Otherwise, fennel isn’t a great companion plant for other plants in your garden in a traditional sense. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place. Harvesting. Plant Spacing. Plant the fennel outdoors. Harvest leaves as required from spring to autumn. It grows so large and aromatic that it can sometimes overpower nearby plants. Outdoors, in containers (sow directly in growing pots, do not transplant), and hydroponic cultures. Mon – Fri | 9am – 5pm, Join the RHS today and support our charity. Notes. Or they are chewed after a meal to help the digestion. Remedy: Use your finger and thumb to squash aphid colonies or use biological control in the greenhouse. However, growing fennel in containers must be done properly in order to have a successful harvest. It prefers a sunny spot in light, free-draining soil, and requires little maintenance apart from the removal of dead stems at the end of the growing season. Seed ca… In fact, this year is my first year growing fennel. Growing fennel in water is as easy as that. Fennel is a drought tolerant herb once it is established. Fennel is popular in Italian and other Mediterranean recipes. Feed every 3 weeks with a liquid organic fertiliser, and use a rich, biodegradable mulch such as grass clippings. Native to southern Europe and Asia Minor, fennel is cultivated in temperate regions worldwide. The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. However, the herb form is grown as a perennial, making a long-lived plant that is covered in pretty yellow flowers in early summer. If you have a heavy or clay soil, you can add in sand to help it drain. The flowers are attractive to a range of beneficial insects. Like their aforementioned cousins, the fennel herb has a long tap root that doesnt like to be divided or moved. Fennel usually grows to a height of 18 to 24 inches (45 - 60cm). Munch on raw sliced fennel instead of celery. You can also sow in mid summer for a fall harvest. Eat it raw. It prefers a sunny spot in light, free-draining soil, and requires little maintenance apart from the removal of dead stems at the end of the growing season. If you don’t have a lot of space in your garden, don’t worry – you can easily grow fennel in a container. The seeds are also used in desserts, breads, other baked goods and drinks. 1. It’s a great option for growing in raised garden beds, containers, and... Space fennel plants 4 to 12 inches apart, depending on the variety. Join the RHS today and support our charitable work, Keep track of your plants with reminders & care tips – all to help you grow successfully, For the latest on RHS Shows in 2020 and 2021, read more, RHS members get free access to RHS Gardens, Free entry to RHS members at selected times », Reduced prices on RHS Garden courses and workshops, Our Garden Centres and online shops are packed with unique and thoughtful gifts and decorations to make your Christmas sparkle, General enquiries Saute or braise sliced fennel to mellow out the flavor. Planting Fennel 1. Fennel has two main types – common fennel, and florence fennel – which are not to be confused. If so grow the fennel in a peat pot, but do not expect all the plants to survive. In just a few days, you should see new green shoots growing up from the base. The plant can be cut back after flowering to encourage new, bushy growth. Fennel hates having its roots being disturbed or being transplanted, so sow in-situ, either into pots or the ground where it is to grow. Water in well and keep moist. The leaves can be used in place of herb fennel. Seeds can be used fresh over the summer months or dried for winter use. http://learn-how-to-garden.comMy film is about how to start fennel off and how you grow it on. Sow one seed per module, as the seedlings don’t like having their roots disturbed when transplanted. A newer crop in the U.S. is bulb fennel, with a vaguely licorice-like flavor. The plant is a perennial that can survive winters between growing zones 5 and 10. Sweet fennel plant is the older of the two, and even now is barely domesticated –California residents are undoubtedly familiar with the invasive nature of wild fennel. After a little more time, new roots should start to sprout from the base of your fennel. Growing Cultures. Sow in early spring in small pots or modules under cover, or in mid-spring direct where it is to grow. For now, feel free to continue reading. Growing Fennel in a Container or Indoors. Before you plant fennel, prepare its soil. The seeds should be planted... 3. It can be direct seeded into your garden after your last frost. Baked Haddock with Roasted Tomato and Fennel, Growing Kohlrabi: The Complete Guide to Plant, Grow, & Harvest Kohlrabi, Growing Almonds: Best Varieties, Planting Guide, Care, Problems and Harvest, Growing Cranberries: How to Grow, Plant and Harvest Cranberries, Growing Peppers: Planting Guide, Care, Problems and Harvest, Betony Plant: Growing Guide, Care, Problems and Harvest, Growing Lettuce: How to Plant, Grow, and Harvest Fresh Lettuce, Growing Christmas Trees: Varieties, Planting, Care and Harvest, Growing Wheatgrass: How to Plant, Grow and Harvest This Nutritional Powerhouse, Growing Grapes: Varieties, Planting Guide, Care, Diseases, and Harvest, Growing Amaranth: The Complete Guide to Plant, Grow, & Harvest Amaranth, Growing Mesclun Greens: A Complete Guide to Planting, Care, Troubleshooting, and Harvest, Growing Wheat: Varieties, Planting Guide, Care, Problems, and Harvest, Growing Tamarillo: Best Varieties, Planting Guides, Care, Problems and Harvest, Growing Oats: Best Varieties, Planting Guides, Care, Problems and Harvest, Growing Mullein: Growing Guide, Care, Problems and Harvest, Growing Sweet Potatoes: The Complete Guide to Plant, Grow, and Harvest Sweet Potatoes, Growing Watermelon: Your Guide to Plant, Grow, and Harvest Watermelon, Erba Stella: Everything to Know About Growing This Unique Salad Green, Jicama Plant: Varieties, Growing Guide, Care, Problems, and Harvest, Growing Elderberries: A Complete Guide on How to Plant, Grow, & Harvest Elderberries. For this kind of planting method, you had better choose the fennel bulb. Plant it in the back of the herb garden or in your vegetable garden. Due to different plant characteristics among the two types of fennel plant, not all of them can be grown in containers. The refreshing flavor balances out the taste of meat. Fennel can be quickly grown in pots in a limited space and do not require a lot of maintenance. Plant Height. Today, I’m sharing what I have learned from years of reading and researching gardening, personal experience, and the like. Chop up fennel tops and add to salad dressing or use as a garnish. 222879/SC038262. Fennel are grown from seed. Plants may be divided, but this isnt as easy as it is with other garden plants and often proves unsatisfactory. Save There are two types of sweet fennel. 020 3176 5800 The herb fennel is closely related to the vegetable Florence fennel. Read: Growing Fruits Hydroponically. The fennel bulb is high in vitamin C, and is also a good source of calcium, fiber and potassium. Fennel Propagation. Some varieties of common fennel will not produce the fat bulb, so if you intend to harvest that as well you should plant Florence fennel. Starting from Seed Fennel Plant. The fennel type you select for growing will be completely based on the part of the fennel you desire to use like the seeds or the bulb or the fronds. I will have to plant it in a container. Native to southern Europe, the fennel herb is now naturalized throughout Europe, North America and Australia and grown in gardens all over the world. Fennel prefers well-drained, acidic soil with a pH between 5.5-6.8. Once you reach this stage, you have two choices. If you want to get an early start with Florence fennel, sow seeds into modules under cover. A wild profusion of the non-native plant is prevalent along the coastline. The process for planting both varieties of fennel is the same. All parts of the plant are used in flavoring, and the bulblike stem base of the Florence fennel … Keep the soil around plants weed free and earth up around the bulbs during the growing period to make them sweet and white. Growing fennel from seed. Umbelliferae ... Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area. I picked up one bulb and sadly, it has no home. It’s crunchy and fresh-tasting and a delightful snack if you don’t hate the strong anise-flavor. Stay tuned for the first newsletter in the morning, straight to your inbox. Fennel and other Foeniculum should be grown in a soil that has a pH of 6 to 8 and good drainage. You may prefer to start growing fennel indoors, to plant outside in the spring or autumn. Florence fennel is grown for its swollen bulb and eaten as a vegetable, whereas common (or sweet) fennel is a tall (up to 180cm) perennial herb grown for its seeds and feathery foliage and is often used as a substitute for dill. Also called Florence Fennel or Finuccio, it is easy to grow and very hardy, lasting well after the first frost. It is a hardy, perennial herb with yellow flowers and feathery leaves.It is indigenous to the shores of the Mediterranean but has become widely naturalized in many parts of the world, especially on dry soils near the sea-coast and on riverbanks.. Although fennel is a hardy spring vegetable plant, you would do well to plant it outdoors only once all danger of frost has passed in your zone. Save The second is Florence or bulb style, which produces crisp celery-like bulbs bursting with anise-like flavor in addition to fragrant foliage and seeds. Foliage and seeds have an anise-like flavor. Choose a fennel variety. With bright green, fern-like leaves and aromatic yellow flowers, this plant will grow three to four feet tall. Every part of the plant has a distinctive, aniseed-like scent and taste, and can be used  in salads and cooking; particularly with fish. Germination requires a temperature of around 68℉. Fennel is easy to grow. Plantation of fennel: In the first place, you will need to select a variety of fennel to grow. If you would like to grow fennel for its leaves only, choose sweet, leaf, or bronze fennel. Remedy: There are many ways to control slugs and snails, including beer traps, sawdust or eggshell barriers, copper tape and biocontrols. Plant out pot-grown plants from early sowings in late spring and early summer. Caring for and Harvesting Fennel in the Garden Be sure to take its eventual size into account at planting time so it doesn't shade the rest of your vegetables. Otherwise, you may choose the bulb fennel. Fennel Growing Guide Crop Rotation Group. Fennel leaves can be harvested at any time they are available. Also, it can inhibit the growth of tomatoes and beans , so avoid planting them near either of those crops. When the bulb is the size of an egg, surround it with 6 inches of loose mulch to help it plump up. The first is the common or herb type, Foeniculum vulgare, prized for the anise-like flavor of its feathery leaves and robust seeds. Fennel grows in zones 5-10. In my family, this vegetable has always been a holiday treat known by its Italian name, “finocchio.” Save W… RHS Garden Hyde Hall Spring and Orchid Show, Free entry to RHS members at selected Fennel, perennial herb of the carrot family grown for its aromatic shoots, leaves, and seeds. Quick Guide to Growing Fennel Plant fennel in spring after the last frost. Growing Fennel in Water. The fennel plant prefers an acidic, well-draining soil. Fennel hates having its roots being disturbed or being transplanted, so sow in-situ, either into pots or the ground where it is to grow. They suck sap and excrete sticky honeydew, encouraging the growth of black sooty moulds. Disclosure. Slugs and snails: These feed on the young seedlings and you'll see the tell tale slime trail on the soil around your crop, as well as on the leaves. Sow seeds early … The type of fennel you choose to grow will depend on what part of the fennel plant you wish... 2. Soil and Sun Requirements. This flavorful herb c an be paired with a variety of dishes and herbal teas, making it one of the most used culinary herbs! If you are growing fennel for seeds, the plant will bloom in the second year because it is a perennial. Bronze fennel:Hardier than the species, and highly ornamental, bronze fennel (Foeniculum vulgare  'Purpureum') makes a great addition to a flower border or herb garden. Timing is important when growing fennel outdoors, especially if you want the plant to grow bulbs before bolting stunts bulb growth. You can easily grow fennel plant from seed by sowing directly into the soil or a container. Youll find two methods of propagation when researching how to grow fennel. Continue reading about Growing Fennel in Container!. Plant the fennel indoors. Fennel plants should be spaced between 9 and 12 inches (22-30 cm) apart. Dig up the garden bed to loosen its soil, since fennel needs plenty of drainage. Bulb fennel is perhaps a slightly misleading name, as the ‘bulb’ is in fact the swollen stem base of the plant. Planting. The best fennel type to be grown in containers. It is used as both an herb, due to its medicinal properties, and as a vegetable, which can be eaten raw, stewed, grilled, baked or boiled. Directly sow Fennel seeds into your garden as early in the season as the ground can be worked. Aphids: Look for colonies of greenfly on the soft shoot tips of plants or on leaves. Fennel can grow up to 5 feet tall, depending on which variety you're growing. Longtime organic gardener, Renee Studebaker, is in love with fennel, and her affection for the plant has made her a bit of an expert in growing it in the Central Texas area. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a flowering plant species in the carrot family. Feed every two to three weeks in summer with a high potash plant food. Growing fennel — bulb, herb, pollen - Many people grow fennel as the herb, for leaves and seeds, for salads, soups, fish dishes and teas. times, RHS Registered Charity no. The best spot for fennel to grow is toward the back of the garden, in its own garden bed, or in pots in your garden. Fennel is a drought tolerant herb once it is established. Planting Fennel Growing Zones. Fennel is a gorgeous Mediterranean perennial herb that does well in winter and early spring gardens in moderate climates. You can even grow it in a pot if you are short on space. The best time to sow fennel is in early to mid spring. Planting Fennel. Fennel is a common plant that thrives particularly well in the Mediterranean and some areas of North America, Asia and Europe. But fennel has more strings to its bow than this – pop chunks into a stew to freshen things up, or finely slice a bulb over a garden-gathered salad using a chef’s mandolin. Planting fennel by seed is the much easier option. In most climates, bulb fennel or finocchio can be grown twice a year, in spring and fall, on a growing and planting schedule similar to that of broccoli. Read more: For more cool ideas on gardening and growing your own produce, check out The Hungry Gardener ‘s website. Harvesting Herb fennel. Preferred pH Range Fennel is quite popular for its sweet, aromatic dill-like leaves, seeds, and bulbs. Fennel also goes well with other meats. Growing Fennel.