Growing fennel for seed

[vixylix]

Hi all,

I have some Fennel Sirio seed tapes which I am intending to sow (plant?!) - we love fennel seeds and use a lot of them so I'm planning on leaving them to go to seed.

Is there a particular type which is more suitable for seeds or will the sirio be fine? Can I sow them thicker for seed?

Thanks in advance

[WendyC]

Fennel seeds for eating usually come from herb fennel not bulb fennel. Don't know why as the bulb ones go to seed quite readily for me. Are they edible too?

[veggiechicken]

For seeds, you normally grow Herb Fennel (not the bulbing type - Florence fennel)- which Sirio is).

Growing Fennel | How To Grow | Grow Your Own

[vixylix]

Thanks - I thought that might be the case!

[Kirk]

This might explain what I bought at the weekend.
Planted some Florance Fennel seed and half have made an appearance but I saw a potted one at the nursery and bought it. It is called Greeny, and there was no mention of bulb forming and the name sort of implied lots of green stuff.

I did ask but the person seemed unsure, also suspect they did not know of this difference, I didn't.

I now suspect I have some very small bulbing ones - additional seeds to be sown soon - and one that is going to be a big green thing. Going to sow a small tray of additional ones now, then head out on the bike.

[bearded bloke]

Kirk, did they also have 'smokey' ? That's the bronze variety of the green one you have

I have herb fennel growing in the 'invasive' bed alongside the JA's, fennel seeds scattered on JA's while they are roasting help reduce the fartychoke effect

[Kirk]

No just the one called "Greeny", which I can find no reference to so not sure what I have. If google turns up nothing I get perplexed. I checked the name twice as I thought they may have been describing it as Greenery not as the variety and I had misread it.

Went for a couple of other bits and this was there so I decided to get one, sort of easy backup to the very small shoots I have.

Looks healthy, suppose I could still end up with a bulb but no mention of bulb on the label - that was why I asked. Nice little independant nursery but I suspect they grow the varieties and maybe what is grown is not passed down. It was amongst the herbs not vegetables which was I suspect one reason why I asked. Is the difference in the forms sort of "herb fennel" and "bulbing fennel" ?

Small tray of 10 additional seeds sown this morning. Seem to be getting a 50% germination rate. But no real idea what I am doing. Only trying them as I roast one and it seemed nice and a friend is vegan, roast fennel seems a (maybe) different option.