If it's been sitting in the same spot for four years, I wonder what the soil around the roots is like. That's the only thing I can think of that might cause it to wilt even when it's getting enough water. Cheryl

I would think the soil should be fine. It was amended with compost and layers of newspaper originally (lasagne gardening) and I add a new layer of mulch each spring since the old stuff breaks down to continually feed the plants. The other plants (fern, sages, bird pepper, etc.) around it are all fine and healthy.

One of my fennels in a row of five wilted. I think it was because it didn't get hit with enough water in the raised bed. Raised beds are great, but the water seems to drain out faster. Not good in a drought.

Anyway I'm going to dig around it tomorrow and see if I can find anything wrong with the roots.

Well, it wasn't getting any better, so I just cut it off at the base. If something grows back that is fine, but it doesn't look good. All the caterpillars were moved over to the healthy fennels and are munching away.

My wilted fennel had a bunch of aphids. The four other fennels had none. Not even one that I could find.

So the question is; did it get aphids because it was stressed from not having enough water, or did it wilt because it had aphids? Probably some of both because I know it wasn't getting enough water. Which ever -- it's in the compost pile now.

Oh the mysteries of plant life ... and death.

Happy gardening anyway! :-)

I looked for bugs on my fennel No aphids, only three large swallowtail caterpillars munching on wilted foliage. I moved those to another fennel with much fresher foliage. The soil was moist from all the rain, but not soggy. I don't think I will ever figure out why it died. Yeah, I'll just have to find something else to plant around in that area, but it will have to be something that will attract butterflies. ;-) Maybe I will try Rue. I read that swallowtails will also use Rue as a host plant . . .

Yes, they will love the rue.

You say the plants are 3 - 4 years old. For a plant that doesn't spread much, do you think it may just have reached the end of it's life span? Seems I remember losing them like that.