Kitchen Garden Forum

Some of the curds on our early purple sprouting broccoli have gone a sort of creamy white and don't look very healthy. What could that be? Others are fine and very edible.

A silly question, but are you sure it isn't white sprouting broccoli?? It is meant to be slightly earlier than the purple, I think, but I haven't grown it, as I like the purple colour. Could a white seed have got into the packet by mistake?
If it is showing white and purple on the same plant, perhaps you have an interesting hybrid!
Alison.

Monika

You say your spears "have gone" white.

Do you mean they started greenish and then showed white? In which case, without a doubt, you have white sprouting broccoli.
Or do you mean they were showing purple at any stage and then changed to what you describe? In this case you have a problem.

Another thing, are the leaves light green (white broccoli) or dark, purplish green (purple broccoli)?

compare them here
http://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk/rkmain ... GEID=20671

Alan

Morning, it sounds as if it could be some sort of fungal disease, maybe bought on by these very wet conditions we had.
Are they planted close together as this doesn't help, as the air doesn't get round them properly.

Many thanks, everybody. I don't think they are white sprouts, I think it must be fungal, because they don't seem to have formed correctly and are slightly distorted. The leaves are ok and most of the other plants are ok, too. Early sprouting broccoli always seem to be a bit dicey. The lot I grew in 2005 all formed their curds in autumn and then gave up the ghost and the 2006 lot are now doing funny things, too. The overwintering caulis (Winter Walcheren) also don't look the happiest, but we have had lot of rain and particularly strong winds, so that each one had to staked with two stout canes, just to keep them reasonably upright. Because it is in such an exposed spot and I plant them about 2 and a half feet apart, I don't think it's lack of ventilation!

Hi Monika,
White Fly can cause them to slightly distort and not form proper heads so if the plants have be attacked by WF I suggest this could be a possible outcome.
JB.

Hi Monica,

I have had white bits on my purple sprouting but they are what the pigeons left behind!! I think the posting re the colour of the leaves is 100%

Peejo

johnboy.
white fly in march?. are you sure you not talking about cabbage aphid. the grey type.
interesting on my plot, my red russian kale is starting to sprout now, and this grey type aphid is infesting the sproution tops. but my purple sprouting broccoli is in the same row, and is not being infected!