Fennel Datasheet

Ideal soil & weather conditions:
- sun to partial shade
- average water needs; prefers well-drained soil

Growing guidelines:
- start fennel as early in the spring as possible; it is better for the bulb to develop in cooler temperatures than in summer heat
- best to plant directly from seeds; sow after last frost, 1/4 inch deep
- fork 2 to 3 inches of compost into the soil before planting; in heavy clay soils, plant fennel in a raised bed.
- once plants come up, thin to 18-24 inches apart
- plant seeds into rich soil & keep bed moist for two weeks, or until first leaves appear, then give it average water
- too much or too little water can cause the plant to "bolt", i.e., go to flower too early and become tough
- when bulb is the size of an egg, pile up soil around it so it continues to grow away from the light; this blanches the bulb and makes it more tender
- feed every two weeks with diluted fish emulsion
- fennel plants are believed to release a chemical that impairs the growth of other plants and should not be grown close to beans, tomatoes or members of the cabbage family (yikes!)

Pests:
- competes poorly with weeds; hill soil and add mulch to prevent such competition
- aphids can cause some damage, otherwise no pest problems

Harvesting:
- you can snip fennel leaves throughout the growing season
- you can harvest any time by cutting through the root, just below the bulb