In order to harvest rich bulb fennel in late summer, cultivation begins in spring. Read here when and how sowing is successful. Benefit from our tips for the best care of the aromatic spice plant from the Mediterranean.
How to grow bulbous fennel?
To successfully grow bulbous fennel, you should sow from mid/late May in a sunny location with nutrient-rich, humus-rich and freshly moist soil. Care for the plant through regular watering, fertilizing with compost and horn shavings or bark humus, as well as weeding and hoeing the bed soil.
Sow bulbous fennel at the ideal time - This is how it works
From mid/late May, choose a sunny location with nutrient-rich, humus-rich and fresh, moist soil. Prepare a fine-crumb seedbed here, enriched with sifted compost. This is how you plant the seeds correctly:
- Draw small furrows at a distance of 30-40 cm
- Insert the seeds at a distance of 20-25 cm, maximum 2 cm deep
- Fit the furrows, press down and moisten with a fine spray
Then cover the seedbed with a fleece or protect it with a polytunnel to create a germination temperature of at least 20 degrees Celsius. Please be sure to keep the soil slightly moist and warm, otherwise the seedlings will sprout. Pull out weeds consistently as the rake could cause damage to the tender roots.
Tips for care – How to promote growth
Bulb fennel is one of the heavy feeders. So don't let the very he althy spice plant go hungry. A regular water supply is also one of the main pillars of the care program. We have summarized for you here what is required to harvest pearly white tubers:
- Water bulbous fennel immediately when the soil is slightly dry
- Work in a 2-3 cm thick layer of compost (€12.00 on Amazon) with horn shavings or bark humus every 2 weeks
- Heck and weed the bed soil regularly
Once the tubers have reached a diameter of 3-4 cm, pile them up. To do this, use the rake to pull the soil over the fennel so far that only the green leaves are still exposed. This effort is rewarded with appetizing, white fennel bulbs. When the fruits are the size of a fist, the harvest can begin.
Tip
The early bulbous fennel varieties accumulate less nitrate, so they are particularly popular with he alth-conscious gardeners. Compared to the classics, the new varieties score points with their low tendency to bolt. When choosing seeds, choose names such as Argo, Selma, Atos, Zefa or Cantino.
