🌿 Florence fennel

Florence fennel is grown for its swollen, crisp, aniseed-flavoured bulb, which is delicious raw or cooked. It also produces feathery fronds as a bonus herb. It is a little temperamental, bolting if checked by cold or drought, but with good timing it is rewarding.

Sow after midsummer in the UK to avoid bolting in long days, and choose bolt-resistant varieties. Bulbs form in late summer and autumn, and they are good in pots as well as beds. Keep it away from dill, with which it crosses.

Varieties to try

Romanesco (traditional, large bulbs)Zefa Fino (bolt-resistant, reliable)Orion (uniform, good flavour)Selma (bolt-resistant)Rondo (compact)

Sow from mid-May to July, as seed sown earlier in cool weather tends to bolt. Sow directly outdoors 1 cm deep in rows 45 cm apart, or in modules to avoid root disturbance, planting out at 3–4 weeks. Final spacing is 25–30 cm apart.

Choose a sunny spot with light, fertile, well-drained, moisture-retentive soil. Fennel dislikes root disturbance, so sow in modules or biodegradable pots. A later sowing in July gives a late autumn crop. Fleece protects early plantings against cold snaps.

Top tips

• Sow after mid-May to avoid bolting.
• Sow in modules to avoid root disturbance.
• Choose a bolt-resistant variety.
• Keep away from dill.

Water regularly and consistently, since drought or irregular watering leads to bolting. Weed carefully. When the bulbs begin to swell, in late summer, earth up the soil around them to blanch them, producing tender, white bulbs.

Slugs and aphids are the main pests. Fennel is generally trouble-free, but flower stems should be removed as soon as they appear. Mulching helps keep the roots cool and moist. The foliage is an excellent insect-attracting plant, especially for hoverflies.

Top tips

• Water evenly.
• Earth up bulbs as they swell.
• Remove flower stems promptly.
• Mulch to keep roots cool.

Watch out for

SlugsAphidsBolting from cold or drought

Harvest bulbs when they are about the size of a tennis ball, around 12–16 weeks from sowing, usually from August to October. Cut at ground level with a sharp knife, leaving the stump, which will often resprout fronds that can be used as a herb.

Harvest before bulbs get oversized and tough. Pick fronds all summer as a herb. Pull out any bolting plants, though the bulbs are still edible if small. Lift the remaining bulbs before hard frosts.

Top tips

• Cut at ground level and leave the stump.
• Pick fronds as a herb all summer.
• Harvest before frost.
• Don’t let bulbs get too large.

Slice the bulb thinly and eat raw in salads with orange, olive oil and parmesan, or roast, braise or grill it, which makes it sweet and mellow. Fennel pairs well with fish, pork, and tomato dishes. The fronds make a pretty garnish and flavour sauces, soups and fish dishes.

Bulbs keep for one to two weeks in the fridge, in a bag. They can be blanched and frozen for cooking. Fennel seeds, harvested from bronze fennel, are good for tea or baking, but Florence fennel seed is less aromatic.

Top tips

• Slice thinly for salads.
• Roast wedges with olive oil.
• Use the fronds as a garnish.
• Blanch and freeze for cooking.