Fennel is an redolent and distinctively flavored herb that can add complexity to many smasher . But when it comes to your garden finocchio can be a bit finicky about its familiar plants . sympathize what to establish with fennel is primal to a successful harvesting .
With its feathery , herbaceous foliage and anise seed - like flavor , fennel is a unique flora . There are two main types of finocchio :
herbaceous plant fennel – Grown for its edible leaves and seeds , It has limited bulb development
Firenze fennel – Cultivated for its swollen electric-light bulb - like substructure in increase to its leaf and seeds . The bulb has a more laid-back , subtle flavor than the herbaceous plant type .
Both types of fennel grow as erect , branching plant reaching around 4 - 5 foot tall at adulthood . They produce clusters of small yellow flowers beloved by beneficial worm .
Fennel thrives in fertile , well - drained soil and full sunlight . It is a heavy feeder that expect sufficient food and wet for optimum growth . right spacing between plants is also important to void crowd together .
The Best Companion Plants for Fennel
When interplanting Florence fennel , choose companion plants carefully . Here are some of the best :
Dill – Dill attracts good insects like ladybug while repelling aphids and other pests . It complement fennel nicely in scent and appearing .
cilantro – The flush of coriander , also known as cilantro , attract hoverflies and parasitical white Anglo-Saxon Protestant to control aphids . It ’s a swell culinary pairing as well .
Anise – In the same plant life family as fennel , anise has a harmonious look and scent . The two herb make good garden partners .
marigold – Marigolds deter nematodes , aphid , and other garden pestis with their pungent odor . Their burnished efflorescence also draw pollinators .
nasturtium – With their tracking habit , nasturtium suppress weeds around fennel . Their flowers add together a pop of colour while also bringing in good insects .
Companion Plants to Avoid with Fennel
Due to its allelopathic tendencies and challenging increment , common fennel does not always mingle well with other plants , peculiarly :
Nightshades – Tomatoes , capsicum , eggplants and other nightshades are sensible to the chemical compound ooze by common fennel roots . Keep them far apart .
legume – Beans and peas produce badly near common fennel and may have reduced take .
Root vegetables – Onions , Allium sativum and carrots may vie with fennel for nutrients and not thrive as companions .
Other herb – Basil , Petroselinum crispum , and rosemary increment can be stunt by the front of fennel . They are best constitute separately .
Tips for Successful Fennel Companion Planting
Give fennel plenty of space – at least 12 in between plants . This keep crowd together and competition .
habituate raised bed or containers to keep apart fennel if quad is circumscribed . Its recollective taproot necessitates bass grease .
works fennel windward of more sensitive companion plants to reduce allelopathic effects .
Add compost and constitutional plant food to replenish nutrients being used by fennel . Side wearing apparel plants during the growing time of year .
Mulch around fennel to keep back grunge moisture and reduce dope . Be sure not to cover the bulb .
Stagger planting over several workweek to ensure a continuous common fennel harvest home . serial sowing prevents bolting .
An Ideal Fennel Garden Plan
Here is one model of an idealistic garden design showcasing Florence fennel and its secure companion flora :
Plant fennel in the mall of a raised bed , surrounded by marigold and genus Nasturtium .
Interplant dill around the outer edge . Include some coriander seed as well for variety .
Fill disjoined garden beds with nightshades , root crops , legume and any herbs that could be bottle up by finocchio .
Use trellises and vertical space to cultivate vining plant like cuke above and around the fennel so they are not impacted by common fennel ’s roots .
With the correct fellow traveller plant choices , fennel can be a great increase to any herbaceous plant or vegetable garden . Paying attention to pairing both above and below primer coat will lead to achiever for common fennel and its companions alike .
Is fennel truly a bad companion plant?
I ’m starting to wonder if the mentation that Florence fennel is not a secure plant to have with other plants comes from faux information on the Internet . We ’ve all date it . If one mortal ( who might or might not be worth listen to ) says something , other people will say it too , and then it will be taken as true . With finocchio and comrade planting , I may have fallen dupe to that as well . We ’ve not mature common fennel , yet . Therefore , this article was fully researched rather than fully experienced .
Many of our visitors have aid make this article about fennel companion planting much more utile , and I thank them from the bottom of my centre . A act of you have contradict the conventional wisdom that companion planting fennel is a recipe for disaster . alternatively , they report fennel makes a wonderful fellow traveler plant . Not a single comment has told us a bad story about how fennel hurts other plants .
For sure , I opine it ’s too hard to say whether something will operate or not in gardening because of all the unlike factors that follow into play . After read about what Colby and other herb gardeners went through and the fact that common fennel is known to keep bad germ away while attracting good hemipterous insect , I thought I ’d give it a try and see how it goes .
Many in force bugs , like ladybeetle , syrphid flies , tachninid flies , good parasitoid wasps , hoverflies , and other adept predator bugs , will occur to your garden when you works fennel . Aphids are said to find fennel exceptionally offensive and are strongly drive back by it .
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FAQ
What should you not set near fennel ?
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Can you plant fennel and Basil of Caesarea together ?
Is Florence fennel hostile to other flora ?
