Aromaticgarden fennelis a well-known vegetable that is often found in our kitchens, and moms use the healing propertiesfennelin the fight against babies colic.Growing garden fennelis possible on a flower bed with other vegetables, as well as in pots or balcony containers. Find out whichvarieties of fennelare worth sowing and how to avoid diseases that attack them.
Garden dill
Dill - properties
Dill(Anethum graveolens) belongs to the celery family and is an annual plant grown for medicinal purposes and as a spice.The fruit of the fennel is the cleft, composed of two cleanses, called seeds, which contain essential oils. They are both a seed material and a raw material used in herbal medicine and the food industry.
Fennel seeds and herb have a pleasant spicy aroma and flavor. Itshealing properties of garden fennelowes its high content of vitamin C, calcium, iron, phosphorus and vitamins A, D, B. The infusion of fennel leaves or seeds lowers blood pressure and has a beneficial effect on the processes digestive. Mothers know him well because it helps children with painful colic.
It is also worth appreciating thedecorative properties of garden fennelIts umbels consist of a multitude of tiny yellow flowers, and later fruits, which look nice in floral arrangements - they are sometimes cut into fresh and dried flowers. In turn, the blue-green leaves of the garden fennel can become a decorative background for other plants in the bed.
Dill - cultivation
Growing fennelis best done in a sunny position, at a temperature of 20 ° C, in well-drained, fertile soil. However, you should not grow fennel in a shaded place and in excessively moist soil. The best soil pH should be 5.5-6.5.In the cultivation of dilllegumes will be an ideal forecrop, which has a positive effect on soil fertility and enriches it with macro and micronutrients. Dill can also be grown after root crops.
The forecrop for fennelshould not be plants from the celery family. It is also very important to change. For 3-4 years, dill should not be sown again in the same place as before. This is because it increases the risk that pests orfennel diseaseswill occur
Sowing of fennel seedscan be carried out on different dates, starting in March and ending in July. In the fall of the preceding year, shallow soil plowing should be done, previously fertilizing it with compost or manure.In spring, organic fertilization can also be applied. Before sowing fennel, the soil should be leveled and loosened, removing weeds and stones from its surface.
Seeds of garden fennelare sown in shallow grooves 20-30 cm apart. If we only want to collect leaves, keep a distance of 15 cm between seedlings, if we intend to use both leaves and seeds, increase the spacing to 20 cm. Garden fennel requires abundant watering. The first harvest can already be harvested 6-8 weeks after sowing. The fruits ripen in July and August.
Garden fennel - varieties
Depending on thefennel variety , the fruit contains a different amount of essential oil. From theearly varieties of fennelit is possible to mention the varieties 'Lukullus' or 'Turkus'. Dill 'Lukullus' has delicate, fine leaves, intended for processing, drying and fresh consumption. The cultivar 'Turquoise' has slightly larger, dark green leaves with a strong waxy coating.It is recommended mainly for souring and for direct consumption. It contains a lot of vitamin C and carotene. Bothvarieties of garden fennelare characterized by high resistance to diseases.
Interestingly,the middle-early varieties of fennelare the varieties 'Amat' and 'Ambrosia'. 'Amat' is suitable both for fermentation and for direct consumption. Its characteristic feature is high resistance to lodging and late shedding of seeds. Dill 'Ambrosia' is a variety with a high content of essential oils. It gives high yields, suitable for fresh harvest, drying and freezing. It kicks inflorescence shoots late.
A popularvariety of garden fennelis fennel 'Emerald', very aromatic anthocyanin-free, with a high content of vitamin C. This variety gives high yields, suitable for souring and direct consumption. It tolerates drought well, which makes it easier to grow
Dill - diseases
By creating the right conditionsfennel cultivationwe will protect it against numerous pathogens. As a rule, garden fennel is resistant to diseases, sometimes it can be attacked by powdery and false mildew or gray mold.
Powdery mildew on dillcan be recognized by the light gray coating on the upper side of the gill leafy.The symptoms of downy mildeware bright spots on the fennel leaves that later turn into necrotic form. A white coating appears on the underside of the leaves where the spots are located. On the other hand, ifgarden fennel is attacked by gray mold , we will notice brown spots on the leaves, which become covered with gray coating in conditions of high air humidity. Over time, these stains cover the entire leaves and the dill dries up.
In the fight againstfennel diseasesit is worth reaching for biopreparations such as: Biosept Active, Kostki Himal (formerly Bioczos BR), Biochikol 020 PC. They can be used both prophylactically during the cultivation of fennel and after noticing the first disturbing symptoms of diseases. Proper plant neighborhood, organic fertilization, crop rotation or the selection of appropriate varieties will reduce the risk of dill diseases.
Good to know!Fennel is a good company for beans, because it protects them from damage to the gauges. It also positively influences the yield of cabbage, carrots and broccoli. In turn, fennel is positively influenced by the company of onion, garlic, lavender and mint, which will prevent aphid attacks.
A good idea ingarden fennelwill be to use various types of decoctions, extracts or herbal slurry that will increase the natural immunity of the plant. For their preparation, you can use chamomile, horsetail, nettle or comfrey. When buying fennel seeds, it is worth choosing those treated with a seed dressing, thanks to which we will avoidfennel diseasewhich is seedling gangrene.
MSc Eng. Joanna Białowąs
