Kalette

[Snoop Puss]

Have seen a few posts on food websites going on about kalettes. Apparently they're delicious. I've seen various suppliers selling seed, so I'm prepared to give them a go. Except they're packets of 'seed mix', which I never like because if I only want a few plants, how do I know if I've got a representative sample of all of them, plus what if I like one type better than the others...

So, has anyone here tried growing them (or eating them, for that matter)? Any views on growing them? Suppliers? Eating qualities?

Thanks.

[Guest]

I had to google kalettes, but they look like Brussel sprout - Flower sprouts (lots of suppliers of seed if you google). I have never tried them but several grapes have and I don't think there is much difference in taste from normal sprouts or blown sprouts.

[happyhumph]

I've eaten them - thought they tasted more like sprouts which meant I didn't like them. I like kale though.

[veggiechicken]

They've been selling them in L1dl - they look too much like blown sprouts for me to be tempted.
They used to be called "Flower sprouts" but they've been renamed to sound more exciting I suppose
Buy Flower Sprout Seeds Online | Marshalls Seeds

[veggiechicken]

Better still Flower Sprout Petit Posy - Moreveg

[Snoop Puss]

Thanks, guys. Maybe I'll just stick with sprouts and call the blown ones kalette or Petit Posy if anyone complains!

Edited to add: have just looked at Petit Posy, VC. Thanks. Have you tried them?

[Bigmallly]

I grow Kalettes every year...............unintentionally of course.............

[fishpond]

I grow Kalettes every year...............unintentionally of course.............

With your knowledge, you should be ashamed of yourself.

[Bren In Pots]

Thanks, guys. Maybe I'll just stick with sprouts and call the blown ones kalette or Petit Posy if anyone complains!

My sprouts are usually called flower sprouts

[Nicos]

What...home grown sprouts are supposed to be round?...I just thought they were that shape in the shops cos they were picked too soon!

[Zelenina]

I've read that sprouts blow when the plants are not trodden in very firmly. I've no practical experience because the only time I tried to grow them, many years ago, they got eaten by various non-human creatures before they reached the sprout-forming stage. But I've got some in my seed stash so maybe it's time to have another go.

[Zelenina]

I never heard of Kalettes before so I did a bit of investigation.

I was thinking that flower sprouts, petit posy and kalettes might have some subtle differences, because there are many different varieties of kale and Brussels that could have been crossed to breed them. But no! According to the breeder, Tozer seeds, they are just different names for exactly the same thing.

"Flower Sprouts are also known as Kalettes® in North America. The Flower Sprouts seeds are available from Mr Fothergills, T&M, Suttons and Marshalls. They are either sold as Flower Sprout Mix or Flower Sprout 'Petit Posy Mix'."

Kalette appears to be a brand name invented for marketing them as vegetables to American consumers, but now they've decided to use it in other markets as well.

"As the brand consolidates its status globally, the current campaign will see this vegetable being sold under the same name – Kalettes® – in all its markets."

Some seed suppliers have also changed the name on seed packets. But they are still called flower sprouts on Tozer's European seed website, and on the downloadable information sheet from their US website.

As for the seed mix, I was puzzled because the seed packet pictures don't show a mixed appearance. But in fact there are three varieties with different times of maturity, plus some differences in hardiness and plant height. So I guess those are what's in the mixture. On their EU site the varieties are only identified by codes, but on the US site and the info sheet they have names as well, and photos.

Here's a list of them:

Early - Autumn Star - TZ 0357 Oct-Nov
Mid - Mistletoe - TZ 0479 Nov-Dec
Late - Snowdrop - TZ 0101 Jan-Feb

Those are the maturity times if sown in March, But they can be sown from February (under glass) to April

I saw one seed site listing them as F1 hybrids, but Tozer doesn't say they are hybrids, so they have probably been stabilised as OP varieties since the original cross was done. It's not easy producing F1 brassica seeds in large quantities, and it usually requires the use of a female parent with male sterility so it doesn't produce any pollen.

These are the links for information:
Flower Sprout | Tozer Seeds
Kalettes | Tozer Seeds
About Kalettes® - Kalettes® Global : Kalettes® Global

[treepixie]

Grown them for the last 3 years, and we love them

[veggiechicken]

Thanks, guys. Maybe I'll just stick with sprouts and call the blown ones kalette or Petit Posy if anyone complains!

Edited to add: have just looked at Petit Posy, VC. Thanks. Have you tried them?

I may have

What do you think?






Are they Rubine or Petit Posy? Sorry about the quality of the pic

[ecudc]

I grew them this year and I like them, better than kale and Brussels . I think large tesco and wait rose sell them so you could always try before you buy. The only bad thing about them was that the whitefly did seem to love them and it's quite hard to wash them off.