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A Detailed Explanation of Fennel Planting Methods and Key Technical Points

Growing Techniques By Emily Carter 0 views
Leafy Vegetables
Fennel vegetable, originally also called xiaohuaixiang, is also known as xiangsica i, xiaohuixiang, huixiangzi, guxiang (Sichuan, Guizhou) and hunxiang. The stems and tender leaves of xiaohuixiang can be used as a vegetable, and the seasoning xiaohuixiang is the dried mature fruit of the fennel plant.

Fennel was first recorded in the Tang Bencao. Su Song said that northerners call it huixiang, and the sound is close to huaixiang. Tao Hongjing said: when boiling rank meat, add a little, and there is no rank odor; even when put into stinky sauce as powder it is fragrant, hence it is called huixiang. Li Shizhen said that common people often chew it held in their bosoms, so perhaps the name huaixiang comes from this. The fruit (xiaohuixiang) is used as a spice and also for medicinal purposes; the roots, leaves and whole plant can also be used as medicine.


Fennel Planting Techniques

1. Requirements for the environment

Fennel grows well under mild climate conditions, but it is relatively strong in both cold and heat tolerance. In areas where winters are not too cold, it can be grown as a perennial. In the northern Liaoning region, the main planting seasons are spring and autumn. It has no strict requirements for soil conditions, but to ensure high yield and good quality, fertile plots should be selected for planting.

2. Land preparation and fertilization

After deep plowing the planting land, apply sufficient organic base fertilizer, about 2500 kg of fully decomposed organic fertilizer per 667 sq m, and 20-30 kg of compound fertilizer. Fennel has difficulty emerging, so land preparation and bed making must be meticulous, and the bed surface must be level to facilitate watering and ensure full stands.

3. Planting methods

Fennel can be direct-seeded in the open field or transplanted after raising seedlings. Bed planting is the main method, with row and plant spacing of 15 cm x 15 cm. Open-field direct seeding: spring fennel can be sown in early April, and autumn fennel can be sown in July-August. Seedling raising and transplanting: mainly for spring fennel, generally seedlings are raised in a greenhouse or small arched shed in late March. Seed soaking and pregermination are best carried out, and the following steps should especially be followed:

(1) Seed treatment: For spring fennel, soak the seeds in warm water at about 40°C for 24 h, then place them at 15-20°C for pregermination. After the seeds show bud eyes, sow on a warm day using the wet sowing method, with a seeding rate of 2.5-3.0 kg per 667 sq m. For seedling raising and transplanting, evenly scatter the treated seeds on a seedling tray or on the bed surface in the greenhouse, and cover with 0.5-1.0 cm of soil. When sowing autumn fennel, because the temperature is relatively high, emergence is slow and uneven, so low-temperature seed soaking and pregermination should be carried out before sowing, using the same method as for spring fennel, or soak the seeds in 5 x 10-6 gibberellin solution for about 12 h, which can replace low-temperature soaking and pregermination. Sow when 80% of the seeds show bud eyes.

(2) Strengthen post-sowing management: After sowing, avoid dryness and keep the soil moist. Wheat straw, rice straw and the like can be spread over the bed surface to form light shade so as to preserve moisture, preserve heat and prevent rain damage. When using the wet sowing method, lightly sprinkle water once when the sprouts push through the soil, and remove the covering after the seedlings emerge completely in 1-2 days. Seedling raising and transplanting: in early to mid-May, when the seedlings are 35-45 days old, transplant them into the open field.

4. Field management

Open-field direct seeding: after the seedlings emerge completely, thinning should be carried out, combined with 1-2 times of intertillage thinning. For flat-bed planting, generally 2-3 plants per hole, or single-plant planting. Seedlings grow slowly, so attention should be paid to weed control. Do not water too much during the seedling stage; appropriately restrain growth. After the seedlings reach 10-12 cm in height, watering should be frequent, and a small amount of quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer should be applied together with watering. When the plant height reaches 30 cm, they can be harvested, generally yielding 1500-2000 kg per 667 sq m.


Medicinal value
Xiaohuixiang is an important medicinal plant, and its fruit is an important traditional Chinese medicine. It is pungent in taste and warm in nature, and has the effects of promoting qi and relieving pain, strengthening the stomach and dispelling cold. It mainly treats stomach cold pain, cold pain in the lower abdomen, dysmenorrhea, hypochondriac and abdominal pain, hernia pain, hydrocele of the testis, schistosomiasis, and so on. Bencao Huiyan records that "fennel is a medicine that warms the middle and quickens qi." Tang Bencao also records that "fennel is good at governing all kinds of qi, and is an essential item for warming the middle, dispelling cold and promptly moving all qi." Dongui Bogam, compiled by Heo Jun of ancient Korea, records that fried fennel and seven medicines including he, ginseng, dried rehmannia, radix ophiopogonis, radix asparagi and poria form "Qixian Dan," used to treat premature graying of beard and hair and other conditions, with the effects of nourishing yin and tonifying the kidney, and benefiting qi and strengthening the spleen. The fruit contains about 3-6% volatile oil, the main components being anethole 50-60% and fenchone 18-20%. It also contains: alpha-pinene, alpha-phellandrene, camphene, dipentene, anisaldehyde, anisic acid, and estragole. It also contains cis-anethole and p-cymene.
In addition, it contains about 18% fatty oil. Among its fatty acid composition, petroselinic acid accounts for 60%, oleic acid 22%, linoleic acid 14%, and palmitic acid 4%.
It also contains wax formed from alcohols greater than C18 and palmitic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, etc., stigmasterol, 7-hydroxycoumarin, and so on. The fruit of bitter fennel contains 60% anethole and 30% fenchone; while sweet fennel contains 80% anethole and 10% fenchone. Some fennel does not contain anethole but contains estragole.
In addition to being rich in vitamins A and C, fennel also has relatively high contents of carotene and calcium. The seeds can be used medicinally or as a spice, and have the effects of dispelling wind and phlegm, dispelling cold, strengthening the stomach and relieving pain. Its specific uses are as follows:
1. Promote digestion and absorption.
2. Prevent colds: a little raw fennel juice can be added to scallion foam soup and drunk to induce sweating.
3. Treat tonsillitis: make a decoction containing the juice, let it cool and use it to gargle.
4. Draw out pus: crush the leaves and apply them to the affected area, changing 3 times a day, and it will naturally subside.
5. Treat frostbite: apply the raw juice to the affected area and massage.


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