Florence Fennel - Just won't grow right

[Ricardo]

Can anybody give me some pointers on growing Florence Fennel from seed please?
Last season I tried for the second time to grow Florence Fennel from seed. This time I used Victoria Hybrid F1 seed with the same result.
The problem is that the seeds germinate fine and produce plants but I just can't get them to swell up and produce the bulbulous bottom (!).
I'm sowing into wooden trough raised beds (about 15cm deep) in a mix of council soil improver and multipurpose compost.
I've rsisted adding further organic material or fertilizer thinking I want to slow the growth in height and get the bulbs to form.
Last year I had really tall plants with loads of lovely fronds at the top, but nothing edible at the base.
I've also got some which has been in the beds since autumn and the same looks to be happening
I'll give it another shot this year as I still have a few seeds left but my patience is wearing a bit thin.
Am I doing something fundamentally wrong?

[Newton]

They are meant to be sown on the longest day. I did mine 2weeks before in modules and transplanted them to the allotment whenc hey outgrew their modules. Just bunged them in the ground and they did brill.

No special treatment to the soil.

Its probably all about your timing.

Good luck this year and dont give up on them. Superb flavour braised with fish and in salads

[kfan]

Yes I agree with Newton, when do you sow them? You should do this end of June/ July up to August, any earlier and they become woody and don't produce large bulbs. And keep them very well mulched and moist so they can swell up.

[Currysniffa]

I too sow in mods at home and transplant on the allotment, I also heap them up, I mean cover the bulb with soil as they grow, I had lovely crop last year.

[Florence Fennel]

I'm glad the bulbous bottom isn't a reference to my anatomy Ricardo and I hope you have more success this year. Perhaps this is an omen that you'll get a good harvest? Do let us know, particularly me!

[vegnut]

I have always sown mine direct in July and have had some nice bulbs for the trouble. Hope this helps.

[lottie dolly]

thanx for this question,and the answers,same here no luck,so i now be patient and wait till the appropriate time lol

[Ricardo]

Thanks everybody for taking the time to answer. According to my diary I planted last years lot straight into the ground 22 May. (I read somewhere that it does not like to be transported but the general consensus here seems to be mods first). Kfan may have a good point about the mulching also - I'll give that a try and report back later in the year. I've not earthed up around the bulbs because I didn't want to risk getting grit between the layers. Lets hope this year's results are better than last year which was a resounding disaster on pretty much every front.