Topic: Growing Florence Fennel

[graham]

Hi friends, I thought you might be interested in these two photographs of last years Fennel. They were planted as seeds, intercroped between tomatoes on the 9th April in the greenhouse open bed and were picked on the 9th August. As you can see they did very well although took up space for quite a while.  I never noticed and problem with the tomatoes but the chillis I planted as a border didn't do well at all. I'm going to do twice as much this year. Puppy and daughter there to give a scale.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e335/moyler/Fennel.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e335/moyler/IMG_1287.jpg

[GREENWIZARD]

[busy_lizzie]

Graham I would be well pleased to get a crop like yours.  They look perfect.   :) busy_lizzie

[carloso]

keep well watered ! i actually muched with grass chippings which helped ! :-\

[Hyacinth]

In reply to Cleo's post, we grew Fennel Rudy last year and were very disappointed, the bulbs were smaller than the ordinary ones we grew from the previous years left over seed.

Yer takes yer chances......Stephan introduced me to Rudy ::) a couple of seasons ago. Wonderful full bulbs both then and last year and they didn't bolt, either. Couldn't find Rudy seeds this year, so I'm going to be growing......er, can't remember, but not Rudy. Hope I don't regret it :-\

[supersprout]

Graham, what fantastic photos and fennel! :P Did you take a pic of the intercropping you did, showing how they were growing? If you did, please post so we can see how the growing site looked. The sight of these lovely plants gives me hope, as mine have only ever grown to the size of a (small) shallot. Will persevere and give it another go this year, wiv mulch etc. ::)

[graham]

Super,
hi, I've found two more pix.  The first shows the border with tomatoes and chilli's, if you look carefully you'll see what looks like a row of carrots - that's the fennel.  The second is a close up.  I can't remember the variety but they were from Seeds of Italy.  The best advice I got was always to remember that they were originally marsh plants - so I watered them accordingly.  Also I live in the  NorthWest Highlands opposite the Isle of Skye so the weather is variable to say the least. I only picked them because they were starting to crowd out the tomatoes!

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e335/moyler/IMG_1223.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e335/moyler/IMG_1249_1.jpg

[Hyacinth]

Prize winning pix there, Graham - brill. show. Did you do any succession sowing, btw to extend your season? If so, what was the time frame?

Lishka

[supersprout]

Thanks G, great pictures. Aha, you done been growing them in a greenhouse  :o - never thought of that with fennel! I will try something similar this year as well as the outdoor sort, and test out your interplanting with toms. Franchi do excellent seeds, don't they - loads of seeds, super high germination, and good varieties. Even the old boys on my plot are convinced. And thanks for the tip about marsh habitat. Celeriac, and now fennel, go to the boggy end of the plot this year  ::) Thanks again G, seeing them growing in situ is really encouraging!

[graham]

Did you do any succession sowing, btw to extend your season? If so, what was the time frame?

Lishka

No It was only an 'experiment' but they were much earlier in the greenhouse. This year I'm going to try a succession with another sowing around the end of May. It may seem luxurious to use the greenhouse but these are a high value crop for use so it does make it worthwhile