Grow an herbal butterfly bouquet
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In honor of the New Year, take a moment to plant a beautiful herbal butterfly bouquet to feed both your palate and your passion for butterflies. Consider a lovely container or garden plot filled with parsley, dill and fennel. These herbs are known attractors and host plants for a number of pollinators, especially the black swallowtail butterfly. The cooler winter temperatures are prime time for growing this bouquet in Southwest Florida.
As with most vegetable gardens, these herbs thrive in a sunny area, but prefer a bit of afternoon shade. Parsley and fennel require a rich, moist soil, while dill grows best in sandy soil watered once a week. All three are best propagated by seed. Plant the seeds about 1/4-inch deep and 3 inches apart. Once they have established true leaves, thin to one plant every 12 inches. For best results, soak the parsley and fennel seeds overnight before planting.
There are many varieties of parsley to consider for your garden. Two of the more common varieties are the curled-leaf variety and the flat-leaf, Italian parsley. Both grow 12 to 18 inches high and 8 to 14 inches wide. Curled-leaf parsley has, as its name suggests, curly, dense, deep-green leaves. It has a mild flavor and is frequently plated as a garnish. Flat-leaf Italian parsley has broad, deep-green leaves and a bold flavor. It is very versatile and can flavor salads, sauces, meat dishes, vegetables, potatoes and baked goods. Both types of fresh parsley leaves are often chewed as an after-dinner breath freshener.
When planting dill, choose the Long Island Mammoth variety which is more successful in our Florida climate. This variety will grow 3 to 4 feet in height and spread from 16 to 24 inches wide. It has feathery green leaves and yellow-green flower clusters called umbels, which mature into tiny fruits. Each fruit splits to reveal two seeds. The seeds, flowers, stems, and leaves are used for pickling. Fresh or dried leaves can be chopped and added to flavor meat, fish and sandwich recipes.
Fennel, a licorice flavored herb, is also pleasing to the palate and a favorite of butterflies. There are two common varieties found in the garden. Herb fennel is grown for its stems, leaves and seeds, which are added to many recipes to flavor soups, salads and seafood. Florence fennel, or sweet fennel, is grown for its bulbs and is often roasted or eaten raw similarly to celery. Both have feathery, dense green leaves.
Herb fennel grows 3 to 5 feet tall, much taller than Florence fennel. Herb fennel leaves can be harvested as needed or allowed to go to seed if seeds are desired. Florence fennel develops its bulb above the soil. When the bulb grows to the size of an egg, cover it with additional soil to ensure it remains tender and retains its white color as it matures. It can be harvested later when the bulb is the size of a tennis ball. Leaves from both can be enjoyed fresh or dried for later use.
The New Year typically comes with good intentions to eat a healthier diet with less fat and salt. Adding these herbs to your repertoire enhances your recipes and treats your palate to subtle flavors and colors while offering more nutritious flavoring options. More importantly, growing them in your garden a few steps from your kitchen increases the likelihood of incorporating them into your everyday, healthy lifestyle. Remembering to add extra plants in your garden to share with pollinators gives you the added bonus of delighting in the butterflies sharing the moment with you.
Happy New Year, happy gardening and Bon Appétit!
Deborah Haggett is a Lee County Master Gardener Volunteer and a member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral. Visit us at www.gardenclubofcapecoral.com
References
Herb Gardening: Fennel. (n.d.). University of Illinois Extension. Retrieved January 3, 2022, from https://web.extension.illinois.edu/herbs/fennel.cfm
Malone, K. C., Wilbur, W., Hansen, G., Daniels, J. C., Larsen, C., & Momol, E. (2020, April). Community ButterflyScaping: How to Move Beyond Butterfly Gardening to Create a Large-Scale Butterfly Habitat. Edis.Ifas.Ufl.Edu. Retrieved January 3, 2022, from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf/EP/EP42000.pdf
Stephens, J. M. (2018a, September 30). Dill--Anethum graveolens L. Edis.Ifas.Ufl.Edu. Retrieved January 3, 2022, from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MV060
Stephens, J. M. (2018b, October 28). Florence Fennel--Foeniculum vulgare var. azoricum (Mill.) Thell. Edis.Ifas.Ufl.Edu. Retrieved January 3, 2022, from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MV062
Stephens, J. M. (2018c, November 4). Parsley--Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Nym. Edis.Ifas.Ufl.Edu. Retrieved January 3, 2022, from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MV105