Allotments 4 All

Hi y'all
Advice please on the best time to sow Florence Fennel - I have to sow in the greenhouse, and grow on in rootrainers to give the poor things a fighting chance!  Many thanks
AC x

Root veg don't normally like to be transplanted but, if you must, get them in NOW! Ours were sown outside a week or so ago. But you're OK till July if needs must!!= Tim

Fennel is not a root crop, Tim. The bulb is formed by swollen leaf bases. I do all mine from transplants. I do wonder if fennel transplants need the volume of soil that root trainers have.

Of COURSE - silly me - had just been reading about carrots & had a fixation.

Sorry ac = Tim

Thanks both - John I use the small rootrainers -seemed about right.  I'm sure I sowed the fennel mid June last year based on some advice on the BBC boards.....(was it you Eric?... memory isn't what it was....)

I'm game for a try though so I'll pop down the greenhouse shortly...
AC x

ooeerr.....mine were sown yonks back and have been planted out for at least a month now.  Already quite bulbous and rather handsome foilage.  Does this mean they are okay in the colder weather?  (thinking ahead to possible Christmas dinner veggies!  ;D)

EJ -we had secodary bulbs from florence fennel around Xmas last year in a chicken stew -yum   :P

Jeremy

Who's only just put his first ones out.

Better late than never? Sowed some in cells immediately & they're all up!!
Thanks, John. = Tim

EJ- if you like the foliage of fennel you could try growing them in the ornamental garden. There is a red foliaged selection available too (Foeniculum vulgare rubrum) but it bolts too readily for culinary use- except, see below.
If yours are that large already you might want to do another sowing for later season use as the plants don't hold too long once they are sized up (in my conditions at least). They can be harvested at any size, 'baby' fennel is always available over here.

Would they freeze?? = Tim

Yes they freeze very well. We have just had some in a stir-fry which were last years crop.

Growing extra fennel this year for the childrens guinea pigs! Apparently to them it is like caviar! ;D (makes their breath smell sweet too :D

Eric, do you freeze the whole thing or break the leaves apart first? Blanch too?

now there is a challenge EJ,I push my luck with continous sowing-maybe some in the poly tunnel when the toms go over?

Stephan.

Hi,

After several failures with Florence Fennel I sowed in July and since changing the sowing date have always been successful.  I guess it does depend on where your allotment is.
jal

Thanks all, tomorrow a second sowing of florence fennel!  ;D  Good to know it can be frozen too, especially as it is the sort of veggie the kids won't touch and Ava will have a little because I grew it, leaving me with lots of them to either devour alone, or preserve in some way!  

When you harvest, do you sever or pull clean out of the ground?  Just wondering if, like with brassicas and some lettuce, if you cut them they produce some extra feathery leaves?

I pickled some a year or so ago - v good! = Tim

EJ -see my comment earlier, if you sever them at the base you will get a second showing of smaller bulbs.

BTW -you're ahead on something, mine are only 2" high ;D

Jeremy

Jeremy is quite correct, I twist mine out and get a secondary growth-not much by way of bulb but leaves for the stock pot.

Stephan.

Well, I never did get a chance to sow mine as the tomatoes were all but marching off to the lottie on their own ... I felt I should get them planted after lavishing lots of attention on them....and the aubergine ....and the watermelon.....don't forget the peppers!

Maybe I'll get a chance this evening, once it cools down a bit!  AC x