how to grow fennel uk

Florence fennel grows best during warm summers and needs an open, sunny site. Prepare a seedbed in fertile, well-drained soil, adding plenty of well-rotted organic matter the winter before planting. It thrives on warm, moist, fertile, sandy soils. The plants dislike root disturbance.

Is fennel easy to grow?

Easy-to-grow fennel should be grown in full sun, in fertile, well-drained soil. It should not be planted in the same area as dill or coriander because the plant may cross-pollinate easily—seed production will be reduced.

How long does it take to grow fennel?

It takes about 65 days from sowing to harvestable size. The green leaf type is even easier and up to ten days quicker to grow. Johnny's sells a green and bronze mix. Fennel can be overwintered in mild areas (Zones 7-10) to provide seed the second summer.

What is fennel called in the UK?

Florence fennel or finocchio (UK: /fɪˈnɒkioʊ/, US: /-ˈnoʊk-/, Italian: [fiˈnɔkkjo]) is a selection with a swollen, bulb-like stem base that is used as a vegetable.

Does fennel like sun or shade?

Fennel is a sun-loving plant, so plant it where it will receive at least 6 hours of direct sun. Plant fennel after the last spring frost. This plant can tolerate light frosts, but needs protection when young.

What can Fennel be planted with?

Fennel. Fennel is a poor companion plant for most herbs and vegetables. While it can grow near dill, the two plants tend to cross-pollinate. As a result, it's usually best to grow fennel separately; keeping it in a container avoids any possible negative outcomes.

Are there two types of fennel?

There are two types of fennel. One is treated as an herb (herb fennel – Foeniculum vulgare) and one that is treated like a bulb type vegetable (Florence fennel or Finocchio – Foeniculum vulgare var. ... The herb type grows 3-5 feet tall with fine textured foliage resembling dill.

Does fennel need a lot of water?

Once established, fennel herb doesn't need much care. It prefers acid soil, appreciates the occasional dose of mild fertilizer and a little additional water if the weather is hot and dry.

How do I know when fennel is ready to harvest?

Fennel seeds are ready to be harvested in the fall when they've matured and turned brown. However, fennel sometimes doesn't flower and produce seeds until the second year after sowing. Florence fennel bulbs should be harvested when they're the size of a small fist or a tennis ball.

Why is fennel a bad companion plant?

Fennel – Not a companion for any garden food plant, fennel will actually inhibit growth in bush beans, kohlrabi, tomatoes, and others. Plant it, but keep it out of the veggie garden. Fennel attracts hoverflies, ladybird beetles, parasitic wasps, and tachinid flies, so it's a kind of beneficial insect magnet.

Why is fennel so expensive?

It comes from the very middle of the fennel flower, and you can gather about a gram at a time. This low yield is the reason why Fennel powder is quite pricey. Farming it is hard, and as a result most Fennel Pollen comes from Wild Fennel.

What is the best way to eat fennel?

Thinly sliced raw fennel bulb adds a sweet licorice flavor and crunchy texture to salads. To slice the bulb, stand it on the root end and cut vertically with a sharp knife of mandolin. To soften the flavor of the bulb, try braising, sautéing, roasting, or grilling it.

What part of fennel do you eat?

Technically speaking, all parts of the plant are edible, but most people will find the stalks too tough and fibrous to eat. The leaves can be chopped and used to flavor salads, dressings, marinades and sauces. They tend to have a slightly more citrusy flavor than the base. The base (or bulb) is delicious raw or cooked.

What can you not plant near fennel?

Plant it with ornamentals and you'll be fine. Keep it away from from the veggie garden - especially cilantro/coriander, dill, tomatoes, kohlrabi, and beans. Well in mi opinion fennel, any, is not good companion plant to anything.

Why did my fennel not form a bulb?

So, the most likely reason for no bulb on fennel is that you have planted the wrong type. You can still use the lower stalks, the leaves and seeds, which will have a somewhat mellower but still delightful flavor than the bulb. Another reason for fennel with no bulb is planting too late.

Does fennel reseed itself?

Fennel can reseed to the point of weediness. Gathering and using the blooms as cut flowers will prevent excessive reseeding.

Can dill and fennel be planted together?

Here are some plants that should be kept away from dill: Umbellifers: Dill should not be planted near other members of the Umbelliferae family, like angelica, caraway, carrots, and fennel.

Do butterflies like fennel?

Planting a separate crop of fennel (or any related member) can help preserve the butterflies in your garden. I especially like Florence fennel, or finocchio, a bulbing variety that gives you a vegetable, an herb, and two spices over its lifespan.

Why is my fennel turning yellow?

Downy and powdery mildew can cause your fennel plants to turn yellow or wilt. You can help prevent these types of mildew by leaving plenty of space between fennel plants, planting in a sunny location, and avoiding excess watering and fertilization.

Can you eat raw fennel?

Every part of it is edible, from the bulb to the flowers, and it can be eaten raw or cooked. Though the stalks and leaves are edible, fennel recipes most often call for the bulb. When raw, it has a crisp texture similar to celery and a fresh licorice flavor.

What is the difference between fennel and sweet fennel?

There are two main varieties of Fennel. One, developed mainly for production of Fennel seeds, is called Sweet Fennel (“Foeniculum vulgare var dulce”); the other, developed for eating in its own right, is called Florence Fennel (“Foeniculum vulgare var. ... Choose Fennel that is firm with fresh tops.

Is wild fennel poisonous?

If you've found something that you think is wild fennel and it smells like licorice, you're set. It's not poisonous.