Sprouting broccoli question

[firstofficerspong]

I am a bit confused about how long sprouting broccoli takes to grow to harvest. Are all varieties sown in Spring and then harvested early the following year? Or are there varietes which will be ready for harvest in the same year they are sown?

I reckon in the past I have composted broccoli plants assuming they had been there long enough and hadn't worked when, in fact, they were just thinking about sprouting for me!

[firstofficerspong]

[katynewbie]

Mine are just coming to the end now, good thing too cos they are enormous plants! I have had lots and am really pleased, but now I need the space.

[Aden Roller]

I am no expert at all but....... as far as I know there are two main types:

• sown / planted in late summer for cropping the following year
• sown / planted early in the year and crop during the same year - summer

Somewhere or other I have the names of a couple of summer varieties that I've grown very successfully in the past. (I go on the picture & colour of the packet rather than worry about the name - "Waltham" was one I think)

This years purple sprouting has been interesting as one lot cropped early January and the other is just coming to an end (much later than usual).

[Borlotti]

Think I composted mine too early, as the pigeons had eaten them, and they were netted, but if I had left them, like other people did, they seem to have recovered and they have lovely broccoli and I have nothing.  Next year will be better, if it ever stops raining.  ;) ;)

[Digeroo]

There is a summer sprouting purple but I have not found it very productive, so tend to stick with the green calabrese type for the summer and autumn.  There are various different types so you should have it all summer. 

I like the types which form a large head and then lots of side shoots so it crops over a long period.

[sunloving]

Hi
Ive sown mine this week rudolf and standard purple sprouting, ill be planting them out in June to harvest feb/march next year if i can keep the cabbage whites off long enough. Stakeing mid summer is essential to cope with the autumn gales here. A broomstick or two does the job.(dont do much flying in autumn!)

Last year the hens killed mine off so they are excluded to!
Good luck for the next time
x sunloving

[Robert_Brenchley]

Calabrese, the summer one, is a medium sized plant which crops the same year. I haven't had much luck with the old 'Green Heading' so I might play around with F1's, and see if I can breed something worthwhile. Purple sprouting is a masssive plant which doesn't crop till the following year. I've just planted four varieties, which I'll allow to cross to see what I end up with. Hopefully a single variable variety which crops over a long period.

[Jeannine]

Mine are all jst started. It is not popular here, not many folks have heard of it, so am hoping it grows well and I can convince a few folks as I see a lot of kale growing.

I have started a selection  from shorter season(summer sprouting) thru to the longest.

Good iudea about letting them cross, Robert I may join you in that.

XX Jeannine

[Lilyholland]

There is an excellent packet of seed available that gives you four types of purple sprouting broccoli so that you have picking all through the year. The back of the pack tells you when to plant and when you can expect to harvest. We had wonderful crops through the winter but made a point of covering them all the time with scaffolding mesh so that we picked clean, bug free heads.

[shirlton]

Sowed mine last week and have doubled up on it this year because it was so lovely. We usually harvest it from March onwards

[firstofficerspong]

The mixed packet sounds interesting Lilyholland. How much space did your broccoli patch take up?

[Digeroo]

I have been having problems of getting it to survive through the winter.  I think the wind here upsets it big time.  The first sowings have disappears so I had to start again.  I just hope the slugs do not get them again.  I have Rudolf, Cardinal and Redhead as well as late.   I am interested that you are still sowing it.  Might try another patch.

I also sowed some early and the slugs have completely hoovered it off, so I might try again.