Topic: Trouble germinating Bronze fennel

[lizo85]

Hi guys,
I am new to this site and fairly new this year to gardening but I love it already and can see how easy it is to become obsessive!!

I have what may be a strange proble  based on previous fennel threads - I swapped for some bronze fennel seeds this year and have tried a number of times now to get them to germinate but am just not having any luck.

I have been sowing them just under the surface (about 1/2 cm) and then putting them in my heated propagator...

Please if anyone has any ideas or suggestions as to what I am doing wrong and what I need to do I would really appreciate it! I have googled it and can't find anything to say that I am doing it drastically wrong...

Thank you in advance,

Liz

[goodlife]

I would try sowing them less deeper..just barely covering them with compost...or even better if you give them sprinkling of sand or grit.
I suspect the main reason for not germinating is the heat. They don't need it. I've got bronze fennel growing all over the place in allotment..they self seed readily. If you have plenty of seeds left..you could try sowing straight into ground..scatter them on raked surface and with hand 'scuff' them in..so that they just mixed into the surface soil.
Sounds like you are doing good job but try doing little less for them.. ;D  ;)

[lizo85]

Thank you!  I have a few seeds left so will try this...obviously too keen putting them in the propagator!!

I hope I can get them to go as the seeds smell awesome and the colour in pictures is so pretty!

Thanks again,

Liz

[lizo85]

So I was checking on my seeds yesterday and noticed that one of my seeds looks like it's germinated...I looked at the label and I planted it on the 5th May!!!

So out of about 5 attempts over 3/4 months I have one seedling!!!  Oooh the pressure of not killing it off is high!

I've googled the seedlings and it looks like one..!

Thanks again for the advice goodlife, obviously leaving the seeds be has worked...




(P.s. please someone tell me if this is, in fact, a different plant!!!!)

[Crystalmoon]

Hi Lizo85, sorry I've just seen this thread & yep I agree with Goodlife Fennel won't need the heated propagator & shouldn't be covered with much soil if any at all.
I have 2 very large bronzed fennel plants in pots outside that self seed all over my other herb pots every year. The seedlings get absolutely no attention from me at all, they grow where they fall, outside in all weathers, even snow. New fennel plants pop up each year just fine. 

I was wondering where you live because if you are near me (I'm in Kent) I would happily give you one of my large bronzed fennel plants (I would want to keep the large pot but could give you a smaller black plastic pot to take it home in).
xJane

[lizo85]

Thanks for the offer crystal moon but I'm on the other side of London to kent unfortunately!! I'm in South West London.

I'm hoping that if I can keep this little one alive then it will grow big and strong and spread all these fertile seeds that everyone is talking about!! haha.

I got the seeds from a swap and it may just be that they were not very potent...

Cheers,

Liz x

[lizo85]

I think it has died  :( Yes I know it happened quickly - Maybe I looked at it too much! haha.

Oh well, maybe another one will pop up...

[Crystalmoon]

Oh thats pants! How about getting some brand new seed & starting again? Or buying a small plant from a garden centre then saving its seeds & growing your own next year from the saved seed? 

I have to admit to killing off loads of veg in my first year by quite simply fussing/loving them to death  ;D   

xJane

[lizo85]

Yeah, I may have to give up and buy a plant.  Not as satisfying though!

Like I said, you never know, another one may come...

[lizo85]

It lives!!!

It's a miracle fennel!!!



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[pigeonseed]

Hooray!  :D

[pumkinlover]

Pleased for you, but as the others say it does not need heat! It's like a weed on my plot and next doors ;D

[lizo85]

I wih everyone would stop bragging about how weedy and prolific their bronze fennel is when I can only barely get one seed to come up out of about 30!!!  ;) It's cruel, hehe.

Thanks for all of the replies everyone!

Liz x

[Kea]

Don't worry next year you'll be asking how to stop it growing everywhere. ;D

[Borlotti]

Confused about fennel, saw an Italian guy picking it, the top bits and asked him what it was for, but he just said wife cooks it.  This is growing wild on an uncultivated allotment next to mine, soon to be re-allocated.  I didn't know their were two different kinds, if there are.  It is seeding now, but I pulled it up when it grew on my allotment.  Answers please.
Think I have also spelt it wrong, fennell, or fennel.

[manicscousers]

Fennel seeds taste nice, good for freshening the breath, aniseed-y. Nice with fish  ;D
T'other one, the bronze one is ferny

[lizo85]

Well, after nearly 2 weeks of struggling, my tiny fennel seedling has finally given up the ghost.

It was good while it lasted!

[Linnea]

the herb Fennel is Foeniculum vulgare but the florence fennel is F.vulgare Azoricum Group and has swollen leaf bases which is the bit you generally eat.

the herb fennel is the one you eat the seed and leaf from.

Liz - if you're any where near Farnborough, hampshire I have both a bronze and green herb fennel plant growing on the allotment that have self seeded. you're welcome to the seedlings if you like

[lizo85]

Thanks for the reply Linnea!

I'm in London unfortunately, otherwise I would take you up on your offer!

Liz