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(Best months for planting Florence Fennel in Australia - temperate regions)

• Easy to grow.
• Harvest in 98-140 days
• Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.
• Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 25°C.
• Space plants: 15cm - 30cm

This is a perennial grown as an annual as the stems become more fibrous with age. Both seeds and leaves have a mild aniseed flavour. With its feathery leaves it makes a good background plant in a border. Grows to approx 1.5m (5ft)

Fennel prefers well-drained fertile soil.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Florence Fennel

The swollen base of the stem is used.

Slice and steam/stir-fry the bulb, or use raw/grated in salads. Can be cooked and served with sauces or butter.

Your comments and tips

12 Mar 09 gay staurup (Australia - temperate climate)

i have a question: the old fennel plant is still in the ground. will it grow a new bulb from that or should i sow seed to get new plants?

14 Mar 09 sonofkit (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

As fennel is a perennial I would expect new growth to come from the old plant. Also, for cooking - slice lengthwise in half, or more if they are big, place in a baking tray, sprinkle with salt & pepper, drop in some butter and bake covered at about 180c for about 20 mins.

11 Sep 09 nicola dobiecka (United Kingdom - temperate/warm climate)

Do you have to get certain seed which can be planted now? I have some seed but the packet says to only sow it in spring/summer... it doesn't say you can sow it in autumn as well? Thanks Nic ;o)

30 Jan 10 Dion Italiano (Australia - temperate climate)

I am in pinjarra W.A and would like to know the right time to plant my seed?And can you let it grow above the ground like an onion or a beetroot?Because in recent times i've been told that as they grow you need to pack them up.

10 Feb 10 Janet (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

That explains why my fennel just grew up and went to seed without growing a bulb. I planted it in late spring but it obviously should have been late summer/autumn.