Vegetables

Fennel

Grown for the swollen bulb; blanch it late to keep the flavour sweet.

Foeniculum vulgare · Vegetables · Annual or seasonal

When to plant Fennel in Australia

Sourced timing by broad climate zone. Zones with no sourced timing for an action are left out rather than estimated.

Sow seed: Cool — Mar; Temperate — Jan, Feb, Mar, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec; Subtropical — Feb, Mar, Apr; Tropical — Apr, May, Jun; Arid — Nov
Plant out seedlings: Temperate — Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec; Subtropical — Mar, Apr, May; Tropical — May, Jun, Jul
Harvest: Cool, Arid — 10–12 weeks after sowing; Temperate, Subtropical, Tropical — 12–14 weeks after sowing

Australian planting guide by climate zone

Sourced guidance by broad climate zone, shown as fixed months, timing relative to sowing or planting, or written growing advice. Your GrowCal calendar applies your regional growing profile, so its dates may sit earlier or later than the months below.

Fennel planting timing by Australian climate zone
Action	Cool	Temperate	Subtropical	Tropical	Arid
Sow	Mar Details Sow in March.	Jan, Feb, Mar, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec Details Sow seed in the months the Gardening Australia magazine grow guide lists for this climate zone.	Feb, Mar, Apr Details Sow seed in the months the Gardening Australia magazine grow guide lists for this climate zone.	Apr, May, Jun Details Sow seed in the months the Gardening Australia magazine grow guide lists for this climate zone.	Nov Details Sow in November.
Plant out	No sourced timing currently shown	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec Details Plant seedlings in the months the Gardening Australia magazine grow guide lists for this climate zone.	Mar, Apr, May Details Plant seedlings in the months the Gardening Australia magazine grow guide lists for this climate zone.	May, Jun, Jul Details Plant seedlings in the months the Gardening Australia magazine grow guide lists for this climate zone.	No sourced timing currently shown
Feed	No sourced timing currently shown	Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec Details Water regularly and mulch with straw. Apply seaweed solution or liquid fertiliser fortnightly. If soil is poor, apply organic fertiliser pellets monthly. Cover with shadecloth on very hot days.	Feb, Mar, Apr, May Details Water regularly and mulch with straw. Apply seaweed solution or liquid fertiliser fortnightly. If soil is poor, apply organic fertiliser pellets monthly. Cover with shadecloth on very hot days.	Apr, May, Jun, Jul Details Water regularly and mulch with straw. Apply seaweed solution or liquid fertiliser fortnightly. If soil is poor, apply organic fertiliser pellets monthly. Cover with shadecloth on very hot days.	No sourced timing currently shown
Pest check	No sourced timing currently shown	No sourced timing currently shown	No sourced timing currently shown	No sourced timing currently shown	No sourced timing currently shown
Harvest	10–12 wks after sowingRelative Details 10-12 weeks, about 4-5 weeks after blanching.	12–14 wks after sowingRelative Details Harvest in 12-14 weeks. Pick fennel bulbs as soon as they are large enough.	12–14 wks after sowingRelative Details Harvest in 12-14 weeks. Pick fennel bulbs as soon as they are large enough.	12–14 wks after sowingRelative Details Harvest in 12-14 weeks. Pick fennel bulbs as soon as they are large enough.	10–12 wks after sowingRelative Details 10-12 weeks, about 4-5 weeks after blanching.

Only sourced growing and timing guidance is shown.

Care guidance

Sourced advice for Fennel that isn't tied to a month.

Blanch the swollen stems with cardboard or paper once they pass golf-ball size.
Water regularly and remove flower stems before harvest.
Florence fennel is modelled as an annual bulb crop, not the perennial herb fennel.

Zone notes

Temperate: Regular feeding and watering, mild conditions
Subtropical: Regular feeding and watering, mild conditions
Tropical: Regular feeding and watering, mild conditions

About this data

This schedule is part of GrowCal's preview horticultural dataset — useful as general guidance, and still being validated. Conditions vary with your soil, aspect, frost and variety. Read more on the data & methodology page, or send us a correction.

Other plants in the GrowCal dataset, mostly from the same category.

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