DibbleWhen to plant Fennel
Sow bulb fennel a couple of weeks before last frost. Keep it cool and moist, and mound soil around the swelling bulb to blanch it.
When to plant Fennel by zone
| Zone | Start seeds indoors | Sow or transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | not needed | May 1 | July 20 |
| Zone 4 | not needed | April 26 | July 15 |
| Zone 5 | not needed | April 16 | July 5 |
| Zone 6 | not needed | April 7 | June 26 |
| Zone 7 | not needed | March 27 | June 15 |
| Zone 8 | not needed | March 14 | June 2 |
| Zone 9 | not needed | February 15 | May 6 |
| Zone 10 | not needed | January 17 | April 7 |
| Zone 11 | not needed | December 18 | March 8 |
These dates use typical frost dates for each zone. Dibble tunes them to your exact ZIP and lets you adjust frost dates for your own yard.
Family and rotation
Fennel is in the umbellifers family. Root and herb family. Rotate to limit carrot rust fly buildup. Learn about crop rotation.
Related crops
Carrot
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When to plantCelery
When to plantQuestions
When should I plant fennel?
It depends on your zone. Fennel is a half-hardy crop, so the timing follows your last spring frost. Look up your zone in the table below for exact start, sow, and harvest dates, or open Dibble and enter your ZIP to get your own calendar.
How long does fennel take to grow?
About 80 days from sowing to the first harvest, with a picking window of roughly 21 days after that.
Plant at the right time this season
Dibble builds your calendar in under a minute. Free to start, no account needed.