Florence fennel

judy's picture
judy Posted at 08:04 on Sun, 08/06/2008
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Intro
Intro: 

There are two main types of Florence Fennel – one makes flat bulbs and one makes spheres. The first has a concentrated aniseed flavour and the second is more tender.

Location and soil
Type of soil: 

Fennel needs a rich, mosture-retaining soil, free-draining with lots of organic matter added. It won’t do well in heavy clay, stony or poorly-drained ground.

Location: 

Fennel is a fussy plant, that thrives in sunny, sheltered sites

Sowing seeds
Sowing seeds: 

Sow or plant it out after the threat of plummeting temperatures has passed, in late spring or early summer.

Fennel hates root disturbance and loathes being transplanted. So plant one or two seeds per pot, and take out the weakest when it’s germinated. Don’t set out the young plant until it is fairly sturdy.

Looking after the crop
General care: 

As the bulbs begin to swell, pile up the soil around the roots to make them whiter and sweeter.

Harvesting the crop
Harvesting: 

Harvest from late summer to mid autumn, using a fork to loosen the roots before lifting. Cut off the bulb just above ground level and leave the stump in the ground. The young feathery shoots which will soon appear can be used in cooking.

The bulb will keep for several weeks if you store it in a cool, dry place

Varieties
Variety description: 

Sirio, a quick maturing type that can be sown in July for autumn

Variety description: 

p victorio, for round, smooth while bulbs.

Pests
Pest or disease: 

There are few pests that will bother with fennel, apart from slugs which will nibble on young seedlings