Vegetables
Florence fennel
A cool-to-mild-season fennel selected for its swollen leaf bases rather than the tall habit of herb fennel.
Sowing & planting windows in Australia
Planting timing varies by broad Australian gardening zone. Local weather, unusual seasons and your garden’s microclimate can shift timing.
Cool
Sow · Jan-Apr,Aug-Dec
Core months: January, February, March, April, August, September, October, November, December
Temperate
Sow · Jan-May,Jul-Dec
Core months: January, February, March, April, May, July, August, September, October, November, December
Subtropical
Sow · Feb-Jun
Core months: February, March, April, May, June
Tropical
Sow · Apr-Aug
Core months: April, May, June, July, August
Arid
Sow · Mar-Aug
Core months: March, April, May, June, July, August
Getting started
Direct sow Florence fennel seed in the recorded window. Thin early to the final spacing and avoid root disturbance; use a named bulb-forming cultivar rather than common herb fennel.
The right conditions
Choose full sun, fertile free-draining soil and a mild period long enough for the base to swell. Heat, drought or abrupt stress can trigger bolting.
As it grows
Keep moisture steady, mulch to moderate soil temperature and feed lightly if growth stalls. Do not bury the growing point; earth up gently only if blanching is desired.
Ready to harvest
Cut the swollen base at soil level while it is firm and tender. The fronds are also edible; seed harvest is a separate maturity path and may reduce base quality.
Important cautions
This record is for Foeniculum vulgare Azoricum Group. Common herb fennel does not reliably form the same swollen base, and cultivar response to heat and day length varies.
Plant guidance: P11b Wave 1 propagation, safety and plant-specific guide audit. Planting windows are a guide rather than a rule.