Subject: purple sprouting broccoli
From: "A.Malhotra"
Date: 14/03/2003 11:25 GMT Standard Time
Message-id:

This is one of my favourite veggies and for some reason difficult to find
in the shops. We planted some last year in the garden but gradual attrition
at various stages has left us with one plant! This is now producing
sprouts, although the plant is still quite small (less than a foot high).
I'm wondering at what stage I should harvest the sprouts, and how do I go
about it? Cut them off individually? Leave the central one to continue to
grow and harvest only the side shoots? Advice appreciated.
Anita

I always take the centre sprout out first, this encourages the side shoots to
grow.
I usually plant half a packet of white and half a packet of purple in a nursery
bed, grow them on to about 5-6 inches tall, then transplant about ten of each
to their growing positions,(they like soil well limed)...which of course leaves
me with LOTS of seedlings to give away to friends!

This year my white sprouting broccoli ( about 4-5 feet high) is already
producing good shoots, whilst the purple are only just starting to get their
centre sprouts.
Certainly one of my favourite veg...we often just have a large plate of them,
boiled or steamed (best method) served with knobs of butter and plenty of
milled black pepper.....fabulous!
Dave
Dave Hunt...Shropshire
----share what you know...learn what you don't----