Fennel Crystal (untreated) - Ferme de Sainte Marthe seeds - Foeniculum dulce

Foeniculum dulce Crystal is a variety quite similar to the Florence sweet fennel that produces round white bulbs with a delicate aniseed flavour. It is a semi-early fennel that can be sown from June to July for a harvest from September to October.

Fennel belongs to the Apiaceae family (formerly Umbelliferae), just like carrot and dill. It forms a beautiful plant with fine and light foliage. The branches, the "bulb," and the seeds are consumed. It thrives in mild climates, and is grown in sunny, fairly rich soil.

Fennel is easy to grow, but needs some warmth to grow. It does not tolerate drought well, which causes it to quickly go to seed. The art of the gardener is then to combine the right variety and sowing period.

The "bulb" is not really a bulb, but a fleshy part formed by the imbrication of the petioles. The swollen base has a beautiful pearly white hue and a slightly aniseed flavour. It can be consumed both raw and cooked. Its stems are used to flavour fish dishes. If some plants go to seed, use the seeds to make a very good condiment that aids digestion.

Harvest: fennel is harvested approximately three months after sowing and is done as needed.

Storage: it is a rather cold-sensitive plant that cannot withstand frost. It cannot stay in the ground during winter and must be stored in a cellar. Freshly harvested fennel can be stored for a few days in the refrigerator. It can be stored for several months in a freezer, after being blanched beforehand.

Gardener's tip: mulch the soil from May with successive thin layers of grass clippings, if possible mixed with dead leaves. This protection keeps the soil moist and reduces weeding.

The untreated or "NT" seeds come from conventionally grown plants (often with the use of phytosanitary products). However, they undergo no treatment after harvest. These seeds are allowed in organic market gardening when organic seeds are out of stock.