Sprouting Broccoli

[emilymup]

We got a new allotment mid-summer last year and as I didn't have anything to plant I bought a few brassica plants (100!!) from Suttons and planted them out when they were delivered - late august all under enviromesh - yes it did cost me a small fortune

The cabbages - excel and spring hero seem to be doing well as do the cauliflowers - mayfair. The purple and white sprouting broccoli also look very healthy and have spread to make big plants except they are only a few inches high - will they have a massive growth spurt once the weather warms up a little to give me lovely shoots from mid-march onwards?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - thank you

[FionaH]

I do hope so, cos I am waiting for the same thing to happen lol

[emilymup]

glad i'm not the only one then!!

[Farmer_Gyles]

pigeons destroyed all my overwintering brassicas except the caulis cos they were in a cold frame .......... put some sort of cage / netting over yours to protect them!

[Two_Sheds]

My PSB are about 3 foot high, and producing lots of lovely buds right now.

[gojiberry]

If your PSB is only a couple of inches high I don't think you will get a very big crop as they should be like two sheds and be at least a couple of foot high. I put mine in to early last year and they started shooting last sept so don't know if I will get anything come spring.


Ian

[emilymup]

My PSB are about 3 foot high, and producing lots of lovely buds right now.

Hi Two Sheds!! When did you plant yours out? I was sent them from suttons at "exactly the right time to plant" and apparently the white psb should be ready from mid-march and the purple from early april. They are covered with enviromesh and are in lovely soil at the lottie. Do you think they may catch up?

[emilymup]

pigeons destroyed all my overwintering brassicas except the caulis cos they were in a cold frame .......... put some sort of cage / netting over yours to protect them!

Hi farmer gyles! Yes I did cover my brassicas with enviromesh over some hoops made from that blue water pipe! Yes - did cost me loads

[Two_Sheds]

Hi Two Sheds!! When did you plant yours out? ... Do you think they may catch up?

I sowed mine in April, planted out (let me check my notes) 10th July.

Sadly, I don't think yours will catch up ... they don't really grow much in this weather.
Better luck this year ... you win some, you lose some (I had a pathetic leek crop, myself)

[emilymup]

Just rang suttons! Don't quite know what happened and neither do they! However, they want me to ring back in a couple of months and let them know whats happening! The plants came packed in little bags and were not put in pots so deffo not root bound. Maybe I will go up today and dig one up and see whats happening down below! Two sheds has got me a teeny bit green with envy! Was so looking forward to psb!!

Hope you get something from your crop gojiberry!

[Two_Sheds]

Two sheds has got me a teeny bit green with envy! Was so looking forward to psb

Yeah, but 2 years ago I lost the whole crop to pigeons because I didn't net them (actually they stand on net and peck through the holes ~ chimneys made of chicken wire work better)

[butter fingers]

I planted around 30 broccolli plantlets last year and only about 6 have survived so far, 3 are arond a foot or so high and the rest look like tiny weeds,Of the 3 good ones i have yet to see if they survived last weeks heavy frosts, so im now not expecting a broccolli bonanza harvest.

[emilymup]

I planted around 30 broccolli plantlets last year and only about 6 have survived so far, 3 are arond a foot or so high and the rest look like tiny weeds,Of the 3 good ones i have yet to see if they survived last weeks heavy frosts, so im now not expecting a broccolli bonanza harvest.

Sorry to hear that butter fingers - hopefully your 3 plants will produce enough for a few meals at least!!

In desperation - yes I am becoming obsessed - I went up to the lottie and measured! the psb . They are about 9 inches high and looking really healthy so hopefully all is not lost. One of the old chaps at the lottie told me not to worry as they are never ready when they should be and I should be enjoying them by about May

[jonohanson]

It was my first year growing last year and we started some PSB off in the summer thinking we would get some by Sept-dec as on the packet it said extra early, and we didnt. Ive left it for a while and out of the 6 we had we have about 3 good healthy ones on them I just had a look and there are quite a few spears now, i'm glad I just left em too it and didnt compost them at the end of the year!

[janeyo]

Mine are about 3 feet high too, planted out late spring. They have survived the eggs and caterpillars thanks to my twice daily vigilance in the summer - couldn't really net them as are in boh front and back gardens.

I picked one small stem yesterday which appreared in the hope that it will send out sideshoots, but the rest are looking healthy but no tips yet.

They had better produce something soon with all the time, care and attention thay have had out of me!