Purple Sprouting Broccoli (PSB)

[kathyd]

You all seem to be sowing this very early! I have some 'Early Purple' and 'Later Purple' sprouting broccoli seeds from the Real Seed Catalogue both of which say to sow May or early June...

[mudpies]

What a good idea to put in after the spuds, last year I didn't think of that and that bit of ground was empty for so long. I also am enjoying some PSB now, but am ashamed to admit I got fed up with it doing nothing and pulled most of it up to feed the sheep in feb - live and learn, glad Ididn't pull all of it up!

[Tripmeup]

Yep,date wise it works out well with when many other veg are/can be harvested
Just have it ready to go or even buy plugs if not organised enough...then get ready for a long wait!!

[Capsid]

I was able to sow mine around July/August time last year and planted them where my spuds had been. The variety I grew is Claret which should be sown in June according to the packet.

[jackyspratty]

This is my forst year eating home grown PSB, I have a lotty bed full. Yum!! When does it tend to stop? I was planning to put my roots in after, parsnips and celeriac, but it just seems to be going on and on......not that Im complaining! Just wondering generally when it stops producing and I can whip it out! It got going quite late really, prob mid march for harvesting?

[Two_Sheds]

You all seem to be sowing this very early!

I don't sow mine until May/June either

What a good idea to put in after the spuds

You'll need to stamp the soil down though, brassicas need a firm bed. On my loose sandy soil, they always fall over in the wind, despite earthing up and stamping down

Just wondering generally when it stops producing

It's got a very short season, only a couple of weeks (unless you sow early-mid-late varieties for a prolonged crop)

[jackyspratty]

Yep I did sow different varieteies I think, but got them muddled up!!! Thanks TS

[Two_Sheds]

muddled? I didn't even know I had PSB this year, there were no labels anywhere. It was a lovely surprise when the sprouts appeared

[roitelet]

i have a problem with PSB as it gets too cold here. Last year about July I think I threw some seed in, and I do mean threw it in. The plants didn't get as big as usual but most did survive the cold, -17C. Didn't get a huge crop but I did get some. I will try the same sowing this year and because it stays small I will be able to fleece it

[Loudbarker1]

could I sow PSB after something else has been pulled...sorry, harvested...in summer, or would that be too late for a spring harvest next year?

My plan is to sow in a month or so and then plant out white SB, early PSB and late PSB all after my autumn sown broad beans have been harvested to give a nice little succession from (say) late Feb to late april next year.

[Potstubsdustbins]

If you want early PSB such as Summer Purple you should have put the seed down by late Feb early March. This is not sowing early it is the correct time for this particular variety. It will then produce one of the earliest PSB with a harvest begining July in some place's.

As to the length of the harvest this can vary (weather dependent) but in a good year 2 to 3 months is not unusual.

Colin

[Farmer_Gyles]

You all seem to be sowing this very early! I have some 'Early Purple' and 'Later Purple' sprouting broccoli seeds from the Real Seed Catalogue both of which say to sow May or early June...

i have rudolph - sow april to june, harvest january to march
i also have summer purple, sow january to march, harvest june to september
plus various green broccoli / calabrese ..... all year round crop!

[Snadger]

i have rudolph - sow april to june, harvest january to march
i also have summer purple, sow january to march, harvest june to september
plus various green broccoli / calabrese ..... all year round crop!

Mine is Rudolph, but with the recent snow it seems to be a couple of month behind!

[dawndaisy]

I am now enjoying PSB that I sowed in june last year, in pots, then planted into my allotment in August/sept. I wont bother sowing it any earlier this year, either. I sowed it at the same time as kale, caulis and savoys which all did well.

[Aberdeenplotter]

First year I had a plot I sowed PSB. It sat in my plot a whole year and then just before it was ready to harvest, it was eaten by lovely bambi type(growllll) roe deer. Never grown it again.