Fenugreek in plant - Trigonella foenum-graecum

Trigonella foenum-graecum, also known as fenugreek or Greek hay, is an annual legume of Mediterranean origin, cultivated as a condiment, for its medicinal properties, as a green manure, or as fodder. The yellowish seed emits a strong characteristic odour, and its bitter flavour is a blend of celery and walnut. It grows quickly. Fenugreek grows on limestone soils and in dry climates. It is planted in spring.

Fenugreek is an annual plant native to North Africa. It is an herbaceous plant that reaches about 60cm (24in) high in one season. Its foliage consists of three slightly bluish-green oval leaflets. Its flowering occurs from April to June in the form of yellowish-white flowers. It is followed by the formation of long, slender pods, shaped like horns, containing its seeds.

This plant has been known since antiquity, when it was cultivated to feed livestock, hence its name "Greek hay". Fenugreek is also used as a condiment, for medicinal purposes, and as a dye. In cooking, its leaves are used like spinach and its seeds are ground to flavour Indian or North African dishes. They are often soaked in water and then roasted to remove bitterness. Fenugreek is one of the ingredients in curry, Viandox, and ras-el-hanout. Fenugreek powder is a spice that contains many nutrients: phosphorus, iron, sulphur, flavonoids, carbohydrates, vitamins A, B1, C, magnesium, calcium, lecithin, and proteins (30%). Fenugreek is reputed to stimulate appetite, repel lice, and promote hair growth. It is also used to make dyes that produce a beautiful crimson colour. Ingesting fenugreek gives sweat and urine a peculiar and persistent odour.

The pods are harvested when they are still closed, in late summer or early autumn, and kept for a week or two in a well-ventilated, dry place. 

Like all plants belonging to the Fabaceae family, fenugreek is particularly appreciated for its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen. It enriches soil with nitrogen while providing it with a vegetative cover that protects it from leaching caused by rain and weed growth.

As green manure, fenugreek is broadcast-sown on freshly tilled soil. Once developed, it is then mown before it goes to seed. It can then be incorporated into the soil or left in place as mulch. It is perfectly adapted to dry soils, hot climates, and calcareous soils, but performs less well in mountainous areas and clay soils. It can be used alone or mixed with crimson clover, vetch, and oats as a nitrogen provider.

Green fertilisers are sown on uncultivated plots or intercalary plots, between rows of vegetables. They are either naturally destroyed by frost or cut before seed formation. Once destroyed, they can be left in place as mulch, shredded and incorporated into the surface layers of the soil, or collected and added to compost.