[Zippy]

Last year we enjoyed fat juicy fennel hearts and the stems and ferny leaves went down well too.  This year - same seeds - the plants were tall, spindly with no hearts at the base and the stems are really woody.  What could have caused this - lack of water? I thought they were dry ground, full sun herbs but it appears not.

I grow them away from other plants as they have a chemical way of killing off competition I understand.

[New shoot]

The herb fennel is a full sun, dry soil plant but the vegetable fennel does need a good supply of water or it goes to seed. I think that's why your plants are tall and spindly.

I've read that herb fennel does stop some plants growing close to it and that it can be used to contain horseradish, but don't know whether it works.  I grow veg fennel on the plot next to the rest of my crops and never had a problem.  I also sow late - june usually - and find I get an autumn crop with little or no bolting