Those looking to grow fennel have been told to take action this weekend. Gardener’s World has issued advice on what to plant in May and June.
The gardening magazine said it’s “not too late” to get started in the garden, with May and June being a great time to sow seeds directly outdoors and get young plants into the ground. Both air and soil temperatures are high at this time of year, which will give plants a good start. Bear in mind, however, that dry periods and drought can inhibit growth due to the lack of moisture in the soil.
Fennel can be sown between April and July. Successional sowings every couple of weeks from May to July should ensure harvests from around August to October.
Be sure to sow into well-prepared soil and thin the seedlings to 30cm. Florence fennel thrives in moist conditions, so keep plants well watered.
This is also a good time to plant vegetables like pak choi, spring onions, broccoli, pumpkins, peas, and courgettes. Melon is one of the only fruits to sow this month.
The best flowers to plant include perennials that are long-flowering, such as hardy geraniums, so you can enjoy a display, despite planting later in the year, or bedding plants such as lobelia, which will fill containers with colour for weeks on end.
Summer and autumn-flowering bulbs are best planted between April and May, although it is possible to plant nerines for flowers in autumn.
Gardener’s World recommends using a hand trowel, plant supports, and a greenhouse to encourage growth and ensure protection of tender plants.