Purple Spruting Broccoli

Morning everyone. I don't often post here, but after having some purple sprouting broccoli the other day with dinner and seeing the extortionate prices the supermarkets charge, I fancy having a go at growing some myself.

Few questions though -

1) Is it too late to sow it for this year (I understand its usually grown as a winter vegetable)?
2) How easy is it to grow from seed?
3) What sort of soil conditions are needed?
4) Could it be grown in a pot or planter as I have NO room left in the garden for vegetables, only a sunny patio!

Thanks in advance

And yes, I have mis-spelt sprouting in the title!

 

I have grown it a couple of times and shared a fair bit with the caterpillars as well. It did not seem any more difficult to grow then normal broccoli.

I have never grown it in pots though.

 

I sowed seed about last May and planted out in March and it is still neither purple or sprouting yet and recently has been nibbled to the leaf stems (I suspect mice) after suffering a late summer attack from cabbage white caterpillar and a cunning stealth caterpillar :( which was the same colour green as the leaves and hard to spot. They are easy to grow from seed but are almost the same size as brussel sprout plants so on the large side for containers but I'm sure it could be done. Due to it's slow growing and size, I'm not sure that I would bother again unless I'm pleasantly surprised by it's eventual cropping.

 

Thanks for the replies so far. Doesn't sound as though growing in pots would be feasible (unless I use lots of pots!). Shame, I really don't have the room or soil here to plant them in the garden :(

I assume they need decent soil with good drainage (as opposed to clay that gets really damp, with not enough sunshine, which is the only area of the garden where they could go)?

 

Sounds like a no then. I'll wait until I get an allotment. Thanks for the advice though.

 

Ive just eaten the last of mine and it was delicious, never had it before its so much nicer than normal broccoli!

Does anyone know if the plant needs to be removed now or will it continue to produce?

 

I think you'll get "spring greens" when it sprouts, in the spring

 

I got a great crop a few years back - was giving away carrier bags full to friends and neigbours. Beginner's luck! Next two years was not so good and then my knee went so was reduced to actually paying a man to come in and keep the garden tidy for me!

Last June I actually managed to plant a few rows again and they came on well despite the snack attact from critters unknown. They looked a bit raggedy but the tops looked like they would come good eventually.

Only sometime in November, my gardener went and pulled them all up!

However, I still cherish the hope that once I've got my new knee and can get at the garden again, my havannah will be accomplished in swathes of beautiful green and purple and I shall again be able to laugh mockingly at the pathetic trays of sprouts costing £2 a handful!

Can you tell it's my favouritest veg evah! :luv: :gnthb: :rotfl:

 

Bought half a pound of it in the market on Saturday for £1.25. Not sure if that is good value or not, but we thoroughly enjoyed it yesterday with the Sunday roast.

 

does anyone know the answer?

 

Yes, Andy, look at Kristens` post.:gnthb::hehe:

 

If you just pick short stalks that you need to cook,more flowers shoot and they keep coming for ages.I have always thought it very wasteful the way Farmers pick them. the tough bits are cut off before we cook them anyway

 

Aaron, I most certainly hope it isn`t too late I have a pack of seeds ready and willing.


I have mixed borders and although I have set aside a patch I will also be using it in these borders.


They are going in where the daffodils left off in my garden, and as a veggie they have to take or I will be most displeased.