Need advice on growing fennel

Here's how I go grow fennel here in Scotland. Obviously the temperatures will be completely different where you live but I hope this will give you some idea of how to grow your fennel seeds.

Sow the seed directly into peat pots and only slightly cover the seed (no more than 1/4 inch deep). Germinate it at a 65-70F soil temperature and thin the seedlings to the single strongest plant in each pot. Grow the seedlings on at 60F (any warmer and the plants will start to bolt).

In early June, transplant outside and if you have to grow more than a few plants, put them in rows approximately 8 inches apart in the row and 18 inches between rows.

Hill up the base of the bulb if you want to blanch the root; do this two to three weeks before harvest.

You can grow a late crop by sowing directly into the warm soil in the first week of July. Sow seeds one to the inch and then thin to 8 inches apart.

Fennel prefers full sun and a well drained soil. They will do best in rich soils. Water them during dry periods, once or twice per week. Add a general purpose fertilizer once or twice a season.

Harvest leaves as at any time. Harvest flower heads after seeds have formed and the flower head has died. Extract seeds and dry them in a cool, dry location.

Harvest bulbs when they reach tennis ball size or bigger. Pull every other one out as needed to allow those remaining to grow even bigger.

Do not pull these plants up in advance of the first frost. They are very hardy and should continue to thrive and grow, even after a number of hard frosts.

 

I have only grown Fennel for the Swallowtail caterpillars to munch on. I do know that it doesn't like the heat of north Texas summers, the plants I had in the ground in spring either died or stopped growing from late June into early Sept. They have just started showing signs of growing again now that the temps are cooler.