bulb fennel problems

[old tree man]

This year i grew some bulb fennel but they didd'nt produce any type of bulb to eat, they definatly were italian fennel and produced good growth but with no bulb, has anyone got any idea what i did wrong or did i just have a bad growing season thanks
russ

[MKG]

Hi Russ - nice to see you posting again.

You have to mollycoddle bulb fennel. Having said that, in four years of trying, I only managed decent bulbs once. The problem seems to be that unless you plant at exactly the right time for your region, in exactly the right conditions, and unless you stand over it to nip off flower stems as soon as they appear, the buggers bolt, and then you've got no chance of a bulb.

Mind you, I'm a lazy gardener so I tend not to watch too closely. If you're a bit more conscientious it might be easier. Failing that, you could move to the Med. where it grows with no problem.

Mike

[contadina]

Fennel doesn't like it's roots tampered with (it will bolt if they do) so either grow from seed 15inches apart and half an inch deep or be really careful when transplanting seedlings.

In the UK you'd look to sow seeds mid-summer to harvest in the autumn. Here in the Med, we sow in autumn to eat late winter/early spring.

Fennel is a pretty easy to grow but does like a rich soil. We dig the skins of the grapes that are left after winemaking into trenches before planting our fennel seedlings each year along with some rabbit poop. It's good to feed them something once or twice a season and to water them a couple of times a week during dry spells.

Once the stems start to swell earth them up about half way for a sweeter, whiter crop.

Harvest bulbs when you need them and they are around tennis ball sized. It's a good idea to pull every other one out as it allows those that are left more space to grow.

To seed save, wait for the flowers to die and then for the seeds to turn from green to brown. Then cut off stem and hang them somewhere dry in a paper bag.

[old tree man]

Thanks MKJ & Contadina i'll definatley try again as i love fennel, i have heard it needs a long growing season wich we dont have in the uk but i shall keep trying thanks again
russ

[Cheezy]

I'm growing some in sunny Darlo (So you should be OK Russ) at the moment, it is definitely very hit and miss. However a couple of tips.

My early sowings this year to a man bolted because of the early dry spell we had. I removed most of these, but some i cut and left the root in. These have re sprouted and in some cases I've got 2 small bulbs. THese I'm over wintering.

I find a late sowing in September to be much more sucessful. I grow on raised beds S facing allotment.
I sowed along the bed 2 varieties. Both varieties came up on the same half of the bed, the other half both did not !

I now earth up the seed ASAP to stop movement and bolting. THese are looking great now, and I will start to pick some, but most I'm leaving until the depths of winter!. Again I will cut these and hope for a second crop.

I have always managed to get fennel from late sowings, and managed to ver winter it sucessfully. It's getting the "normal" sowing I find a bugger!

[old tree man]

Thats great cheezy thanks alot i'll give it a go next time, i will also try two sowings so i'll let you know how it goes
all the best
russ

[bonniethomas06]

I am glad I am not the only one Russ - mine just grew an enourmous long shoot and keeled over.

But then there was an extraordinary dry spell this year...I will try again next year and make sure I keep it well watered.

[old tree man]

like you bonnie i thought i was the only one so lets try again next year and see how it grows,

[Cheezy]

Well this winter is going to be the ultimate fennel test. THe high winds a few weeks ago broke several fronds , but the bulbs had started to re-sprout. We've had permafrost and snow since last Thursday, and on Saturday they had wilted due to lack of available water. This morning it was -8'C and freezing fog and not forcast to get above -1'C all day, so I guess if I get any fennel after this I can truely say it's hardy in the N.E!.

[old tree man]

Mine have started to re-sprout too cheezy do you think i'm going to actually do it

[realfood]

I have grown bulb fennel for several years, and it has never been winter hardy in Glasgow. I find it goes mushy with fairly light frosts, so I always lift it before it gets frosted. It will keep for a few weeks in the fridge after cutting.

[Cheezy]

"Normally" I would throw a home made fleece closh over them. But I think the mild winters have made me a bit over confident.

So yes all mine have been obliterated by the 1 in 30 year cold we've had in the N.E. However I'm leaving them in in the hope that the root is still OK and it might throw up some shoots.....I'm not holding my breath