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Florence fennel

GrumpymumGrumpymum Posts: 77
in Fruit & veg
Has anyone ever tried growing Florence Florence fennel in pots? 

The heavy clay soil in my sunny border gets very dry in Summer, thanks to some very large trees on the other side of the fence, and is difficult to keep evenly moist, so I wondered if pots might be easier? 

I've tried looking on the internet and advice seems very confused, ranging from it doesn't work at all to you can grow them in 6" pots, so thought I'd ask the oracles on here 🙂

Posts

  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    Let's bump this up...
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    edited May 2020
    Hi - I sowed some fennel seeds about 6 weeks ago in a shady area of my garden near a feijoa tree.  The soil is "clayie" and stony.  The fennel has come up.  My neighbour told me that fennel is easy to grow.  We'll see but I am encouraged, so will sow some more seeds in about a fortnight.  Why not try a few seeds in the ground and a few in pots?   
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    PS  As fennel is a winter vegetable - I'm not so sure that a sunny spot could be good.  But then again, your summers aren't as hot as here - although you have had some hot summers the last couple of years.
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • GrumpymumGrumpymum Posts: 77
    Thanks @tuikowhai34. I've never had much luck getting it to form bulbs in the ground, which the guides suggest is due to not being kept moist enough, hence wondered about pots. Interesting that it is a winter vegetable where you are, I always thought it would not take a frost?

  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    Apart from potatoes and sweet potatoes, I thought most root veges weren't susceptible to a bit of frosty mornings!

    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I grew Florence Fennel in my Belgian garden and it did well, producing bulbs with a far more pronounced flavour than those from the SM or markets.  The soil was clay much improved with lashings of garden compost, pelleted chicken manure, horse manure from the neighbours, spent compost from tubs and pots.   They do need watering and don't like frosts.   They're more a swollen stem than a root veg.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • andersdkayandersdkay Posts: 2
    I had fennel growing in flower pot on railing of front porch. It did really well , but I forgot to water it in Jan, Feb and it died of thirst.

  • GrumpymumGrumpymum Posts: 77
    Thanks all, will give it a go and see what happens.  Fingers crossed 🤞
  • GrumpymumGrumpymum Posts: 77
    Well, I gave it a go and they were growing beautifully, however,  they have all bolted in the current hot spell ☹ 

    Will definitely give them another go though next year.
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