Spring planting doesn’t start when the air feels warm, It...Read More
Florence Fennel is an heirloom variety that has broad, overlapping, thick, celery-like stalks which form a large, edible, bulbous base, and feathery leaves on the top. This tender perennial is typically grown as an annual and is a very productive yielder. The bulb, stalks, and feathery leaves are all edible and very aromatic. Unique aromas and flavors to describe this plant consist of apple, licorice, anise and celery. The feathery foliage of Fennel is used to flavor salads, fish, soups, and sauces or dried and used for tea. The thick & juicy bulbous base can also be cooked as a vegetable, roasted, grilled or served raw. The stalks may be used as a celery substitute or used to make broths. The seeds can be crushed and incorporated into sausage or other meats for a warm, sweet anise flavor.
Fennel is indigenous to the shores of the Mediterranean but has become widely naturalized in many parts of the world, especially on dry soils near the sea-coast and on riverbanks. Fennel Florence has a rich history in ancient Greece, where it was called “marathon.” The Battle of Marathon in 490 BC and the Italian town of the same name both received their names from this plant, which the Grecians regarded as a symbol of victory. The seed of the fennel plant is most commonly found in Middle Eastern cuisine, while the bulb-like portion of the plant is popular in Italian and German cuisine.
NAME: Fennel (Foenniculum vulgare)
VARIETY: Florence
DAYS TO MATURITY: 70 days
POLLINATION: Open Pollinated
TYPE: Perennial, grown as an annual
HARDINESS ZONE: Zones 4 – 12
SUNLIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL: Fertile, loose soil with a pH 6.0 – 6.8
PLANT HEIGHT: 2 – 3 feet tall
SPACING: 12 – 18 inches apart
TEMP: 55 – 85 °F
These seeds do not required stratification.
To learn more about Stratification, click here!
Sow seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your last local spring frost in seed-starting formula in cell trays or small pots.
Keep the soil moist at 70°F. Seedlings will emerge in 7 to 14 days.
As soon as seedlings emerge, provide plenty of light on a sunny windowsill or grow seedlings 3 to 4 inches beneath fluorescent/LED plant lights turned on 16 hours per day, off for 8 hours at night, raising the lights as the plants grow taller.
If you are growing in small cells, you may need to transplant the seedlings to 4 inch pots when seedlings are a few inches tall before transplanting to the garden so they have enough room to develop strong roots.
Before transplanting outdoors, harden off seedlings for several days. Do this by taking them outside during the day and bringing them in at night. Outside temps should be above 50°F when you start this process.
Dig a hole into your prepared beds for each plant large enough to accommodate the root ball; holes should be placed 12 to 18 inches apart.
Place the top of the root ball even with the level of the surrounding soil. Fill with soil to the top of the root ball. Press soil down firmly and water in generously.
Directly sow Florence Fennel seeds outdoors in early spring after the last expected frost date, or in late summer for a fall harvest.
Rake the bed level; sow seeds in a row every 3 inches and cover with 1/4 inch of fine soil.
Lightly tamper soil down and water in seeds gently. Keep the soil consistently moist until the seeds germinate, which typically occurs within 7-14 days.
Thin seedlings to be 9 inches apart from each other when seedlings get to be 2 inches tall.
Select a location in full sun where water drains quickly. Prepare the bed by loosening or turning the soil under and adding compost, then level with a rake to remove clumps of grass and stones.
Keep the soil consistently moist throughout the growing season, as dry conditions can cause the bulbs to become woody or split.
Fertilize the plants with a balanced fertilizer every 4-6 weeks, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Hill up soil around the base of the plants as they grow to blanch the bulbs and promote tender, flavorful growth.
Monitor the plants for pests such as aphids, slugs, and snails, and treat infestations promptly.
Provide support for taller varieties by staking or tying them to prevent them from falling over.
Keep weeds under control during the growing season. Weeds compete with plants for water, space and nutrients, so control them by either removing them often or use a mulch to prevent their seeds from germinating.
The leaves and stalks can be harvested whenever they reach a desirable size. Harvest lightly at first to prevent stunting the growth of the bulb.
The bulb has the best flavor and tenderness at a diameter of 4 inches; when it reaches this size, harvest the entire plant. For best freshness and flavor, fennel should be used within 2 days after harvesting.
