Hi I bought some Di Firence Fennel seeds from Heiloom seeds but unfortunately it does not mention anything about planting dates or anything. Can it be started indoors and then transplanted out or should I just plant it outside. I was wondering on when I could plant it in my area, I am in zone 8a I belive. Any help would be appreciated.
Fennel question.
Got this info on
http://www.simplegiftsfarm.com/fennel.html
Hope this helps
The wrong time is sowing it so that it matures during hot weather. Either sow a little early (April 15 to May 15 in zone 4) or a little late.
Growing Fennel
Sow the seed directly into peat pots and only slightly cover this seed (no more than 1/4 inch deep. Germinate it at a 65-70F soil temperature and thin the seedlings to the single strongest plant in each pot. Grow the seedlings on at 60F (any warmer and the plants will start to stretch.)
In early June, transplant outside and if you have to grow more than a few plants, put them in rows approximately 8 inches apart in the row and 18 inches between rows.
Hill up the base of the bulb if you want to blanch the root; do this two to three weeks before harvest.
You can grow a late crop by sowing directly into the warm soil in the first week of July. Sow seeds one to the inch and then thin to 8 inches apart. Depth etc of the fennel seeds as above.
Thank you so much Chris it does help a little but I think this is for zone 4 not zone 8. I may have to start mine even earlier so I can make sure that the bulb does not develop when it gets really hot here. Our summers are a killer here. I've heard that Feenel does not grow well with any other plants such as companion planting I mean so I'll use one of my EB just to grow it. Except for the planting dates that might be a little off for my area the rest of the info is very useful, thank you.
carminator1 - I've never grown fennel, but if I remember correctly, it does not like to be transplanted. If you grow individual seeds in newspaper pots, you could set them out without disturbing the roots. The newspaper quickly rots away once it's in the garden. Personally, I don't like peat pots as I have found they sometimes don't break down in the soil and the plants get root-bound.
I love fennel seeds with pork chops - yummy!
Honeybee, thank you yes I have read that as well, I was either thinking about planting it ouside on my EB or use bathroom paper rolls, I cut them in half and then fill them with dirt and make my own little pots out of it, since the bottoms are all cut out the plant does not root-bound at all and the paper roll biodegrades, plus you kind of recycle all the rolls anyways.
I love to make a really good salad with the fennel bulbs myself, I got the recipe from Jaques Pepin Fast Food my way, it is delicious and refreshing, ever since I tried this salad I've been wanting to grow my own fennel bulbs, expecially since buying fennel in the stores tend to be very expensive.
I bought fennel plants a few years ago. No experience starting them from seed but I had no problem with transplanting and have left them in the ground year around. They do well but get stripped by the caterpillars at least twice a summer, sometimes more often. They have not failed to come back. I would set up a bed specifically for the fennel and let it be a perennial herb for you.
Pod are you growing fennel in partial shade? Do yours make seeds and if so when? I know you aren't growing them just to feed the local pestilence, unless they're a trap crop??? Do they support horn worms and butterfly cats? Carmen gave me some and I'm more interested in harvesting the seeds at least until I figure out how to eat the bulbs.
They are in full, sweltering afternoon sun and do not receive much water in that spot so haven't grown quite as tall and although they have bloomed at least twice a year, I've never harvested seed. The fennel is supposed to reseed freely but I've not had volunteer plants so I'd say they never got that far. Each time they start to bloom, the butterfly cats strip them. Perhaps just a coincidence. Mine also did not make bulbs the first season and are not the larger bulbs that you will find in the store. I suspect due to my neglect. I like to add the foliage to food and do like the seeds/bulbs but have not harvested either. Almost forgot, I did wintersow some fennel and kept a large pot in the water bed. Too much moisture or shade. It didn't make it but sprouted easily by wintersowing.
edited to add... my memory was jogged on the wintersown fennel seed by my journal. I sowed those seed on Feb 2 ~ groundhog day. Sprouted Feb 13th.
Also transplanted them from the wintersown container to the large water bed pot and don't remember any problem with the transplanting.
This message was edited Dec 25, 2009 7:33 AM
This message was edited Dec 25, 2009 7:35 AM
That's good news pod. I've been wanting to start a bed just for cats. Last year I had more butterflies than I've seen in years and this year very few. Maybe I can grow some in a different bed for me and if I spot any cats I can relocate them to their own plants.
I was reading over on the seedman site about fennel culture and it was so discouraging that I'd almost decided not to plant them. It's good to hear that they aren't all that difficult.
twiggy the fennel I just wanted to give it a try because of this recipee.
Fennel Salad
2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed of tough outside leaves or ribs.
3 TB of good olive oil
2 ts grated lemon zest
2 TB of lemon juice
1/4 ts of salt
1/4 tabasco sauce
2 ts of fennel seeds
Shave the fennel bulb into paper thin slices with a mandolin or japanese slice ( about 5 cups)
combine olive oil lemon zest and juice, salt tabasco and fennel seeds into a medium bowl. Add fennel toss to coat it with the dressing.
This salad was so good and refreshing that it is why I wanted to grow fennel plus the store fennel tends to be prety expensive.
The only problem I see is that it does not grow well in the heat so the bulb forms better when it is not too hot, so this can be a difficult plant to grow for us, but I think I might try it just this year see how it turns out.
Twigggy before commiting to growing it try this salad see if you like the flavor, some people just don't like the anise flavor at all. I also have seen people bake the bulbs as well, but I have not tried this yet.