When should I expect to see some heads on my PSB?
The variety is T&M 'Early Purple Sprouting' and I was expecting to have seen at least a few heads starting to form by now. The plants are pretty big with plenty of foliage on them and are netted over to protect from the pigeons. There are new leaves forming regularly at the top of the plant and I keep getting quite excited that these are going to reveal some broccoli but they never do ???
We saw a few tiny purple shoots on their way yesterday. Every year I wish that I had put more in. Our new plot is quite sheltered so next year we will grow more. There is nowt like the first picking of PSB
When should I expect to see some heads on my PSB? Soon!.. ;D We need little bit of warmer weather and they will romp away..
Mine have had small tight heads for a while but they are just sitting there at the moment waiting to sprout.
Well we had 4 plants desimated by pigeons. Had netted but it wasnt high enough. Managed to put netting up higher and rest of plants should be ok. They very big but nothing on them yet!
Hi Sticks,
I also have T&M Early Sprouting. Sown 19.3, pricked out 15.4 and planted out 4.5
Some very tight buds starting to show, but I think they're a good 3 weeks away yet.
Let's have a race!!
Post when you harvest?!!
My packet says harvest December to March so I guess I was expecting some by now. I have 16 plants (just because I had the room last year) so I guess I'll have PSB coming out my ears in a few weeks time!
Pescador, the race is on!
Note to self: Buy polythene tunnel, heater and lighting set-up.
Just checked my notes from last year and I didn't start harvesting till 1st April!!
Just checked my notes from last year and I didn't start harvesting till 1st April!!
Ah..but everything was late last year for winter starting so early and being so cold.
This year is different story, so I suspect you will be croppin much earlier.. ;)
I've had 2 meals off of mine & was thinking that was it as nothing much is happening, so perhaps I am being too keen as this is my first year for them & I can't remember when my husband used to bring it in.
glad I read this thread..I was starting to think my purple sprouting was beyond hope and was going to dig them up.
I'll wait a bit longer ;D
We've been eating ours since early December (SW France though) and it has looked incredibly healthy until our very cold weather in February when it was below -10 several nights in a row. Daytime temps are usually above freezing, but the purple shoots didn't like it not surprisingly and it has suffered every since. I'm hoping we will have some to eat again in a week or two though, fingers crossed.
I've been eating PSB since before Christmas still going strong but the cold snap recently caused quite a bit of damage but they are recovering. I don't know what variety they are, i bought them as plants just labelled PSB but I think their days are numbered I've had quite a lot off them they must be an earlier/perhaps later variety.
Ours are late this year, too, in spite of the mild weather in late Feb. Still looks like another week or so.
I didn't get any in for this year, but my black kale has been throwing flower shoots. I'm picking the plants over quite regularly, they are very tender and tasty, and taking the tip shoots out means more break from lower down.
I grow a very early variety called Rudolph which is ready in time for Christmas. Its just about coming to an end now but I really like it and switched to it about 3 years ago. I grow a white sprouting broccoli for later on, and eat kale in between. The good thing with the early varieties is that they hang on much longer and don't come all at once.
My PSB is definitely a late strain but out of 5 good-size plants 2 are now producing their first heads so I would expect a meal by the end of next week then it'll go on until I'm sick of it and glad the asparagus is on its way.. ;D ;D
I've had mine covered with mesh since I planted them out last Oct. otherwise they'd be pigeon food by now.. ;)
Had plenty of white but no purple yet!
I picked enough yesterday for three of us to have a meal, this was the first picking of the season and only involved three plants.
Should get my first pick this weekend,but not expecting a bumper harvest as my plants are scrawny,pathetic specimens. Last year was not my finest but I`m much more optimistic this year :)
Some produced before xmas but they seem to have died off now. I have two plants producing so had three meals. Rest still thinking about it. It all died last year, so I am very hopeful of better this year. The year before mine started very late I had almost given it up.
We are having our first tomorrow.
I am in Manchester and just checked my purple sprouts today and they are getting more showy so I reckon I will be able to harvest some soon, but I don't think I planted enough either, would have been good to have a few more sprouting, oh well note for next year! Lin
Hey Sticks, How's your PSB doing.
I harvested 1kg today. The warmth and sun this week have really brought them on!!
I've just harvested my first ever PSB, I did grow it last year, but it got decimated by the pigeons.
It's just joined the PFAs in the steamer :D
I have a few bits starting to come through, although not enough to feed even myself let alone a family of four! Hopefully I should have plenty by the end of the week.
I've been eating my "White Eye" for a week now. It's the first time I have grown that and I am sorry I did not order some seeds of PSB for this year as it's actually delicious and the only thing actually edible in the garden just now.
I harvested our first PSB last night. There's only just enough for a few pieces each with our dinner tonight, which is a bit dissapointing from 16 plants - maybe I have them planted too close together.
How far apart are they? There may be a lot more to come; they go on for some time.
There is 60cm between each plant, which I'm sure is what the packet suggested - then again the packet said to harvest December to April!
I need to free up the space for my maincrop spuds pretty soon so I don't think they'll see it through to the end of their harvesting period.
I planted 15 psb they look massive but no sprouts yet! my pal has small weedy things and they are belting out sprouts, and like everyone else soon we will need the space :(
I put PSB three feet apart. They're big plants.
I might rearrange my 2012 plan for when I plat my next PSB crop out then - three feet would seem about right looking at how scrunched up the leaves are on my plants.
(http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/ninnyscrops/th_IMG_0278.jpg) (http://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/ninnyscrops/?action=view¤t=IMG_0278.jpg)
We've been harvesting for a couple of weeks now. This was last night's haul. I plant them about 15 inches apart. I tried to overwinter the excess plants in the greenhouse but that didn't work at all so now they are out at the plot and I picked one crown yesterday from a tiddly 10 inch plant and it should go on to produce more sideshoots.
They keep well in the fridge for a few days, so once they do produce and you can't eat them all at once, chill them :).
Ninnys
Mine has all come at once so I have blanched and fozen them. They'll get eaten over the next few weeks, and I find they taste the same as fresh.
Round about NOW !(http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/ae294/Kleftiwallah/IMG_3434.jpg)
Cheers, Tony.
Had our first lot this weekend
Just had a few weeks in sri lanka and thought it would have come and gone by now!!
So lucky it had just started, very tasty to
when do you know its ready?
Left Betty to pick mine while we were away and she has been ordered to grow it next year. I don't think there is anything like the taste of the first pick of PSB. Its so easy to grow and needs hardly any attention.
Quote from: cambourne7 on April 02, 2012, 21:30:05
when do you know its ready?
From when you can see the spears until the yellow flowers open... :)
If any start to show a hint of yellow then I cut them off as quickly as possible and it may produce some more. Be brutal.
So surprised that in France no one knows what it is! My neighbour said to me, is that still producing spears? He thought it was calabrese left over from summer! I said it was "spring broccoli" and that the English eat it. He was amazed.
I got another bag full yesterday so I have frozen it. We are getting a wee bit sick of it! I just ordered some seeds to start sowing again for next winter!
Quote from: Ninnyscrops. on March 28, 2012, 22:50:57
(http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/ninnyscrops/th_IMG_0278.jpg)[/U (http://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/ninnyscrops/?action=view¤t=IMG_0278.jpg)Quote from: cambourne7 on April 02, 2012, 21:30:05
when do you know its ready?
RL]
Similar or the same as this ;)
Ninny
What month do you sow PSB seeds?
Duke
I'd sow them the back end of this month up to early June, Duchess - once planted late in summer a good watering and netting and a long wait ;)
Ninnysssssssssssss
Ta!! Ninnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnys :)
Hi all
antipodes you say you freeze yours how's best to do this do you blanch or just put it in no fuss??? Iam getting half to a carry bag every picking and love the stuff, would love to be able to have it longer than the season allows..
Many thanks
steve.
Not a freezer of PSB here, as we don't plant too many plants that we have a glut. I think they are too delicate, a little like asparagus, best eaten fresh.
Someone will be along to give you their best tips.
Ninnys
How come yours are as tall as a house, Tony? What have you been feeding them?? :o ;D
I'm really enjoying this year's - delicious. And getting loads of about 8 plants too. I couldn't see what the fuss was about when I grew them last year - maybe they're an acquired taste.
I had almost given up on mine as well - planted last autumn but there are a couple of sprouts now so I won't dig them up for the compost bin!!!
I have found that if I blanch mine very briefly, plunge into cold water, and freeze, it is very like fresh broccoli. I use this to extend the season a bit - I wouldn't keep it frozen for months, just days or weeks.
mine PSB has been infected with bugs, they hide under leaf and inside the purple head.
I used slat water to wash them but still have them after boiling.
how to avoid the bugs? anyone?
:) My 4 ramainling plants almost ready for picking, took a photo but dont know how to post on here.
Worth waiting for.
(http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/ae294/Kleftiwallah/IMG_3437.jpg)
Demolished it last night with Barnsley chop, carrots and spuds. Cheers, Tony.
Good pickings from my four netted plants, so I will be having them tonight! Yum!
I picked the last yesterday and all 7 plants are now chopped up in the compost bin. I have a dilemma in that I only have an 8 x 4 bed but it is a good bed and under a very sturdy and high cage. I am certainly not growing 7 this year but I have some rudolf and some red arrow on the go. I also have doric sprout doing well and now samson calabrese, so I have to make some cold calculating decisions as the other beds ar spoken for. My thinking is for 2 x samson, 2 x doric and 2 psb BUT which one gives best value for space ie red arrow or rudolf?
My last lot were an afterthought, so I got a great set of psb plants from ebay but unlabelled