How to Harvest Fennel Bulbs. Use a pair of garden shears or a sharp knife to cut off the plant’s stalks and leaves, leaving an inch or two at the top of the bulb. Don’t discard the greenery! Use it for another dinner as a salad addition or side dish.Click to see full answer. In this regard, how do you know when fennel is ready to pick?Fennel seeds are ready to be harvested in the fall when they’ve matured and turned brown. However, fennel sometimes doesn’t flower and produce seeds until the second year after sowing. Florence fennel bulbs should be harvested when they’re the size of a small fist or a tennis ball.One may also ask, what part of the fennel plant is edible? All parts of the fennel plant—bulb, stalk, and the feathery fronds—are edible, and will add texture and flavor to salads, slaws, pastas, and more. Thinly sliced raw fennel bulb adds a sweet licorice flavor and crunchy texture to salads. People also ask, does fennel come back every year? Plant in a sunny spot for best results. Bear in mind that fennel is a Mediterranean crop, a cool-weather short-lived perennial normally grown as an annual. Fennel survives light frosts, but will only survive over winter outdoors (assuming you didn’t harvest the bulb) in zones 6-10. In zones 2-5 it grows as a biennial.How do you harvest fennel leaves?Harvesting. Herb fennel can be harvested as needed by cutting away the feathery foliage. If seed is desired, allow the plant to flower and when the flower heads turn brown the plant can be cut, place in a paper bag and hung in a cool, well-ventilated area to dry.