Fennel, Anyone?

My husband loves fennel. He eats it fresh, cooked, sauteed--any way he can get it. Me? I like it, too, but I'm not as gung-ho as he is.

Last year I grew fennel in the small garden beside the greenhouse. It grew, and the willowy fronds were lovely blowing in the breeze, but it didn't grow as well as I'd hoped it would. The trouble, I think, was that I weeded too vigorously around the plants. The garden was a new one, so there were more weeds than there would be if the space had been planted before. Of course I am a stickler for weeding, and I honestly think I disturbed the fennel too often for its taste.

This year I've planted some fennel seeds in a long terra-cotta planter. I've got it in the greenhouse now but I'll move it outsde when the nights get warmer.

I hope the fennel thrives in the planter. If not, next year I'll try something different. That's one of the best parts of gardening, I think. Even though things are planted in the Earth, there's no commitment to place them in exactly the same spot every year. I love the hit-or-miss thrill of planting.

Come summer, when the fennel is growing, I'll post some fennel recipes. It's amazing what one small plant can do!