9/5: Fennel Harvest

I've not managed to get fennel to grow for me here until this year, so this is my first real fennel harvest. So what made it work this year, what was the difference?

I bought new seed, sowed it undercover and sowed at a different time of year. The new seeds came from Seeds of Italy and I sowed it in the polytunnel in November. Previously (4 years in a row) I've sown spring-summer outdoors, at the same time as autumn beetroot, and it just has not germinated in the hot spring to summer months. So this year I tried sowing it in the polytunnel just before the first frosts (when I also sow beetroot and carrot) and I am harvesting it now.

It has not been altogether successful but that was entirely my fault. I did not thin out the row of fennel, being lazy and not wanting to pull up plants I've found so difficult to grow. The result was that they have not had enough room or nutrients to grow properly and as the temperatures soar they are just going to seed in the tunnel before bulbing up. I did manage to get a few heads though, as you can see in the picture, so I am happy.

With so many changes I will need to unpick what really made the difference so I will sow the new seed outdoors, as I have done previously, in summer.  In November I'll sow at the same time undercover but really thin them out. I will also sow in August, which is when the Italians sow it for a harvest in December and January.

I must say my polytunnel really has made a difference, I love it.