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13-01-2007, 08:51 AM
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 Romanesco cauli/broccoli? Has anyone grown those 'fractal' type Romanesco cauli's? What do they taste/grow like? Are they cauli's or are they broccoli?
__________________ Manda. "Wouldn't it be nice For maybe an hour To not have a care."      |
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13-01-2007, 11:05 AM
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| Yes sbp - by accident, I was given some 'cauliflower' seedlings by a lottie neighbour! Fine - more like brocc than cauliflower IMO - the texture is firmer than cauli. No idea, expert please!  They are a pretty brassica, but if I grow them again it'll be another happy accident 
__________________ SSx not every situation requires a big onion Last edited by supersprout; 13-01-2007 at 11:06 AM. |
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13-01-2007, 01:24 PM
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| So SS you wouldn't recommend growing them again? Why not please? I am still undecided about whether to get some seed and our growing space is limited.
__________________ Manda. "Wouldn't it be nice For maybe an hour To not have a care." |
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13-01-2007, 01:33 PM
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| Only because we don't eat much cabbage except purple sprouting broccoli, the occasional cauli and Chinese cabbage. I set 6-7 seed of cauli 'all year round' every two or three weeks in the growing season, which more than satisfies family demand. Romanesco is a beautiful plant, but it just won't get eaten! Instead of hearting cabbage we grow couve tronchuda, a primitive loose leafed cabbage (much loved in Portugal) from which we harvest individual leaves from June through to April  - three plants are enough to supply us all winter long!
__________________ SSx not every situation requires a big onion Last edited by supersprout; 13-01-2007 at 01:35 PM. |
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13-01-2007, 01:38 PM
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| Thanks SS. Slightly ott, how do you protect your brassicas (ooh err!)?
__________________ Manda. "Wouldn't it be nice For maybe an hour To not have a care." |
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13-01-2007, 02:15 PM
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| I set aside one bed for brassicas and use fine mesh covers, pegged down with long wire staples at the side. This photo was taken when I grew a whole bed of cabbage by mistake, but shows the trusty tennis-ball-and-cane method 
__________________ SSx not every situation requires a big onion |
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13-01-2007, 02:28 PM
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| Yeah, we've used a very similar method in the past. Last year was a total disaster brassica-wise, so I think we'll be returning to homemade enviromesh 'cages'. Nice photos btw. Out of interest how do you mistakenly grow a whole bed of cabbage? 
__________________ Manda. "Wouldn't it be nice For maybe an hour To not have a care." Last edited by smallblueplanet; 13-01-2007 at 02:29 PM. |
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13-01-2007, 02:51 PM
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| Thank you sbp LOL <ashamedsmiley> cabbage plug plants were 5p each at the nursery shop www.organicplants.co.uk I didn't protect the couve tronchuda at all because the plants were on the end of a bed. They were chewed to fragments by Cabbage Whites in the summer, but had recovered beautifully by October.
__________________ SSx not every situation requires a big onion Last edited by supersprout; 13-01-2007 at 02:54 PM. |
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13-01-2007, 05:25 PM
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| "but shows the trusty tennis-ball-and-cane method" I was intrigued with this-- What do you do?- Is it a tennis ball at each end of the upright cane and another cane into same tennis ball and then do I put the Fleece over this? I am still learning!-- |
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13-01-2007, 06:41 PM
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| hi kathie, yes, it's as simple as that. I use tennis balls from the Poundshop, slice a hole in them, and stick canes into them. Then the mesh goes over the top (I rarely use fleece) to protect them from egg laying Cabbage White butterflies, and the edges are pinned down with metal staples (shape of a U with long legs - you can make them out of wire coat hangers). This year I'll experiment with alkathene (wide bore) pipe hooped over short sticks to see how that works. The tennis ball method worked for me - if you google 'build-a-balls' <keeps straight face> they are a similar thing, but cost a small fortune
__________________ SSx not every situation requires a big onion Last edited by supersprout; 13-01-2007 at 06:42 PM. |
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13-01-2007, 07:43 PM
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| You can also use empty mineral water bottles on the end of upright cane sticks to stop the netting falling down the canes.
__________________ [ |
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13-01-2007, 08:13 PM
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| Quote:
Here's another hint, when I visit the lottie I usually buy a few cup-cakes to have with my coffee.(they're exceedingly good!) They come in little aluminium holders. Any cane in the lottie with a dangerous looking end gets a holder pinched onto the top of it! Stops you poking your eyes out, and the reflective surface acts as a bird scarer! 
__________________ My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE) |
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13-01-2007, 08:16 PM
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| Quote:
__________________ Manda. "Wouldn't it be nice For maybe an hour To not have a care." |
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13-01-2007, 08:17 PM
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| I've bought some Romanesco seeds back in the autumn as it looked pretty, I'm very compulsive when it comes to buying seeds. Bought some netting today to protect my brassicas, it was only a couple of quid from Wilkinsons. I was going to use canes and yoghurt pots.
__________________ Bex  |
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13-01-2007, 08:21 PM
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| I'm also compulsive about seed-buying, I especially like buying 'foreign' seed packs (seems exotic!). What type of romanesco are they, and from where?
__________________ Manda. "Wouldn't it be nice For maybe an hour To not have a care." |
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13-01-2007, 08:27 PM
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| Wilko's doesn't sound exotic either! lol! But they always have a good deal or two.... the little actimel pots would make good cane-tops.
__________________ Manda. "Wouldn't it be nice For maybe an hour To not have a care." |
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13-01-2007, 08:30 PM
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| That was cheap and they are really nice french beans.
__________________ [ |
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13-01-2007, 08:32 PM
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| Indeed. Blue Lake used to be our fave climbing bean when we lived in Derbyshire. But here in the Vale of Pewsey they just don't seem to like the growing conditions.  Looking for a.n.other climbing french bean this year, might try Cobra.
__________________ Manda. "Wouldn't it be nice For maybe an hour To not have a care." |
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13-01-2007, 08:36 PM
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| Oh poo! we live miles from the nearest Wilko's (39pfor a gravel tray last year) so I'll have to mail order.
__________________ Manda. "Wouldn't it be nice For maybe an hour To not have a care." |
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14-01-2007, 11:53 AM
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| Have grown these a couple of times and think they taste fantastic, more 'buttery' than your usual broccoli; downside is that it can be very difficult to see caterpillers hiding in the heads (not a pretty sight seeing them floating in the cooking water, yuk!). Fleece is essential IMHO.... I think the Real Seed Catalogue does a variety that can be autumn sown, maybe they wouldn't suffer in the same way. That said, I'd definitely give them a go for the flavour. |
