Mahoosive purple sprouting broccoli plant

[Alison]

Thankfully mine's not ready yet, don't want it until next spring as too many other things now . I always prefer to pick mine as little spears though, more tender and tasty.

[BertieFox]

Is this a summer purple sprouting variety such as 'Summer Purple' (T&M) or a spring variety. If the latter it is bizarre for it to be heading now as it usually needs a cold period before flowering in early spring.

Of course you need to start harvesting it now if it is flowering as the heads will not stand through winter. It would be wonderful if you can take the main head now and then get the sideshoots in the late winter and early spring.

But the summer types won't last, judging from what ours have done.

[Bigmallly]

I would have thought that because the plant wants to make seed, it will carry on until it succeeds.......... or like you say, burns itself out.

[Noosner]

Is this a summer purple sprouting variety such as 'Summer Purple' (T&M) or a spring variety. If the latter it is bizarre for it to be heading now as it usually needs a cold period before flowering in early spring.

Of course you need to start harvesting it now if it is flowering as the heads will not stand through winter. It would be wonderful if you can take the main head now and then get the sideshoots in the late winter and early spring.

But the summer types won't last, judging from what ours have done.

Thanks Bertie. It is called Rudolph Extra Early. But it is meant to sprout in January, not November!

I have 3 other plants and they haven't shot ahead to the same degree as this one, though on the next tallest one (4' rather than 5') you can see it starting to head up at the top, and also see the sideshoots starting.

Perhaps all this is to do with it being an 'Extra Early' variety. The mild conditions have perhaps made it extra, extra early! I am a bit surprised that it has grown so tall, though.

[Bigmallly]

My Rudolph is only about 2ft high at the mo.............lucky you.

[Snadger]

I too have a PSB forest! If you go down to the woods today..........

I haven't checked my plants for a few days but I bet I could give Noosners plants a run for their money height-wise!

I grew plants from a mixed batch of early and late seed. The early batch were finished and eaten about 2 months ago but the lates have just kept growing and growing.

[Penellype]

I grow the bog standard Early Purple, which normally starts producing in March. I noticed the other day when I was at my friend's that one of the plants there which is planted in the sun (mine are in 100% shade) actually had a very very small purple central head forming. I've never seen it this early, but then I've never given it sun before.

I tend to find the central head is big, and the side shoots get smaller and smaller as time goes on until they are almost not worth bothering with, by which time I usually need the space for something else anyway.

[Noosner]

I too have a PSB forest! If you go down to the woods today..........

I haven't checked my plants for a few days but I bet I could give Noosners plants a run for their money height-wise!

I grew plants from a mixed batch of early and late seed. The early batch were finished and eaten about 2 months ago but the lates have just kept growing and growing.

Ooh glad to hear there are some other giants out there, Snadger!!

I think mine have at least finished putting on height now... otherwise Triffids are what come to mind.

[BertieFox]

Thanks Bertie. It is called Rudolph Extra Early. But it is meant to sprout in January, not November!

Like its namesake in the song, perhaps it will 'go down in history'.

[Snow]

Wish I had some now. But then again, I know I have something to look forward to eventually.
Mine went in very late, sowed at end of June beginning of in July!
But they are healthy, happy plants, about 2.5ft tall at the moment. I planted them in a no-dig bed and a lot of the newspaper has already rotted down, and the area is teeming with happy little worms (some quite big, actually).

[Noosner]

Must say, I'm getting quite excited about the harvesting of the spears. It seems a lot of Grapes grow this stuff... there must be a reason for that! Even before tasting it, I'm thinking I'll grow it again next year.

[Penellype]

I love broccoli, and the home grown stuff tastes so much better than shop bought. Its also great to have something nice fresh from the garden in early spring when you've eaten all the leeks and there is still a long wait for the peas, courgettes, tomatoes etc. I wouldn't be without it, even though it takes up a lot of space.

[hamamelis]

I would have thought that because the plant wants to make seed, it will carry on until it succeeds.......... or like you say, burns itself out.

Saying that, I'm waiting with interest to see what one of my PSB plants does; it wasn't very big this spring, and when it gave up flowering some time in June (after I'd picked quite a bit from it) it still looked OK, unlike the other plants, which all looked dead or virtually so, so I left it in. It's now bigger than all this year's plants, and looks perfectly healthy...

Will I get a second year's crop from it? One way to find out!