Florence Fennel growth stages

by Andrew YeomanOctober 1999 from issue #23

In one corner of our garden, my wife and I planted herb fennel. It grew and grew. It has grown into a fennel forest which gives us a cool retreat in the summer. We like to walk through its narrow paths. The leaves of the fern brush against our skin and the soft, sweet smell of licorice wafts through the air, soothing and soaking us.

Fennel Care

It is essential that the soil remains consistently moist. The best way to test the soil is to push your thumb into the ground about an inch deep, and check how dry it is. If the soil is too dry, the stems will split. To create a taller fennel plant, trim the stems closest to the ground. New and more numerous shoots should then grow.

Common pests that affect the health and growth of fennel include the following.

Different Types of Fennel

Also in terms of type, there are some differences between countries and regions. In Europe, Italy is known as the specialist and serves as a model for the desired product form.

“The market focuses on achieving uniformity 12 out of 12 months per year. For export to France or other markets in Northern Europe, smaller bulbs of 300-400 grams per bulb are preferred. Elsewhere, in California for example, the desired product is a little different with an emphasis on elongated bulbs trimmed for easier shipping and stems up to three times longer,” says Salvado. “In the Maghreb region, fennel is sold by the kilogram (three to four pieces per kg) trimmed, and premium products are valued.”

Harvesting fennel:

• You can start harvesting the fennel leaves when you see that the plant is well established.
• Make sure you are not picking more leaves at a time as this could damage the plant.
• Fennel leaves can be added to salads, soups and other Mediterranean-style diets as an aniseed, aromatic or licorice flavor.
• If you plan to use fennel on a regular basis, then you can go ahead and plant multiple fennel plants. You can harvest one plant for a week, but always remember to water and fertilize the plant after harvesting.

• You can harvest Florentine fennel bulbs as soon as they reach the size of a tiny tennis ball, this will generally be in late summer or early autumn.
• For harvesting, you will need to cut the fennel under the bulb at the soil surface. You can use it immediately or you can store it in the fridge for several days.
• The fennel bulbs do not need to be chased and harvested as soon as the climatic conditions become cool as they will last for almost two frosts. However, make sure you don’t let the fennel bulb grow too large or it will develop a bitter taste.

Soil Preparation to Grow Organic Fennel from Seed

Plant Fennel in well-drained compost-rich soil, however, it will grow in all types of soil. Fennel prefers a soil pH level of 5.5 to 6.8.

The soil to grow the Fennel plant is rich in organic matter and well drained. Fennel plants grow best in soil that measures between 5.5 and 6.8 on the pH level. Amend the soil with organic matter and also well-decomposed compost for in-ground planting. You can guarantee thick, rich growth by working the soil with compost and a slow-release organic fertilizer before planting Fennel.