Fennel Growing Conditions

Description

• Fennel grows 4 to 5 feet in height with either dark green or bronze colored leaves. The leaves fountain up and out and look similar to long, graceful feathers. Pretty yellow clusters of flowers set on umbels--small spokes radiating from a central stem-- grow mid-summer and turn into seeds in the fall that are used for cooking. The bulb is also used in the kitchen and can be chopped and put in salads or other dishes.

Soil Requirements

• Fennel does not like to sit in water, so the garden site must be well-drained. Soil does not need to be rich or fertilized well. Regular garden soil will do but it must be turned over to a depth of about 6 to 8 inches to accommodate the long tap root. About two inches of compost can be added to the soil and will benefit fennel.

Sun Requirements

• Fennel needs six to eight hours of full sun per day. However, fennel tends to bolt in very hot conditions. A plant begins to form seed when it bolts and fennel should not seed until late August or September. Hot conditions make the plant think it is nearing the end of its growing cycle and more water may help. The plants may need to be shaded if the temperatures soar too early. In warm climates, fennel can be planted in September and grown in the fall and winter to prevent bolting.

Water Requirements

• Water fennel one to three times per week depending on regular rain fall and temperatures. The plants like to be evenly moist but not water logged. Drought conditions and lack of water will bring on bolting. Mound dirt around the base of the plant once the bulb starts to grow and spread mulch over top to keep the soil moist.

Fertilizer Requirements

• Fertilizing fennel too much will produce a great deal of foliage but the plant will loose much of its flavor. Apply diluted fish emulsion every two to three weeks to make for a tender bulb that still has flavor.

Growing Fennel

• Fennel can be grown from seed after all danger of frost is past. Cold temperatures will kill the plant. Transplants can also be planted. Plant at the back of a garden because fennel grows tall and will shade other plants. The plants may need to be staked if they fall over. Place fennel plants 10 to 12 inches apart so they do not crowd. Avoid planting fennel near dill or coriander because cross pollination will occur and the flavor of the plants will not be good.