My friend who has a veg stall visited my allotment the other day and we got to talking about purple sprouting broccoli which everyone is growing.
it's small and weedy - why do people love it so much? She sells it on her stall and it's way more expensive than normal broccoli.
what's the point of it?
;D
its my favourite veg. i love it.
why - does it taste better?
Mm, it's just tender and delicious. Bit more delicate than broccoli and you get these nice leafy bits to eat as well. Little broccoli heads and then leaves. Never had it until I moved to the UK and now I'm a big fan too.
I love it too. It's sweeter than normal broccoli and has a more delicate flavour.
Because its so tasty - and the white sprouting broc is good as well.
and its expensive cos you dont get much off each plant - therefore bit of a delicacy in the same league as asparagus
I have to disagree about yield-the plants grow huge and have a heavy crop.
Price might have more to do with `fashion` or lack of a easy ways to harvest commercially?
Like many leafy crops it has a very short shelf life-better to grow one`s own :)
I wish mine did. I posted the other week asking which variety was the best cropping.
For the amount of time it is in the ground and for what you get in return I find I can get two crops of calabrese in and out in the same time.
I can't say I have noticed much difference in flavour/tast so its calabrese for me!!
Pidgeons love it, I'll take their advice!
http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments2_my_allotment_in_liverpool.html
Quote from: pigeonseed on April 13, 2007, 14:11:45
why - does it taste better?
better than what?
all other veg? yes! ;D
tried this for first time this year, and even the hot weather and not really looking after it very well, I still got a good crop of tasty veg.
this year I am going to gro w more and look after it better!
as for being in the ground a lot time, it was woprth it.
My Dads mate on the lottie gave me the leaves off his PSB, it makes a lovely cabbage. :P ;D ;D ;D
Surely Calabrese is only an Autumn crop, TG??
PSB is a favourite because it's the only good thing around at this time of year! We've all had our fill of cabbage & kale & leeks & parsnips and are looking forward to summer stuff. Asparagus starts at the end of April (OK - early this year) and no hope of broad beans or peas until late May/early June. So let's celebrate PSB while we've got it. (And that's the important bit - you wouldn't want it at any other time of year, would you?)
Quote from: tim on April 13, 2007, 17:53:43
Surely Calabrese is only an Autumn crop, TG??
That's what I thought Tim. Many years ago, on a visit to Wisley in March I saw calabrese under cloches. They sowed in October, over-wintered them, planted under glass and harvested in May. That's what I've done ever since.
Sow October 12th (give or take a day or two), prick out into 3" pots & overwinter in a cold frame. When they start growing again (normally mid/late Feb) pot on into 4" pots & gradually harden off. As early as you dare plant out under bell cloches. Harvest late May/early to mid June when there's not too much else around.
QuoteSurely Calabrese is only an Autumn crop, TG??
It is Tim but as Trevor says with a bit of protection you can succeed. This year I have not needed to protect it because of the mild winter we have had.
In fact I just cleared the last of it this morning and prepared the bed for the next crop.
This is the problem I had with PSB it was always quite late up here and I often found I needed the ground it was in when it was in, or just coming into production, hence my change of alegiance!
okay - i'm tentatively convinced.
i have thoroughly enjoyed my PSB every Sunday lunch from beginning of March and still plenty left. I reckon its worth growing 2 early and 2 late varietes and enjoy. I have only had 3 plants on the go this year.
I'm with Cleo, small and weedy it isn't! I have been picking it by the bucket full, thick succulent stems, from only 6 plants! It is still going and I want it out as I need the room!!
I've been picking loads of PSB regularly since mid March. I think the flavour is more robust than calabrese. I like the long thin stem as well.
It would be even nicer if it wasn't infested with cabbage aphids! Does anyone have a good idea of how to prevent the infestation?
I never knew calabrese can be overwintered. I've circled 12th October on calender and wrote 'sow overwintering calabrese!'. :D