On Mon, 21 Oct 2002 17:45:03 +0100, Janet Galpin and Oliver Patterson
wrote:

The message
from "John Towill" contains these words:

I have some very healthy (and large) cauli plants, however there are no
signs of curds. What is my error, I know it is too late for this season but
what should I do next year? I also have some very healthy purple sprouting
broccoli, but no purple sprouts. Should they have appeared by now? If so
again what is my error?
TIA
John T


Are you sure they're not spring-heading cauliflowers? Some types sit in
the ground for almost a year and then quite rapidly produce large
cauliflowers in about May.
With purple sprouting broccoli, the earliest types produce in the new
year and some types go through to about April. They are basically an
excellent winter/spring vegetable.

Janet G

I had never grown purple sprouting broccoli (or any other brassicas)
before this year. I got a three-way mix of seeds from DT Brown's,which
are supposed to have some each of early, mid- and late-cropping
varieties. I can't remember specific names of varieties, if they were
given. I sowed about the time it said on the packet, managed to
transplant some (late) but others had to be left where they had been
sown. I have had sprouts off some plants over the last few weeks, one
in the seed-row, others transplanted.

I have also seen purple sprouting broccoli for sale in my nearest
Sainsbury's.

Perhaps there are some ultra-early varieties?

VivienB