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Foeniculum officinalis 'Romanesco'

Foeniculum officinalis Romanesco
Fennel

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Variety producing large, pearly "bulbs" weighing 500g to 1kg. It offers a white, crisp and delicate flesh with a subtle aniseed flavour. Late maturing, fairly productive and resistant to running to seed. Sowing between April and June and harvest from July to September.
Ease of cultivation
Beginner
Height at maturity
20 cm
Spread at maturity
15 cm
Soil moisture
Moist soil
Germination time (days)
10 days
Sowing method
Direct sowing, Sowing under cover
Sowing period April to June
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Harvest time July to September
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Description

The 'Romanesco' Fennel is a variety that produces large pearly "bulbs" weighing from 500g to 1kg. It has a white, crunchy and delicate flesh with a slight aniseed taste. Fennel can be consumed cooked in water, braised or raw. We particularly enjoy it raw in refreshing Italian recipes, cut into strips and mixed with pieces of orange and cured ham. The 'Romanesco' Fennel is late, quite productive and resistant to running to seed. It is sown between April and June and harvested from July to September.

Although easy to grow, Fennel is one of those highly reactive plants that require a minimum amount of warmth to grow but do not tolerate episodes of drought, which cause it to quickly go to seed. The art of the gardener lies in combining the right variety with the right sowing period. The bulbs (which are not actually bulbs, as this fleshy part is formed by the overlapping of the petioles) of Fennel have a beautiful pearly white colour and a slightly aniseed flavour. It is a vegetable with a delicate flavour that can be consumed both raw and cooked. Its branches are particularly used to flavour fish dishes. Finally, if by unfortunate chance some plants go to seed, console yourself, as fennel seeds make a very good condiment that aids digestion.

Harvest: Fennel is harvested approximately three months after sowing and can be done as needed.

Storage: It is a fairly tender plant that cannot tolerate frost. It cannot remain in the ground during winter and should be stored in a cellar. Freshly harvested fennel can be stored for a few days in the refrigerator or several months in the freezer after being blanched.

Gardener's tip: To reduce watering, we recommend that you mulch the soil with thin successive layers of grass clippings, if possible mixed with dead leaves, starting from the end of May. This protection, which keeps the soil moist, also reduces the need for weeding.

Harvest

Harvest time July to September
Type of vegetable Bulb vegetable
Vegetable colour white
Size of vegetable Large
Interest Flavour, Nutritional value
Flavour Sweet
Use Cooking

Plant habit

Height at maturity 20 cm
Spread at maturity 15 cm
Growth rate normal

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour light green
Aromatic? Fragrant foliage when creased

Botanical data

Genus

Foeniculum

Species

officinalis

Cultivar

Romanesco

Family

Apiaceae

Other common names

Fennel

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Annual / Perennial

Annual

Product reference37951

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Planting and care

Sowing: Fennel germination occurs at a minimum temperature of 12°C (53.6°F). Germination usually takes between 8 and 10 days. The sowing period extends from March to June for a harvest from July to October. Sowing can be done from March under cover, in seed trays filled with good seed compost, or from April to May directly in the well-warmed ground. The seeds are buried to a depth of 1cm (0.5in) and sown 5cm (2in) apart in rows spaced 40cm (16in) apart. One month after germination, it is necessary to thin out, keeping only one plant every 15 to 20cm (6 to 8in). If sowing was done in a nursery, the plants will need to be "hardened off" (part of the foliage is removed) before being transplanted into the garden, following the same planting distances as for sowing (15 to 20cm (6 to 8in) between plants in rows spaced 40cm (16in) apart).

Cultivation: Fennel thrives in sunny, humus-rich soil. If compost is needed, it is best to apply it in autumn, in the form of well-rotted compost (about 3kg per m2) by raking it to a depth of 5cm (2in), after loosening the soil as is done for all vegetable crops. To obtain nice white bulbs, fennel can be earthed up to a height of 15cm (6in). In the vegetable garden, fennel is not a good companion and only gets along well with celery. Don't hesitate to let some plants flower, as they are very pretty and particularly appreciated by beneficial insects.

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Seedlings

Sowing period April to June
Sowing method Direct sowing, Sowing under cover
Germination time (days) 10 days

Care

Soil moisture Wet
Disease resistance Very good
Pruning No pruning necessary

Intended location

Type of use Vegetable garden
Hardiness Hardy down to -29°C (USDA zone 5) Show map
Ease of cultivation Beginner
Soil Light
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Any
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light), 130

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