Talkback: Purple-sprouting passion - Talkback

21/10/2007 at 12:34

I've got the same problem, three foot tall excellent plants but no flower heads and its november now any advice welcome.

Gardeners' World Web User

22/10/2007 at 19:51

Early purple sprouting is worth the effort and will overwinter perfectly well (I live in the north) however, it needs staking well and the ground compacted around the roots to prevent the plants being blown over in the winter gales. You will be picking the tender shoots early next year when greens are at a premium, mmm tasty lightly steamed but they don't stay purple when cooked but turn green.

Gardeners' World Web User

23/10/2007 at 08:25

Hi Pam and Dave,

The thing is with purple sprouting broccoli is that you grow it for one summer until it's enormous, Stake it to see it through windy autumn, then it sits there all spring and produces masses of edible shoots as soon as the weather warms up in spring. The bigger the plants the better the crop! So sit back on your laurels and wait for spring - it's worth it!

Gardeners' World Web User

31/10/2007 at 14:17

I am eating the leaves as can't wait for the heads.

Gardeners' World Web User

26/02/2008 at 10:23

mryland comments about eating the leaves of broccoli makes me now wonder if the plot-holder next to mine was pulling my leg when stating one does not eat the leaves of Broccoli..was he pulling my leg?

Gardeners' World Web User

03/03/2008 at 22:30

I have been picking the leaves to eat for months as they themselves are delicious and I'm not dead yet. I only picked about 2-3 nice young leaves from each plant each time as I hear you should not remove the leaf, the plants haven't suffered as I wasn't greedy.

Gardeners' World Web User

31/05/2010 at 09:45

Can you eat the leaves off the young plants then? I have grown too many and must get rid of some and cannot find enough people to give them to...

Gardeners' World Web User

07/11/2010 at 09:22

hi pam one of my purple sprouting Broccoli gave off its veg in summer the rest came in winter and then if you leave it in the ground all winter (start of spring) Then catapillars move in and you can't get them to move out!

Gardeners' World Web User

28/11/2011 at 18:29

Hi, Just a line for some advice on sprouting broccoli I seeded some last spring, and they are now tall but even though they have threatened to sprout, no luck! Will they sprout in the cold months? They look very healthy, but as this is my first year on the allotment, unsure of their progress and their ability to overwinter. Any comments welcome.

Your say

Terms and Conditions | Code of Conduct

Email me when a response is made?