In article ,
"Val" wrote:

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

New word for me but companion planting sort of touches on this in
reverse. Thank You !

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allelopathy

We have touched on "The black walnut (Juglans nigra) produces the
allelochemical juglone, which affects some species greatly while others
not at all. Eucalyptus leaf litter and root exudates are allelopathic
for certain soil microbes and plant species." from above URL.

Bill who likes the smell of fennel but is ignorant of using it with
skill. Nice foliage and licorice smell but I guess it is one of those
foods I did not grow up with. Probably missing something else as usual.

--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

Not all who wander are lost.
- J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973)