Fennel bulb is the edible bulb part of the fennel herb and is often prepared as a root vegetable. Learning how to grow fennel bulb is great because ALL part of the plant are edible and super delicious! This aromatic plant is grown all throughout the world for its amazing aroma as well as for its culinary uses.
How to Grow Fennel Bulb
Planting Fennel Bulb:
- Fennel will germinate very quickly in well drained soil as well as in sunny locations.
- Plant the fennel seeds after the last frost date in your area.
- Fennel requires a pH level of 5.5 to 7.0, so you may need to add lime to raise the pH.
- Sow the seeds directly into the ground at about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch deep.
- Once the plants have sprouted, thin them to a distance of 6 to 12 inches.
- You can cultivate fennel at any stage depending on what you wish to use it for: bulbs, stem, or seeds.
- You can also plant fennel in the fall, about 6 weeks before the first frost.
- Fennel is a perennial that is actually invasive, so you must be careful when planting fennel and remove the seed head.
Harvesting Fennel Bulb:
- Harvest fennel stalks when they are almost ready to flower.
- Cut them off to the ground and use them as you would celery.
- After removing the stalk, add some earth around the base, wait about 10 days, and then harvest the bulb.
Now that you know how to grow fennel bulb, it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to planting!
Happy Planting!
