• 1. If you wish to gather the seeds. then a good Varity to use would be Foeniculum vulgare

• 2. For vegetable fennel it is better to use the Varity azoricum. it is also known as Florance fennel

• 3. The ferny leaves can be harvested off either type of plant, The fresh tender ones, of course have the rich, but delicate flavor.

 

For growing fennel, consider which way you will be eating it. If you wish to have the green bulb from the bottom, then you should make sure to add a pile of real mulch or compost around the base of the plant as soon as the bulb starts to swell, This will keep it moist and it will develop nicely, and allow it to expand to the full size.

 

This method is not necessary if you are only eating the fronds or waiting for the seeds. The seed is harvested by cutting the flower heads off the stalks when the seed is beginning to ripen. The seed heads are placed upside down in a paper bag and left in a warm dry place for a week. The seeds then separate from the stems easily for storage in an airtight container.

 

A good companion, the only one really, is dill. It helps, and is helped by being grown with the dill. This combination is great for attracting butterfly's too. Plant your Fennel away from most other vegetables. Avoid growing anything too close. It is “allelopathic” (opposite of symbiotic) to most garden plants, inhibiting growth, causing them to bolt, or actually killing some plants.