FENNEL and PEPPERS as companion plants

I have read that Fennel need to be grown on its own, and that is bad to be near other crops.
Well ... it just happened that when I harvested my Fennel bulbs in the spring, I didn't cut down the root enough and the plants started to grow again.
I did planted Peppers in that area, so I just let the Pepper and Fennel grow together !
The best looking pepper plants I have ever had: no pest and great production !

On the third picture you can see: the pepper plants on the right are growing with the fennel, while the pepper plants on the left are all alone with aphids.

So for now on, I will plant fennel (which I love) with peppers !

That's really interesting! I had heard that about fennel, too, so I grow it off on its own, but maybe I need to rethink that.

What a lovely accident! Who knew? LOL.

Absolutely a great surprise !
Maybe, next year, I shall try to grow Fennel (the bulbing kind) between the eggplants to remove those Flee Beetles !

I plan to start my Fennel seeds indoor at the beginning of August. It took forever last year ... but delish !!

Thank you for sharing that, DrThor! I don't have Fennel bulbs, but something is eating my bell pepper plants like they're caviar. Can't see any bugs on the chewed up leaves, so I'm wondering if it's the smell of the fennel, and perhaps if I sprinkle some fennel seed from my spice rack it might drive the pest(s) away. They haven't attacked the Anaheim chiles yet, and both were in the hothouse when the bell peppers began being munched. I will plant to grow Fennel with my peppers next year, in any event!

Speaking of fennel - is the bronze variety the same as the one you are discussing here? I have some huge plants that come back each year but I have just considered it an ornamental plant. (I have a lot to learn.)
Thanks.
Helen

Last year I have planted : Fennel di Firenza
This year i will try more Fennel varieties: http://www.gourmetseed.com/c=6EU2Oc9OO13Ag5poio0yFDOq5/category/gourmet_seed.vegetable_seed.fennel/

helenchild, you are talking about Wild Fennel. Which I have no experience on them.
I plan to trim down my fennel plant as soon as it will get cold again with the hope that a bulb will form.

Here is a close-up of the Fennel.
Can you see the trunk? It is long and not a bulb ... because it is just too hot !
So in about 2 months I will trim down again the Fennel stem to the ground and see if it will come back as a bulb with the cooler weather.
Mamma Mia ! it could be a dream !

Mine are a little taller, too, but they still taste great when cooked. I don't think they really need to be bulb-shaped.

greenhouse_gal
you are right, you can still eat those long fennel ... but they taste like "empty" and not as rich in flavor as the spring one ... so I am using its leaves and the flowers in my cooking ... love it !

Are you collecting the fennel pollen? Great used in cooking.

How would you use pollen, Darius?

Yes, I use the fennel pollen in my salads or with fish. I just sprinkle it on top !
fennel pollen = fennel flowers

next year I will try to plant fennel between eggplants ... will it be nice if they could keep flee beetles and thrips away?

GG: http://fennelfriday.com/going-wild-for-fennel-pollen-recipes/

There's a guy in my charcuterie list who imports and sells fennel pollen for about half the rate it's usually sold.

Thanks.
I love when he says: There is a reason that Fennel Pollen is called “Culinary Fairy Dust”

LOL, isn't that a great phrase... “Culinary Fairy Dust”