The Fennel Bulb is a Luxury Vegetable to Grow

There are two widely-grown types of fennel. Both are edible and elegant, but one is easy to grow and the other can be most temperamental.

Foeniculum vulgare is a short lived perennial herb with bright-green, feathery, aniseed-flavoured leaves and bright-yellow flowers. There is a bronze/purple version of the same herb. Both are easy to grow and self seed readily.

Florence or bulb fennel, Foeniculun vulgare variety dulce is a luxury vegetable which can be tricky to grow. It’s important to know when to plant seeds of fennel bulbs and how to care for them in order to harvest a worthwhile crop. The uniquely aniseed-flavoured bulbs with their clean and crisp texture are a gourmet’s delight.

How the Fennel Bulb Reacts to Weather

In very hot weather the fennel bulb will flower and produce seeds before any sign of the bulb is seen. Cold weather, a shortage of water or any root disturbance triggers off its reproductive system at the expense of anything edible. For success the plant must grow quickly and without any checks to growth.

Best Site and Soil for the Fennel Bulb

Give Florence fennel a sheltered, sunny position in the vegetable garden. Dig in plenty of well rotted organic manner (garden compost or farmyard manure) in the previous winter to ensure the ground is fertile and moisture retentive.

When to Plant Seeds of Fennel

Weather conditions and timing are vital when it comes to sowing bulb fennel seeds:-

• Sow the seeds directly into the soil to avoid any transplanting shock from late May to early August.
• It takes about 14 weeks from seed sowing to harvest.
• Make two or three sowings in case extreme weather results in the failure of one crop. Hopefully the others will be a success.
• Sow the bolt (premature flowering) resistant cultivar ‘Romanesco’ to increase chances of success.

Caring for Plants of Florence Fennel

Attention to detail is necessary with this temperamental vegetable. Any competition makes bolting far more likely. As soon as they can be easily handled thin the young seedlings to at least 25cm apart in the row. Continuous rapid growth is essential. Premature bolting also results if plants go short of water. In dry periods spread a mulch of old compost or leaf mould around the plants and keep them well watered.

Harvesting and Storing Fennel Bulbs

The earliest sown fennel will have formed decent sized bulbs and be ready for eating at the beginning of September. Later sown crops should be covered with fleece in the evenings as the temperatures drop and the nights draw in. They can remain in the ground until the end of October. Fennel bulbs will keep well in a plastic bag in the fridge for several weeks.

Fennel is Not the Easiest Crop to Grow But it is Worth the Effort

Florence or bulb fennel is not an easy vegetable to grow. It must be given the right site and soil conditions to thrive quickly and only grows successfully during a limited part of the growing season. The gardener is always up against the vagaries of the weather, but never more than with this rather tricky, but worthwhile delicacy.