than leaves.

Fennel stores well, especially seeds: 🏺 Container: Airtight glass jars 🏺 Location: Cool, dark, dry place 🏺 Shelf Life (Seeds): 2-3 years 🏺 Shelf Life (Leaves): 6-12 months 🏺 Whole Seeds: Store whole; crush when needed 🏺 Label: Mark with plant part and date 🏺 Magical Storage: Keep with protective herbs Signs of Degradation (Seeds): • Loss of sweet, anise-like aroma • Dull appearance • Stale taste Fennel seeds maintain licorice scent for years when properly stored.