Purple sprouting broccoli - what do we do now before winter?

*miaomiao*

Hello folks!

First year gardeners here! Now that things are coming to a close (well, they will be in the next month and a half or so), we are beginning to plan what we need to do to our beds to prepare them for winter.

We're confused about what to do with our Early Purple Sprouting Broccoli plants. We planted them out in April, they have flowered and produced some broccoli for us and now they are beginning to slow down. So, what do we do now?

Will they keep producing broccoli into the winter and even next spring? Or should we pull them out now that they have finished?

Any and all advice welcomed!

Thanks!

angelavdavis

You shouldn't really let it go to seed if you want it to produce more, usually it produces more if you pick regularly and don't let it run to seed. You then need to give it a feed so it keep produces. With the hotter than usual spring weather it might have run to seed faster than usual.

Alys Fowler had a feature on these last weekend:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/aug/19/alys-fowler-purple-sprouting-broccoli

To be honest, it sounds like it might be exhausted now so might need composting. If some of the plants haven't produced, then you best feed them up and leave until spring or replace using some plug plants.

angelavdavis

I am sure that others may well join in the thread with some thoughts, but I have just come across this article and it specifically says that one the plant goes to seed it stops producing, so it might be worth shopping around for some plug plants:

http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/home-grown-purple-sprouting-broccoli-282

*miaomiao*

Thanks for that, Angela.

Ours haven't gone to seed, we've had them for more than 6 months and they were planted from plugs so they are now more than 4ft tall. I suppose what we really need to know is are the plants finished now and should be pulled out or do they make more broccoli in the winter? Should we pull them out and compost them now? .

angelavdavis

If you have cropped from them, I would pull them up now.

Incidentally, if you want to plant some more - I got an email this afternoon from Mr F who are advertising half price veg plants including purple sprouting broccolli

You have delivery on top, but still not a bad price.

STOCKWIRE

*miaomiao* wrote: »

Thanks for that, Angela.

Ours haven't gone to seed, we've had them for more than 6 months and they were planted from plugs so they are now more than 4ft tall. I suppose what we really need to know is are the plants finished now and should be pulled out or do they make more broccoli in the winter? Should we pull them out and compost them now? .

It could have been summer sprouting. I planted both and the summer is sprouting now and should carry on for another couple of weeks.

*miaomiao*

The wonderful garden centre near us told us on an unplanned visit today that we should pull them up after they stop producing. HTH others!