purple broc sprouting ?

[gingerneil]

I have a few purple sprouting broc plants doing well. They have a fair few holes in the leaves, and are not protected from atttack. 2 questions:

1. one of the plants is starting to grow what I would describe as 'the bit you eat'. Surely this is far too soon - I wasn't expecting anything until the new year. Has something gone wrong ?

2. I guess I'm too late to cover them to protect from beasties.... anyone recommend a spray or treatment to kill off whatever is eating the leaves ? I lost the whole lot to catterpillas last year..

[Cutecumber]

What variety are you growing? There are some new varieties which do not require cold weather to stimulate production, e.g Bordeaux.

Otherwise, yes, it is early. It may be that the strange weather this year may be to blame - at least one other member of this forum has reported the same problem.

Planting too early may also be a causative factor - when did you start them?

As far as pests are concerned, I don't use sprays, so I can only recommend squashing! It works for me!

[Grovsey]

Squashing?

[bubblewrap]

I planted my PSB out some weeks ago & to start with a few leaves got "eaten" by snails/ slugs? But now are going well & are 12" - 18" tall.

[Birdie Wife]

I'm growing 'Wok Broc' this year and it's sprouting merrily - it's a summer sprouting brocolli, any chance your variety is the same family?

I have a question about this too - do the flowering heads turn green like calabrese before I have to pick them or do they stay purple? Don't want to miss any, they look lush!

[tinyvine]

I have a few purple sprouting broc plants doing well. They have a fair few holes in the leaves, and are not protected from atttack. 2 questions:

1. one of the plants is starting to grow what I would describe as 'the bit you eat'. Surely this is far too soon - I wasn't expecting anything until the new year. Has something gone wrong ?

2. I guess I'm too late to cover them to protect from beasties.... anyone recommend a spray or treatment to kill off whatever is eating the leaves ? I lost the whole lot to catterpillas last year..

Hi
How big are the holes? As mine started off small and then got bigger and then the whole plant dissapeared. The next day I caught the culprit - Mr Pigeon, he'd been at everything, including the lettuces - basically anything green he'd had a peck at! I have now netted everything that he pecked more than once- so its not too late for netting if that was it. Maybe the pigeons down here are less fussy on what they eat tho!
TVx

[Cutecumber]

Grovsey - by "squashing", I mean squashing caterpillars.