Florence Fennel

[berksmike]

Anyone had any luck with florence fennel?
Want nice bulbs as well as foliage. Have only grown varieties for leaves before.
Am running out of veg patch space so may not have enough room.
Thought I would pick other peoples brains!

Mike

[budmap]

havent got a clue but bought some of these seeds myself as something different to grow so when i saw vine thought i might gleam some info

[berksmike]

Do they tolerate transplanting?
Was thinking of starting in pots so i could use their final space for some radishes.
Was also thinking of growing some in pots if that will work..
Didn't think of growing it until this week.

[serenity]

I have never grown it before and the advice is not to sow too soon or it may bolt and also that it does not like transplanting.

Now having said that I have 4 plants growing in 3 inch pots in the greenhouse as a trial The pack did say march to june so I thought that I would give it a try. The plants are about 4 inch high now and I can just see a swelling at the base starting to develop. I am going to pop them into a big pot later today with a naturtium as companion and will let you know how I get on

serenity x

[dexterdoglancashire]

I'm trying this for the first time the year as well. Didn't know it didn't like transplanting, oh well, they are beginning to sprout now in their little pots. Shall wait and see what happens.
Bernie aka Dexterdog

[bubblewrap]

I sowed three rows on Thursday.
I made a shallow drill 3/4" and scattered a small amount of sifted manure in them
sowed the seeds on the manure and covered.
I have not grown before but I will treat it similar to celery.

[chickenjane]

Treated like celery? I don't see how.
florence fennel bulbs sit on the soil.
I used to grow them on light sandy soil.
they were easy .did start them off in pots & careful transplanting out after frost.Full sun,didn't have a problem with bolting even on my dry soil.

Lovely grated raw,roasted with potatoes,baked augratin with tomatoes & grated cheese

[momol]

Hi all,

I am just wondering what are the best fertelizer compositions for fennel ?
is it ok to use normal NPK and what are the best ratio of the NPK for them or is it beter to use manure ? and if it is manure which one is beter ( chicken, horse or cow manure ).
Many thanks in advance.

Momol

[bubblewrap]

Treated like celery? I don't see how.
florence fennel bulbs sit on the soil.
I used to grow them on light sandy soil.
they were easy .did start them off in pots & careful transplanting out after frost.Full sun,didn't have a problem with bolting even on my dry soil.

Lovely grated raw,roasted with potatoes,baked augratin with tomatoes & grated cheese

Book suggests you 1/2 cover bulb with earth or have I misread it I will read it again!

[chickenjane]

Some people earth fennel up to blanche it just the same as celery Jane.

Thanks lesley-had no idea.

Book suggests you 1/2 cover bulb with earth or have I misread it I will read it again!

sounds as if you read it correctly.
i just used to grow mine with the success of the ignorance-is-bliss gardener!
I wish you success with them.
my seed hasn't arrived yet but as the soil is warming nicely I should be able to get em in soon.Will read the packet extra thoroughly though!

[berksmike]

How long does the seed take to germinate?
Mine in unheated propagator on sunny windowsill

[Cutecumber]

Can't remember about germination time, sorry.

One thing I read recently, which I wish I'd known before, is that there are two forms of bulb - some are big and round and plump, but other varieties stay relatively flat. I've never read that on a seed packet, and it explains why, with some types I have tried, no matter how well I treated them, I never got a big round bulb! What I did get was lovely, but I was expecting more.

Does anyone wait until after midsummer to sow (I have done previously) as some books advise?

[Headfry]

I have sown just the one seed in each root trainer...as an experiment this year. Sowed some very late last year, they did not do very much!
would sowing in the paper pots work?