Bulbing Fennel
Fino Fennel is an open-pollinated bulb fennel that matures in just 80 days, making it one of the faster options for gardeners eager to harvest their own finocchio. This Italian heirloom produces sweet, tender bulbs that are prized for their delicate anise flavor and crisp texture. Unlike many fennel varieties, Fino thrives when planted to mature during shortening days and cooler temperatures, meaning fall and early winter harvests yield the most flavorful bulbs. It's a bush-type plant from the Apiaceae family that rewards careful tending with abundant, high-quality crops.
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4-11
?in H x ?in W
Annual
Moderate
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What sets Fino Fennel apart is its reliable timeline and preference for cool-season growth. Rather than bolting under summer heat like many fennel varieties, it actually performs best when temperatures drop and daylight shortens, a trait that makes it ideal for late-season plantings in most regions. The bulbs develop with exceptional sweetness and a tender texture that makes them equally good raw in salads or braised until silky. For gardeners who've struggled with fennel's notorious bolting habit, this variety offers a genuine solution.
Fino Fennel bulbs are eaten fresh, sliced thin for crunchy salads where their subtle anise flavor shines without overpowering other ingredients. They braise beautifully, becoming creamy and mild when cooked low and slow with butter or olive oil. The tender fronds can be chopped and used as a delicate herb garnish, and even the stalks are edible when young and tender, making this a plant where almost nothing goes to waste in the kitchen.
Start seeds indoors in 1-2 inch cell-type containers, sowing 3 seeds per cell at a depth of 1/4 inch. Thin to one plant per cell once seedlings emerge. Grow transplants for 4-6 weeks until they're established enough to remove without disturbing their roots — this is critical with fennel, as root disturbance triggers bolting.
Transplant seedlings outdoors from midspring through late summer, spacing them 6 inches apart. Handle transplants with care, disturbing roots as little as possible during the move. For best results, time plantings so the crop matures during shorter days and cooler temperatures rather than under summer heat.
Fino Fennel bulbs are ready to harvest around 80 days from transplanting. Harvest when the bulbs are firm, about 2-3 inches in diameter at the base, before they become woody or begin to split. Cut the bulb at the soil line with a sharp knife, leaving the roots in the ground if you want to allow secondary shoots to develop.
Remove any seed stalks that emerge during the growing season, clip them off promptly to redirect the plant's energy into bulb development rather than flowering.
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