The PSB appreciation society

[shirlthegirl43]

The huge fluffy calabrese clumps you buy in the shops bear no comparison. (Don't know why they persist in calling this broccoli?)

My home grown calabrese was delish (what the bugs didn't get to first anyway) and the shoots now look like PSB only green - been very productive. Have hardly bought any 'brocolli' in the shops lately. Next task is to totally eliminate flutterbys from the brocolli patch this year - I netted last year but some plants managed to grow against the net and got attacked!

[Burnzie]

Love PSB. I dont grow it on the lottie but always grow half a dozen plants in my back garden. Nice and handy when you want to snip a few shoots for a stir fry.

Burnzie

[rustylady]

I've sown summer sprouting purple broccoli from Suttons today in cell trays. Supposed to mature in June/July - we'll see.

[The Reverend]

Rustylady, i grew this last year.
But you must very vigilant, one day they don't seem quite ready, but the next day they have started flowering. But very nice if you just catch them right.

[bramble]

Hi Shirl, have you tried Romanesco. It has lighter coloured leaves and is not as strong tasting. Also, theres another one on the marked(dont know the name, it is a cauliflower and brocolli crossed. It also has a much milder taste.

[Two_Sheds]

It is one of those veggies that when sold in the shops is always expensive,limp and tasteless!

my Scumerfield had a small bag of sorry stumps, all limp, for a quid. I'll have to wait a few weeks for my own, but the Calabrese is still shooting so that'll do for now

[JennieAtkinson]

Rustylady, i grew this last year.
But you must very vigilant, one day they don't seem quite ready, but the next day they have started flowering. But very nice if you just catch them right.

I would echo that ........ missed some of mine last year and they went very quickly to seed.

[Jardiniere]

They dont seem to sell purple sprouting broccoli here in this part of france - so will buy some in March when in engerland - perhaps you cant gow it here...cant see anyreason why not tho - have grown the normal stuff - not very successfully but got some.....it was like green sprouting broccoli not real heads................

[veg4681]

I've sown summer sprouting purple broccoli from Suttons today in cell trays. Supposed to mature in June/July - we'll see.

A bit confused here about PSB. The seeds I've got requires a much longer growing period like grow this year to eat next year but I gather there is a variety that you can sow and eat in the same year. Is this the Broccoli Annual Summer Sprouting?

[Cutecumber]

Broccoli takes longer to grow than Calabrese, especially the tradtional Purple Sprouting types which are designed to crop in the winter and spring. They may take up space for a long time but they are a very useful crop.

Even the relatively new varieties of summer broccoli (like annual summer sprouting or bordeaux or spike etc) take longer than calabrese. They are usually the traditional PSB crossed with oriental brassicas. The flavours are a bit different.

[lainey lou]

Please can I join, LOVE the stuff, will be off to the lottie later to pick some for tea!

[nemo]

we grew bordeaux f1 beautiful we are well and truly hooked

[PHubbard]

PSB is my most favourite veg but I also get rather impatient! There is new summer cropping psb is on the Marshalls website called Summer Purple - should crop from late June from a spring sowing. Let me know if anyone tries it.