[garddwr]

Does anyone grow fennel ? Is it hard ? Which varietys would you recommend ?

[cawdor2001]

for tops or root as two different types.  I grew Florence fennel last season for the roots but you can still use the tops for herb flavour.  I found they were not easy to grow as they wanted to bolt and the roots did not fill out properly (not enough sun?), and quite a long growing season needed.  Tasted v nice though, raw in salads or stir fried.

Cawdor

[corynsboy]

I had a disaster with my fennel this year, but I'm going to persevere with fennel as it's a great veg, very versatile  and horridly expensive in Tesco.

I grew it on in the green house and planted out in plugs.  This season was too cold and wet and they all bolted in a couple of weeks before they had put on any roots/bulb.

There is a link to the Royal Horticultural Society on my blog.  They have done some testing of fennel in their beds with some great results.  I'll be buying my seeds from RHS recommendations this year and praying for some sunshine.

This is their report.  I can't praise the RHS site enough.
http://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/documents/fennel2005.pdf

[cawdor2001]

Thanks for the link Corynsboy, crikey no wonder mine did not bulb up, they were much closer than the 30cm they thinned them to. Will try again this year though as i liked what little i got.


Cawdor

[compostqueen]

you can grow the Florence fennel closer and eat them as baby fennel. They cost a fortune in posh restaurants  :shock:   I love the stuff, one of my fave veggies.

Don't get the  two mixed up. Herb fennel is used for the top and Florence for the bulb. Apparently the herb top is more flavoursome than bulb fennel foliage

[g1ggles]

I grow bulb fennel this year for the first time.The first lot of seeds i planted in april and had no luck with them not one came up.I tried again in august with the rest of the packet and i had about 25 grow. I didnt do any thing special with them  just planted straight into the ground when they where big enough i thinned them out and transplanted some into an other bed and they grew quite big and taste lovely. Can they be over winterd or will i lose them in the wet weather

g1gges

[compostqueen]

I don't think they'll over winter, they might do if it's mild though.  I still have some in the ground but we've had two hard frosts so it might have done for them.  If not I'll be eating them small, and if they look a bit dirty or bedraggled they can go in a soup or stew.  They are delicious and one of my fave veggies

[DD.]

All mine bolted. :cry:

[compostqueen]

they are sods for it, a bit like pak choi  :roll:   but when you do manage to bring them to fruition they taste even better  

[milkman]

I grew bulb Florence Fennel for the first time this year, variety called Finale.  Started it off in Rootrainers, 4 seeds to a cell, thinning to 1, planted it out end of June evenly spacing 4 plants across a 4ft wide bed.  Kept it watered then we seemed to have lots of rain anyway, and it bulbed nicely.  

All the advice i read said not to sow it too early in the year because of the danger of bolting.

[shirazcat]

Hi all,
          I have grown a variety called RUDY for the last 2 years. This is an excellent type, it has never bolted on me :shock:  & can be sown early in the year in modules & transplanted(even if the experts say don`t transplant) it can also be sown direct through the summer. I have got some still in the ground, sown at the end of August. They are smaller than ones sown earlier but are very hardy & a useful addition to salads. Buy the seed from Kings.

                                  Adrian.