What Are the Florence Fennel Varieties? A Detailed Guide to Seed Selection and Seedling Raising

Florence fennel is a high-quality health-promoting vegetable, exceptionally delicious whether eaten raw or cooked, and deeply loved by consumers. Many people want to grow Florence fennel, but do you know which varieties there are? And how do you raise the seedlings? Let's find out together.

What varieties of Florence fennel are there?

1. Baiyu Florence Fennel

Baiyu Florence fennel was developed by artificial crossing with 90-4 and 90-2 as parents, followed by four years and seven generations of directional selection of the hybrid progeny, producing a high-quality Florence fennel variety. The bulb skin is cream-colored, oblate, sweet and crisp in texture, disease-resistant and high-yielding, and suitable for open-field cultivation in spring and autumn as well as overwintering cultivation in greenhouses.

2. Qiuhui No. 2

Qiuhui No. 2 is a variety developed by the Beijing Xiaotangshan Geothermal Development Company. The plant has strong growth vigor and a height of 90-100 cm. The bulb is white and firm, round in shape, with fairly high uniformity, and a single bulb weighs 0.4-0.8 kg.

3. Qiuhui No. 3

Qiuhui No. 3 is a variety developed by the Beijing Xiaotangshan Geothermal Development Company. The plant height is about 80 cm, and the bulb is white or yellowish-white, firm, round in shape, with high uniformity and a single bulb weight of 0.4-0.8 kg, suitable for close planting.

4. Kaimo Florence Fennel

Kaimo is an F1 hybrid introduced from France. The plant height is about 80 cm, and the bulb is white, firm, round in shape, with high uniformity and a single bulb weight of 0.5-1.0 kg.

5. Italian Florence Fennel

Introduced by Huazhong Agricultural University. The plant height is 54 cm and the spread is 45 cm. The leaf shape and leaf color are similar to those of large fennel, and the basal leaf sheaths are thickened and oblate. The bulb is 11 cm long, 6-7 cm wide and 3-4 cm thick, with a bulb weight of 300-500 g.

6. Flaro, a Dutch variety

Mid-early maturing, F1 hybrid. The bulb is smooth, cream-white, oval and uniform. The leaves are upright and bright green, with strong disease resistance and the distinctive aroma of fennel. It can be eaten fresh or used as a seasoning, and for garnishing plates. It matures 81 days after transplanting.

How do you raise Florence fennel seedlings?

1. Sowing

Before sowing, first rub the seeds, then soak them in 20°C water for 1 day, and place them in a 20-22°C environment to germinate, rinsing with water once a day; generally they sprout in 6 days. Soak the seedbed, sow the seeds, and then cover with 0.5-1 cm of nutrient soil. Generally about 2 liang of seed is needed per mu.

2. Thinning

When the Florence fennel seedlings grow to 3-4 true leaves, growers should thin them, generally to a spacing of 6 cm. When Florence fennel grows to about 15 cm with 5-6 true leaves, it can be transplanted to the field. A plant spacing of about 28 cm and a row spacing of 35 cm is required.

3. Transplanting

After Florence fennel is transplanted, the field must be kept moist. When the seedlings grow to 25 cm, 10 kg of urea can be applied per mu as a top dressing. Afterwards, according to growth vigor, apply quick-acting compound fertilizer per mu along with irrigation.

4. Harvesting

Generally, Florence fennel can be harvested for market about 10 weeks after sowing and about 6-7 weeks after transplanting. If harvested too early, bulb expansion is affected and yield is reduced. If harvested too late, the bulb fibers increase and quality is affected. When the outer scales of the Florence fennel bulb are white or yellowish-white, it can be harvested for market.

Florence fennel is a specialty vegetable with high nutritional value and a unique taste, deeply loved by people. Many people grow it themselves, and it is very good for stir-frying with meat and more. Is there anything else you would like to add about Florence fennel?

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