skip to main content

Herbs - Australia

Fennel

21 years ago

Has anyone had experience of growing fennel for the bulbous root. I think it is a most delightful veggie but have only ever grow fennel for the leaves and seeds. Mine is just coming into flower and I wondered if I stop the seeding process, would I get a better bulb? Or doesn't it matter. Linda

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

Anna_B
21 years ago
The fennel that is grown for the bulbous root is Florence Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare dulce) and is an annual. The wild fennel (F. vulgare) is the tall-growing perennial.
cosmicgardener
Original Author
21 years ago
Linda smacks herself on the head......of course, silly me ..I have no idea which one it is, so I guess I'll take some seed anyway, dig it up and if there's a bulb I'm happy, if not, at least I know what it is. I suspect it is florence fennel but I'll see. Thanks Anna B

Linda
Related Discussions
Growing fennel near other plants...
Q
Comments (19)
Aargh. Another myth gets retold. This is my pet herb myth of the moment since dill is herb of the year for 2010. Dill and fennel DO NOT cross pollinate. They aren't even that closely related (at the family level only). They are no more likely to cross with each other than with other members of the Apiacea (Umbelliferae) family such as parsley or anise. The passing morphological similarities don't make them more likely to cross. Cross pollination between genera is extremely rare. I know some botanists that would be extremely excited to be able to catalog a Foeniculum (fennel) and Anethum (dill) hybrid as there are no examples in any of the literature. Even if they did cross and did produce viable seed, it would be the offspring that would be affected, not the original plants. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is on the invasives list mostly because it is not native and out competes some native plants in certain areas. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with its performance in the garden, which in most cases is also full of non-native plants. But it can reseed with abandon and become "invasive" in that sense as well. Do a google search for "invasive plants fennel". Certain plant produced chemicals have been shown to be allelopathic but just because a plant produces that chemical doesn't mean that the plant itself is allelopathic. It may not produce enough or the chemical may not even leave the plant. This is a relatively new science that is not yet fully understood. Many of the studies that have "proven" allelopathy have been seriously flawed. Trying to create an experiment outside the laboratory that controls for all the other possible explanations for nearby plants being affected has proven to be very difficult. F. DeBaggio
...See More
Bronze fennel questions..
Q
Comments (11)
An update on my bronze fennel. Two of my more mature fennel plants have turned to forming flowers, at the expense of the leaves. Both came to a point where they were little more than flower stalks with no leaves. The flowers were yellow and looked a little like queen anne's lace. I never saw any seeds on either plant. Where are the seeds supposed to be? Anyhow, once the flowering stage was over, the plants started wilting and dying. Turning brown. What have I done wrong? Both were in full sun, and I watered and fertilized them just like my younger fennel plants, and the younger plants are looking just fine.
...See More
Has Anybody Ever Grown Giant Fennel?
Q
Comments (1)
hmm... they will probably. I think you should plant extras just in case.
...See More
What's your experience growing fennel?
Q
Comments (40)
Petalique the wasps are not bald faced hornets. They are the size and shape of a mud dauber. What is wrong with preying mantis is they eat everything from bugs to birds and probably things larger than that but I have not seen it happen beyond the birds. I cannot have caterpillars because the preying mantis will eat all of them. They stopped being a good bug when I saw a hoard of the baby mantis attack a bird's nest. I was too late to save the half eaten babies.
...See More
Jamus_S
21 years ago
Linda, I grow florence fennel every year. The 'bulb' is actually aove ground. It's actually a swollen stem not a true bulb. They grow well for me and the plants die back and re-sprout every year. I collect seed too, but you have to be careful growing it around the other fennels and dill, as they cross and you get hybrids.
pict01
21 years ago
I'm rooned! Last year, 04-05 season I had lots of tall (green) fennel, lots of bronze fennel, and lots of finocchio di Napoli grosso in all of which the bees could do their thing. Looks like my carefully hoarded half-pound of seed is now useless for exchange?! Unless someone really wants fennel with a Florence flavor. However, fennel sure attracts bees! Thanks for the tip, and happy gardening, regards, pict01.
Jamus_S
21 years ago
pict01 - use the seed in cooking! Fennel seed is a great addition to curry powders, particularly for chicken. Combine with cumin, coriander, cimmamon, cloves, fenugreek and turmeric. beautiful.
mudlark
21 years ago
Jamus, would you mind telling me at what time of year you plant you fennel and how long they take to mature. Also, I've read that for some reason fennel is incompatable with other plants in the garden, having a negative impact on their growth....have you noticed anything, or is this a bit of an 'old wives tale'?

cheers, mudlark
Spatzbear
21 years ago
I haven't had any luck with florence fennel so far. I sowed in spring, it got too warm and it went to seed. I sowed in autumn and so far only a few seedlings have come up.

So, Jamus, I'd also be interested to know when you sow yours.
Jamus_S
21 years ago
Iput it in in the early spring, can't remember now the month because it was 2 years ago. It need plenty of water and feed it. If it gets stressed I suppose it'll go to seed. Forms a deep tap root from which the plant regenerates. Mine is sprouting now but I don't expect it to do much over winter. Mudlark I didn't notice any negative effects on nearby plants. It's growing adjacent a rosemary, a myrtle, some hops and a clump of garlic chives. All of these did well. Hope this helps.
mudlark
21 years ago
Thanks Jamus,

cheers, mudlark

Related Stories

COOL-SEASON CROPS Cool-Season Vegetables: How to Grow Fennel

By Marianne Lipanovich

Crunchy and highly flavorful, this herb loves a mild winter or a cool spring in the garden

0

EDIBLE GARDENS 7 Edible, Pretty Wonders of the Plant World

By CYAN Horticulture

It's OK to like them just for their looks, but these flowers, trees and greens have a tasty side too

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: A Guesthouse and Grotto in 68 Square Feet

By Louise Lakier

A Seattle homeowner creates custom quarters and a backyard retreat with reclaimed touches

GARDENING GUIDES 11 Favorite Edibles for Your Cool-Season Garden

By Marianne Lipanovich

Plant crunchy carrots, crisp radishes, tender peas and other vegetables for fall and spring harvests

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES Be a Butterfly Savior — Garden for the Monarchs

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Keep hope, beauty and kindness alive in the landscape by providing a refuge for these threatened enchanters

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Plants That Beat Butterfly Bush for the Wildlife Draw

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

It's invasive, a nonnative and a poor insect magnet. Check out these better alternatives to butterfly bush in the garden

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES Butterfly Gardening: Delight the Eyes With Living Sculptures

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Surprise and thrill with a garden that attracts magical winged creatures, bringing color, movement and life

GARDENING GUIDES Attract Hummingbirds and Bees With These Beautiful Summer Flowers

By Annie Thornton

Roll out a welcome mat for pollinators to keep your landscape in balance and thriving

PLANTING IDEAS Great Garden Combo: Tropical Beauties for a Sun-Drenched Border

These standouts hold up in drought, heat and humidity — and their good looks hold up to scrutiny

EDIBLE GARDENS 12 Essential Herbs for Your Edible Garden

By Annie Thornton

Make home cooking and drinks even better with herbs plucked from your own backyard or windowsill pot

Sponsored