Fennel - late season variety frost-hardy?

[Yasminh14]

So this is my first post, and I wanted to ask if anyone has tried growing a variety of Florence fennel called Di Sarno? The reason I bought this is that it is described as a late variety which should be sown in Sept/Oct for harvesting Nov-Jan, and I wanted a later supply of fennel. If it is for harvesting so late into the winter, then I am supposing it should be frost-hardy. However, after 4 nights of pretty hard frost where we are, it is not looking quite as good as I'd hoped. Some of the bulbs are now big enough to harvest, but others are still on the small side, so I'm not sure whether to leave them in or not. If anyone's grown this variety before I'd be grateful to hear your experience.

[bearded bloke]

Sorry no idea about that variety,hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be along soon,in the meantime ...... Hello & welcome

[rustylady]

Not grown that particular variety, but you could try covering them with cloches or fleece to provide some protection from frost.

[Two_Sheds]

should be sown in Sept/Oct for harvesting Nov-Jan,

Di Sarno Fennel

It says to "SOW: June to September" and harvest from Nov onwards. So a June sowing might be ready in Nov, but a Sept sowing wouldn't even start growing until March ~ nothing really grows in the dark short days of winter

[Yasminh14]

Thanks for your answers, I've not been able to log on for a couple of days.

Two Sheds - thanks, Original Touch is where I bought these. Although it says June-Oct under sowing instructions, it says in the blurb above that part: "best sown during September and October for harvest November to January". I sowed these in September, and as I mentioned in my original post some of the bulbs are now big enough to harvest, but some are on the small side and I wondered whether I should leave them where they are or harvest. I didn't really want to harvest it all at once and have to eat fennel non-stop! Would be good to leave them in to harvest as and when I want them, even if they don't grown much more. But was worried about the effects of frost.

However I decided to harvest a couple of the smaller bulbs to use in a soup as they seemed the most frost-damaged. In fact, only the outer layer was a bit damaged, inside they were fine. As it has now turned a lot milder, I think I'll leave the rest for now and see how they get on. With any luck they may turn out to last until January.