Florence fennel advise

[Marb67]

I have last years sown Florence fennel in pots that have got leggy as nowhere to plant out due to lack of space. If I get them into containers will they swell in time for a harvest ease?

[ameno]

Those plants are not "leggy", they are bolting.
Once they start bolting, there is no going back. They will not swell.

You probably sowed them at the wrong time of year, anyway. Florence fennel need sowing in March for an early crop or July for a late one. Sow them in between and they will always bolt, as they are sensitive to day length, and the longer days make them flower.
Of course, drought stress will also make them bolt, even outside of their usual flowering time, so they need lots of water. In small pots, they will almost certainly never get enough, no matter how much you try to water them.

Sow some more in July.

[Marb67]

Its a shame to waster the plants though. Wouldn't they swell if I chopped them down before they bolt any more ? If not, surely they are good for using the foliage in salad

[ameno]

Bolting cannot be stopped. It's like a biological switch. If you cut the flower stem down, it will just sprout a new one.

You can still use the leaves as you would for normal herb fennel, though, yes.

[Marb67]

Bolting cannot be stopped. It's like a biological switch. If you cut the flower stem down, it will just sprout a new one.

You can still use the leaves as you would for normal herb fennel, though, yes.

Is it too late to sow more ?

[Containergardener]

I've sowed more