Ok, so I have Bronze Fennel growing in a pot on my front porch. It has been growing very nicely in a large pot. The other day, we had a huge storm hit (It was protected from the heavy rain and wind), I got home from work afterwards and the fennel was hanging over the edge of the pot! Before it was standing strong and now only one "branch" was standing tall, the rest were all hanging over the edge. For the most part it still looks pretty healthy but many of the lower leaves/branches now look like they are dying. All over the base of it, when I got home from work that day, there were white "feathery" looking bugs. That's the best I can describe them. They were very small but were fuzzy/feathery looking. I don't know if they are attaching my fennel or if they had just hatched and it is just the weight of that many bugs on a young plant kept it from being able to hold up.

I have had a hard time finding info on bugs that attach fennel so I am just not sure if I should worry about these guys or not. Either they are my enemy and I want them gone, or mama bug just wanted to lay her eggs there and they just hatched but aren't a threat to the plant.

Any advice would be great. I have grown to love my fennel and I don't want it to die :(

You can ask anyone that comes to my house, it is my pride and joy, lol. I love running my hands through it because it is so soft. And in the last couple weeks I had just started putting it on my salads because I realized I really enjoy it on my salads!

So help please!