[wolveryeti]

I planted some Florence fennel in May and it is now throwing up flowering spikes and has not noticeably bulbed up. Is there any point cutting back the spikes to encourage bulbing, or should I just compost the lot and plant something else?

[New shoot]

It won't bulb now, so unless you want some seeds for cooking with, I would pull it out and plant something else.

I grow Finale fennel and that almost never bolts, if you want another go next year 

[JayG]

The leaves can be used as a replacement for herb fennel, so not a total loss.

I've noted New Shoot's variety advice myself, as the varieties I've tried nearly always bolt if sown as early as May (I don't sow until late June/early July.)

[wolveryeti]

Thanks New shoot and JayG - I suspect you're right. I wonder if the May cold snap made them think they had gone through a winter already. I will check Finale out - slow bolting sounds good!

[Ema]

We’ve had such a good summer I am not surprised.

I’ve had good success with sowing a row early and then using the bulbs while small for salads, then a second row later on in the yard for soups.

I’m trying not to sow F1s to allow me to save as many seed as possible at home, although I they can have benefits

[New shoot]

I have just checked my diary on here and the fennel was sown 12th March into modules.  A couple of seeds per module that I thinned to a single seedling.  They got planted out on the plot 3rd May.  This is a variety that will stand very early sowing and it coped with the odd weather this year no problem at all.  I did water it over the really dry spell, when it got a really good soak once a week,

Link to daily harvest where I posted a piccy of the first few bulbs

https://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=129358.msg1537296#msg1537296

I have a follow on crop that got planted out a week or so ago.  I think I sowed them mid July ... ish    I had plenty of seeds and some space on the plot, so thought I would try for another crop