I had a bed just for my fennel at the end of the flower garden near my
roses, other side of the house from my veggie garden. I did that because my
grandmother said I should. I didn't question Grandma. I later read in a
Rodale companion planting book that fennel could stunt, kill or make bolt
most plants in the vegetable garden. It will stunt tomatoes and if there's
enough fennel planted near them it will kill tomatoes, or so my book said.
Don't plant it close enough to dill to cross pollinate or the dill won't
have a good flavor. I did notice that lady bugs were always around the
fennel, especially after watering, might be why grandma planted it close to
her roses. It is a known attractant to beneficial insects.

Do some Googling and look up "allelopathy". You'll then find out why fennel
does what it does to other plants.

Val


"andy candy" wrote in message
...
This year I decided to try growing some fennel in my garden.
Unbeknownst to me, however, fennel apparently inhibits the growth of
tomatoes -- at least this is what I have been told. Can anyone testify
personally to this? Should I also uproot the fennel once it's big
enough? I have it growing on both ends of my garden, right next to my
Brandywine and Caspian Pink plants. Alternately, is there a "safe"
distance away from my tomatoes where I can transplant the fennel? I'm
also curious if anyone knows how the inhibitive fennel effect works --
via the roots, flowers, fully grown plants, whatever.

Much obliged to all for any shared advice.

Drew (rhymes with Grew)