Fennel

I decided to start with Fennel, since I love the anise flavor of it.  It's pretty and feathery, and I'll add a picture in of ours a little later on.

1. Seed stalk rises up to eith feet and produces umbels of yellow flowers.
2. The plants die back in winter and reappear in early spring.
3. Fennel does best in fertile, moist but well drained soil and is hardy to -10 degrees Farenheit, as long as it is not in standing water.
4. To keep plants producing tender leaves, they should be cut back to the ground when they begin to flower.
5. Harvest all seeds and cut down to ground in winter for a neat appearance.
6. Fennel should be divided every three years in early spring or fall. 
7. Young fennel is tender and tastes very much like licorace, which makes it good for a child's garden.
8. As a kitchen seasoning, it's great for pork and other fatty meats and adds interest to salads.
9. The flavor of the seeds are stronger than leaves and can be nibbled straight from the garden while they are green and were used in the past to freshen breath.
10. Gray green fennel seed heads grow hot, fast and aromatic.
11. Fennel was used in ancient Rome as a weight loss aid due to it's diuretic and fat-digestion qualities.
12. Seeds are carminative, digestive, antispamodic, duiretic and taken for liver and gall bladder problems, especially stones.
13. Fennel is often used in cough drops and syrups for it's soothing mildly expectorant effect.\
14. It is also thought to be good for the eyes and eyesight.