Last year I planted purple sprouting brocolli for the first time, and
now it is ready for harvest.

I am not that sure how much to take and when. I've tried some, and it
is great, but I worry that I am taking it too soon and not getting a
full yield. Or if I leave it too long will it get stringy? Any tips on
when it is ready?

It is good stuff though. Dark green, even the water it was cooked in
turned emerald green after just a 2 minute simmer.

Dom

The best way to pick it is as the shoots are emerging from the foliage. Take
it with large amounts of the tender green leaves around the brocolli, not
the old leaves and keep picking or it will go to seed. Delicious! I have
found mine is not so good this year and I put that down to lack of water

Dominic wrote:
: Last year I planted purple sprouting brocolli for the first time, and
: now it is ready for harvest.
:
: I am not that sure how much to take and when. I've tried some, and it
: is great, but I worry that I am taking it too soon and not getting a
: full yield. Or if I leave it too long will it get stringy? Any tips on
: when it is ready?
:
: It is good stuff though. Dark green, even the water it was cooked in
: turned emerald green after just a 2 minute simmer.
:
: Dom

In article ,
Dominic wrote:
Last year I planted purple sprouting brocolli for the first time, and
now it is ready for harvest.

I am not that sure how much to take and when. I've tried some, and it
is great, but I worry that I am taking it too soon and not getting a
full yield. Or if I leave it too long will it get stringy? Any tips on
when it is ready?

It is good stuff though. Dark green, even the water it was cooked in
turned emerald green after just a 2 minute simmer.

Don't worry. Cut it before the flowers open, which means that you have
to cut smaller and smaller as time goes on. It will peter out rather
than producing a fixed number of shoots.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.