Purple Sprouting Broccoli

~Chameleon~

I was under the impression that PSB wasn't usually ready to harvest until spring?

Well, much to my surprise and asonishment, some of mine have decided to sprout early!!! :eek:

These were only put in the ground about 6 weeks ago as small seedlings but have since shot up to over 2 feet high and several now have little purple-headed stems

I wonder if it's due to the strange weather we're having this year!

WestonDave

You haven't been feeding them on that mutant manure have you? Certainly doesn't sound normal but will be interesting to see how long it crops for - maybe it thinks its late! You might get a second crop planted at this rate!

zarazara

I think they think its winter. the miserable weather! some of my mountain ash saplings have yellow leaves on them too. I know I feel like its autumn.............

Pink.

Hi Chameleon,

It isn't summer purple sprouting broccoli is it? I have some of this in and it sounds like yours, but I have no sprouts yet.

Pink

~Chameleon~

Pink-winged wrote: »

Hi Chameleon,

It isn't summer purple sprouting broccoli is it? I have some of this in and it sounds like yours, but I have no sprouts yet.

Pink

I have absolutely no idea Pink, and to be honest I didn't even know there was such a thing!

I didn't actually sow these myself but bought a tray of seedlings from the local nursery as I thought I'd left it too late to sow any this year so now you have me wondering :think:


WestonDave -the only "fertiliser" that's gone on that plot is my own HM compost otherwise you would have me wondering about mutant crops :rotfl:

Well, it's certainly a nice surprise and I can't wait to sample some :j Will make up for the disappoinment with my spuds getting blight and losing my pea crops to rust :rolleyes:

~Chameleon~

zarazara wrote: »

I know I feel like its autumn.............

It's horrible isn't it. This cold, wet weather is making me feel quite depressed and wishing I was on a sunny beach somewhere hot. Can't believe it's not even mid-July yet!!!!

pompeii

I planted some seeds in a trough last autumn kept it covered with fleece and it did not do much. 5 weedy looking little plants. By june all of them were huge and i decided to chance moving them into some raised beds where they have continued to grow huge, this week i noticed one of them has sprouted. I am so excited but not sure how long to leave it befor picking it, then what? will it continue producing.

Also i am finding it really hard to get my next lot of seeds to germinate. Is Purple Broccoli hard to germinate, any hints? Of the last lot of seeds sewn only 3 have germinated after 5-6 weeks.

~Chameleon~

pompeii wrote: »

Is Purple Broccoli hard to germinate, any hints? Of the last lot of seeds sewn only 3 have germinated after 5-6 weeks.

To be honest, I have no idea. I've had some seeds for 2 years now but the first year I didn't bother as I hadn't prepared enough ground to plant them on and this year I thought I'd left it too late so I bought a tray of seedlings from the nursery instead.

katskorner

It could be wok-brocc, a summer variety that has a really long cropping period but you can succession sow it throughout the summer. Great stuff - I love it but mine isn't ready yet!

PSB is easy to get going but protect from pigeons as they love it and will ruin any brassicas they can get to! Net or fleece or lose it!