perennial broccoli and cauliflower

[jackyspratty]

Hi all, some advice please as usual! Have searched this but can't quite work it out!
We were going to buy some cut and come again cauliflower from victoriana nursary as w like the idea of a perennial cauli. But were detered by the price and that you ca only buy plants.
Then I have found broccoli 9 star perennial broccoli by marshalls , in seed form, obviosly much cheaper.
Are they the same thing.It says the broccoli was previously cauliflower?
Like the idea of a perennial but not sure which one to go for, both look like cauliflower to me?

[Jeanied]

Not sure if this is any help but I got the cauli plants from Victoriana last year - one of them died off but the others are sturdy and quite tall - no signs of caulis yet tho!

[piskieinboots]

Same (exactly!!) as Jeanied - although curently all my are still alive, I'm expecting signs of caulis come spring

[jackyspratty]

Are they the same thing then, the broccoli seeds (previously cauliflower) and the cauliflower plants? Let me know what you both think. Were yours from victoriana in the plaant form?

just edited this as misread! You both got the plants!

[Jeanied]

I've just looked at them both Jackyspratty and although they are both called nine star I am not entirely convinced that they are the same plant. The broccoli produces the crop in spring but the cauli is supposed to produce all year except the winter. I'm not sure what the taste test would reveal!

[jackyspratty]

Thanks jeannied. Not sure either! Might plump for the all year caulis as makes more sense to use the plot in this way. Thanks for helping to untangle my broccoli/cauli connundrum!
Donna

[Snadger]

I grow nine star perennial. They are a pretty short lived perennial and I never seem to get them past 3 years. They make a huge plant with lots of small caulis about the size of tennis balls.
They aren't white, but more of a yellowy colour and I have to admit I tend mainly to munch them raw when I'm at the lottie.
They have a bit of a taste, not like a cauli which is tasteless to my mind , but more like calabrese or broccoli.

Well worth growing if you have the room for them!

[jackyspratty]

OH dear snadger, now I'm in a quandry again! Mite have space for both? Need to sit down and properly plan. Its a new plot and shared with my growing buddy so we keep changing things! Also we're both pretty new to all of thhis, hence the confusion!

[Snadger]

OH dear snadger, now I'm in a quandry again! Mite have space for both? Need to sit down and properly plan. Its a new plot and shared with my growing buddy so we keep changing things! Also we're both pretty new to all of thhis, hence the confusion!

Clubroot is another thing to bear in mind I suppose.

All year round caulis can be sown to more or less give you a crop 'All year round' and then they die. As has been mentioned the 9 * Perennial's give you a spring/summer crop for about three years........ they do look rather tatty in the third year though.

[jackyspratty]

Thanks snadger. My lotty partner is away in the sun at the moment (I wish!) so I'll have a chat when he gets back. Factors are cost against crop really and of course space. Plus the inexperience of the two plot holders against their enthusiasm! Thanks very much to the three of you for your help, it does help to thrash ideas a round a bit with people in the know!
Sort of thought the cut and come again caulis lasted longer than a year as well?
Thanks again.

[selfraising]

I have ordered the caulis as well from Victoriana Nurseries. Not tried them before but as I have had no luck with caulis from seed and only me and OH eat them, the small caulis appeal to me.

[selfraising]

Another thought, could I grow them in a large container Snadger?

[Snadger]

Another thought, could I grow them in a large container Snadger?

You could I suppose, but it would need to be something the size of a half barrel and the crop would be diminished.
They are really a plant that requires space, and a lot of it!

[selfraising]

You could I suppose, but it would need to be something the size of a half barrel and the crop would be diminished.
They are really a plant that requires space, and a lot of it!

Oh dear Well they are ordered and paid for now, guess I better find some space. When you say big, how big do they get?

[Jeanied]

I have just been up to the lottie to check up on my remaining 4 caulis from Victoriana - they are about 2ft high and looking like they have come through the snow and ice just fine. In fact they look ready to start sprouting. The lower leaves have all come off now, so the stem is bare for the first foot, and I have them staked to stop them rocking around. I planted them at the recommended planting distance which I think was 3ft but I can't be sure - the nursery send a little booklet with the plants and I followed that!