PSB - help....

[si'sraisedbed]

Hi all,

I have been reading up on PSB. I was about to pull it all up as have had nothing from it but was persuaded not to. I notice in another thread that you need to pick the top, central head and this will start off the sprouts as side shoots. My problem is that there is no central head, just normal growing tip, but side shoots are coming out fom the joints between the leaf and stalk. These are just leave though, not PSB shoots. Should I just cut off the growing tip and hope for the best? Or give up on the lot as was my first instinct? Before you ask, I don't know if early or late as don't have the packet any more and didn't write it down.

[zazen999]

Hi
When did you sow it? My PSB sown before Oct last year is just coming good now for picking. Is there any chance of a photo?

[Cutecumber]

You just have to wait I'm afraid. All good things, as it were.

In some PSB varieties, the side shoots come at the same time as the central head so there's no need to take the main head out until you want to eat it.

Claret, a late variety, is one example - I have harvested a good size central head and several side shoots together just this week. Of the five types I have tried it seems to be the F1s which produce simultaneously, the older varieties are a bit more staggered.

If you can't wait then you'll have to pull the whole plant out but then you have to ask yourself why you bothered to grow it in the first place.

[Flummery]

I took out (and ate!) the central shoots of mine only a few weeks back. They are now coming thick and fast from the sides. I'm always really grateful for good tasty crops at this time of year and love PSB. You could hurry things along by cutting the leader out - it'll turn into a flower shoot eventually but taking it out will put the plant's energy into side shoots a bit sooner. Try an early variety next year if it others you to have a crop in the ground now.

[allotmentlady]

PSB???? what is it sorry for being thick.........

[jacob marley]

PSB???? what is it sorry for being thick.........

Purple Sprouting Brocill and mine is just getting into gear jacobi

[allotmentlady]

Thanks Jacob.............feel a bit daft now lol.......

[Cutecumber]

For future reference - i.e. this year's growing ...

PSB needs to be sown in late spring/ early summer and planted before the autumn sets in. Different varieties crop at different times - there are early, mid and late season types - but you need to sow them at the same time - they will figure out when they want to crop!

Don't leave sowing and planting too late or you won't get the best from the plants.