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Need advice on growing fennel
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travelingbooklover
Showing Great Promise
Joined: 12 Apr 2008
Location: Kuwait
Posts: 268
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| Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 11:05 am Post subject: Need advice on growing fennel |
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I have seed for fennel but have never grown it. I love fennel and it is very expensive here in Kuwait (it is imported from Holland). Any advice would be very welcome. Thanks in advance!
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eileen
Moderator & Resident Taxonomist
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Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Location: Scotland (Map)
Posts: 14179
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| Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 1:12 pm Post subject: |
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Here's how I go grow fennel here in Scotland. Obviously the temperatures will be completely different where you live but I hope this will give you some idea of how to grow your fennel seeds.
Sow the seed directly into peat pots and only slightly cover the 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 bolt).
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.
Fennel prefers full sun and a well drained soil. They will do best in rich soils. Water them during dry periods, once or twice per week. Add a general purpose fertilizer once or twice a season.
Harvest leaves as at any time. Harvest flower heads after seeds have formed and the flower head has died. Extract seeds and dry them in a cool, dry location.
Harvest bulbs when they reach tennis ball size or bigger. Pull every other one out as needed to allow those remaining to grow even bigger.
Do not pull these plants up in advance of the first frost. They are very hardy and should continue to thrive and grow, even after a number of hard frosts.
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Droopy
Slug Slaughterer
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Joined: 11 Aug 2007
Location: Western Norway (Map)
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| Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 1:13 pm Post subject: |
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They can't be difficult to grow from seed since I have managed to do so before.  Good luck!
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toni
Mistress of Garden Junque
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Joined: 07 Jan 2006
Location: North Texas (Map)
Posts: 7563
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| Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 1:54 pm Post subject: |
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I have only grown Fennel for the Swallowtail caterpillars to munch on. I do know that it doesn't like the heat of north Texas summers, the plants I had in the ground in spring either died or stopped growing from late June into early Sept. They have just started showing signs of growing again now that the temps are cooler.
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Mortals must do what they are here to creatively do or they will become cranky.
If you can't stand the heat, don't tickle the Dragon
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travelingbooklover
Showing Great Promise
Joined: 12 Apr 2008
Location: Kuwait
Posts: 268
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| Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for all of the advice. I am going to start some seed now as we don't have cold winters here and I think the worst of the heat has passed. I am really looking forward to having my own fennel bulbs.
Thanks again!
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