I've been sent some seeds by a lovely friend and I'm told that they are Red Sprouting Broccoli.
I've only heard of the purple varieties (none of which I've ever grown before). The seeds came to me in a plain brown packet so I have no idea of the planting instructions.
Any advice or assistance greatly appreciated !
FA x
Red Sproyting Broccoli
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
Hi FA,
I have grown a variety of PSB called 'Red Arrow' for a number of years and wonder if somebody has just dropped the arrow bit.
I seem to recall that there was a summer variety of PSB that appeared a while back called simply 'Summer Red' but I believe that it got renamed to something else the following year. Sadly I cannot remember what it became.
If you were to plant now you may get heads in 121 days time or next spring around February.
Summer varieties of PSB are a very welcome break from Beans, Beans and even more Beans. Having said that I adore both Beans and PSB so to me there is no hardship to me but to many people it is a matter of the room to grow both.
JB.
I have grown a variety of PSB called 'Red Arrow' for a number of years and wonder if somebody has just dropped the arrow bit.
I seem to recall that there was a summer variety of PSB that appeared a while back called simply 'Summer Red' but I believe that it got renamed to something else the following year. Sadly I cannot remember what it became.
If you were to plant now you may get heads in 121 days time or next spring around February.
Summer varieties of PSB are a very welcome break from Beans, Beans and even more Beans. Having said that I adore both Beans and PSB so to me there is no hardship to me but to many people it is a matter of the room to grow both.
JB.
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alan refail
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Hi FA
If your friend told you they were red, I agree with Johnboy that they will be purple sprouting. For some reason there have been a lot of varieties of psb with red words in their name - as well as Red Arrow, Tucker's catalogue has Rudolph, Cardinal and Claret. I think it's true to say that if a sprouting broccoli is not white it's purple (unless you stray into calabrese).
I always used to sow early May for spring crops outside - follow Johnbo's suggestions. Now I tend to sow mid-April to have summer broccoli from the polytunnel.
If your friend told you they were red, I agree with Johnboy that they will be purple sprouting. For some reason there have been a lot of varieties of psb with red words in their name - as well as Red Arrow, Tucker's catalogue has Rudolph, Cardinal and Claret. I think it's true to say that if a sprouting broccoli is not white it's purple (unless you stray into calabrese).
I always used to sow early May for spring crops outside - follow Johnbo's suggestions. Now I tend to sow mid-April to have summer broccoli from the polytunnel.
We will be sowing ours any time soon for harvesting next spring. The only problem with psb is that it's in the ground, taking up space for a very long time...but oh boy....it's worth it. It fills the "hungry gap" very well and is very prolific. When you see packages of it in the shops(Morrisons have it at the moment) around 12 spears for £2.49, it's laughable. I lightly steam psb and it's delicious. Cheers!
Happy with my lot
Relatively new to the market are the Summer PSB which I have found to be really good. Tuckers sell an open pollinated variety called Pixie which is very good and grown alongside the more expensive F1 Bordeaux is just as good in every aspect.
These summer PSB's can be sown in succession starting with an early sowing on Feb the 1st at monthly intervals and they take 121 days from sowing to harvest So if you sow Feb, Mar, Apr, and May just as your last plants are sown the first one are are begining to harvest.
About 5 years ago I did an experiment to have PSB the entire year round and if my memory serves me correctly I actually almost succeeded all but a week.
Elaine talks about the space they take up but if you were to compare them with Cauliflowers which take even longer to produce and yield far less. Take Brussels Sprouts take a long time and so do very many other worthwhile Brassicas but I feel they are worth the space. Space is something I have too much of but sadly I now lack the energy to fill the space!
What I really do like is a constant supply of pointed cabbages and these you can harvest most of the year round, if you choose your varieties, and they can be planted out with considerably closer spacings.
JB.
These summer PSB's can be sown in succession starting with an early sowing on Feb the 1st at monthly intervals and they take 121 days from sowing to harvest So if you sow Feb, Mar, Apr, and May just as your last plants are sown the first one are are begining to harvest.
About 5 years ago I did an experiment to have PSB the entire year round and if my memory serves me correctly I actually almost succeeded all but a week.
Elaine talks about the space they take up but if you were to compare them with Cauliflowers which take even longer to produce and yield far less. Take Brussels Sprouts take a long time and so do very many other worthwhile Brassicas but I feel they are worth the space. Space is something I have too much of but sadly I now lack the energy to fill the space!
What I really do like is a constant supply of pointed cabbages and these you can harvest most of the year round, if you choose your varieties, and they can be planted out with considerably closer spacings.
JB.
Johnboy, a few years ago you gave us a list of varieties and their times of harvest. From my notes:
Rudolph....late Sept-Xmas-Jan. (these times reflect staggered sowings.)
Red Spear....Mid Jan-Mid Feb.
Red Arrow....Mid Feb-Mid Mar.
Early PS....March.
Cardinal....Mid Mar.-Mid April.
Late PS....April-early May.
Claret....Late April-early June.
Most useful. I hope I've accurately recorded it.
Iain.
Rudolph....late Sept-Xmas-Jan. (these times reflect staggered sowings.)
Red Spear....Mid Jan-Mid Feb.
Red Arrow....Mid Feb-Mid Mar.
Early PS....March.
Cardinal....Mid Mar.-Mid April.
Late PS....April-early May.
Claret....Late April-early June.
Most useful. I hope I've accurately recorded it.
Iain.
Hi Iain,
The bit about Rudolph with the staggered sowing times was as a result of Rudolph misbehaving the previous year.
In order to find out why it had peaked a couple of months early I sowed some Rudolph deliberately early and replicated exactly what had happened the previous year.
Now there is an Early Rudolph and Extra Early Rudolph on the market.
This is why I sow F1 Claret deliberately late so that it peaks when all the other Broccoli's have virtually finished.
In order to get the maximum out of Broccoli you must religiously keep up a picking regime and not allow any of the spears to actually break out into bloom. Once they have managed to show a yellow flower production of further spears will cease. If you find that you simply have too much select the best and if you cannot give it away ditch the rest on the compost heap but keep picking. This is only when coming to the end of the season when the flowers might appear.
JB.
The bit about Rudolph with the staggered sowing times was as a result of Rudolph misbehaving the previous year.
In order to find out why it had peaked a couple of months early I sowed some Rudolph deliberately early and replicated exactly what had happened the previous year.
Now there is an Early Rudolph and Extra Early Rudolph on the market.
This is why I sow F1 Claret deliberately late so that it peaks when all the other Broccoli's have virtually finished.
In order to get the maximum out of Broccoli you must religiously keep up a picking regime and not allow any of the spears to actually break out into bloom. Once they have managed to show a yellow flower production of further spears will cease. If you find that you simply have too much select the best and if you cannot give it away ditch the rest on the compost heap but keep picking. This is only when coming to the end of the season when the flowers might appear.
JB.
Hi Johnboy, We first grew PSB by accident! We bought Calabrese seed and ended up with these plants which went on and on but didn't seem to be maturing or doing anything other than produce more foliage...were puzzled to say the least. No-one we asked, could Identify it either. Come February, we were deliberating whether to dispose of it when we noticed little "buds". We left it and were so delighted with PSB we have grown it ever since. You are so right regarding picking religiously, whether you need it or not! That first year, we didn't realise this and consequently had a much shorter harvesting period than we do now....fellow plot holders benefit greatly with our excess! It does freeze well but we prefer it fresh. None of our friends grow PSB as they all have a regular supply from us and all of them say how much they love it. We grow the white version too but I prefer the purple/red. Wonderful stuff! We aim to be self sufficient all the year round for vegetables and largely manage this now. The only vegetables I end up buying are Potatoes and carrots, because we haven't the storage space for more than we grow now unfortunately. I do so begrudge buying them!! Cheers!
Happy with my lot