purpley sproutingly broccoli !

[Rohaise]

Hallo !  My Purpley sproutingly broccoli  plants are growing ridiculously tall and thin and leggy........would I be O.K. to take the tops out of them  ,to make them shorter and more bushy ?    Or is it too late now ?   
                                                              Rohaise   :)

[Rohaise]

[artichoke]

I think if you took the tops off you would lose the area that produces the sprouting bits later on! Just stake them. Mine always need staking (and protecting from pigeons).

[Rohaise]

 Thankyou !   Yes ,I think I ,d better stake them then.   Are they meant to be tall then ?  Mine are about two and a half to three feet tall  .  Rohaise    :D

[redimp]

...Are they meant to be tall then ?  Mine are about two and a half to three feet tall  .  Rohaise    :D

Yes:
Not mine btw - mine were late in.

[theothermarg]

yes it,s normal. they are very big plants
marg

[Lauren S]

Oh thanks for the photo. I had noooooo idea they grew that large. At least next year I will know in advance what to expect.  :)

[SnooziSuzi]

 :'( mine are only a foot off the ground!

[Suzanne]

So are mine Snoozi - last year though they eventually reached 5 ft and I was having to stake them with metal posts. I think I prefer them small at the moment as there is a long time to go before they crop.

[finchy]

Mine are nigh on 4ft high currently and unstaked. Thought I'd teach them to hold there own! ;D

When do I expect to see the stuff I eat??

[bedrockdave]

wow had no idea they grew so tall, it's my first time with them ,I bought some out of one of the daily papers a few weeks ago along with white sprouting  and they're only about 9ins at the moment ,will they still grow or was I too late putting them in ?

[Kea]

I recently bought some at the garden centre so also waiting for reply to the question above.

[tim]

Depends.

Our May planted PSB is finished. The July planting is 3' high & should crop in Feb-Apr - depending!!

Will the small ones survive? Never tried. Should do, but will be very late?

[bedrockdave]

thanks Kea  I was beginning to think I was the only one . I actually gave them a good soluble feed today to give them a boost. Still, we'll be eating ours when others are just planting ;D :)

[tim]

Caveat - a feed at this time might make them soft for the Winter? IF they could take it up in a non-growing period.

[Kea]

Yes i have to agree with Tim. I'll just plant mine and not feed them.

[tim]

Still worries me - "220 days from planting to harvest"?