This past weekend we went out to the lottie to work and harvest winter crops. There were perpetual spinach, leeks and the delicious, purple sprouting broccoli. They made wonderful meals. Everyone knows leeks and spinach, but I have never heard anyone mention "purple sprouting broccoli". Perhaps you all know this veg, but maybe not everyone. Here are a few pics to show you what they look like. They are smaller than the more well known calabrese that everyone can find in the stores, but taste the same. I like to eat it fresh in the winter. And once that the main stalk has been removed...then smaller side stalks are produced
Nice crop!! I've had that before, but haven't grown it. My regular broccoli put outs side shoots also. Don't forget the leaves Sjoerd,, more nutrition in those leaves than in the stalks themselves... just pick them, clean, peel the thick stem part on the leaf, boil just until tender then drain, and add butter, salt an pepper.. in america thats part of the dish known as southern greens. you can also add a ham hock or some form of salt or smoked meat to it with some potatoes and carrots,, make like a soup almost,,, mmmmmmm. I actually grow broccoli for the leaves more than i do the stalk. the young leaves are the best, but the older ones are good too, just cook longer. I use broccoli, cauliflower, turnip,, just about any of those kinds of leaves make great side dishes.
They're great! How did you find them to grow? I have some seed here for starting this year; they seem to have a very long growing preiod, from April to harvesting the following spring. Is this what found, please? Also, did you find that they attracted pests in particular? Thanks for any info. Productive crop!
BIITA: Well, I do eat those leaves to some extent...on the purple sprouting but not from the calabrese. I try and cut the stalks with florets in such a way that there are some small leaves left in the stalks. I do not do this with the normal, green calabrese. I like the touught of eating the bigger leaves--it's something that I had never thought of. Thanks for the tip. You know that my calabrese also had usualy one useable set of side shoots after lopping-off the big main stalk, but I grow a sort called, "Crown and Sceptor", whis was developed to give more side shoots...and larger. It did better than normal last year for some reason. But now you have me confused: I did not know that the southern greens (what I know as 'collard greens'), which are prepared in the way you described were the same as calabrese or broccoli leaves. I had thought that it was a brassica sort alright, but from the Acephalia family. Oh well, as long as it is tasty, eh? chuckle. I have eaten those greens though...and they are delicious. SHARON MC: Well they were not difficult to find, they were in the seed catalogues. heh heh heh. Plus over the years, a person just becomes familiar with them among all the other things that reads or hears about in the relm of the flower and veggie gardners. chuckle. I wanted to continue garening through the winter...or should I say, "eat fresh veg through the winter", and this is one of the things that there is to choose from. There are several types of calabrese and purple sprouting brassicas and they are harvestable at varying times. They are to be planted at various times as well. There are speifically "EARLY purple sproputing for sale at the seed companies as well. In addition to this I decide for myself when I want to plant these purple babies. I just use seed pack info as a guideline, more or less. Of course the more common green calabrese is most peoples choice, but I grow them both. I REALLY like this veg alot. I did not find that they attract pests, but then I grow Nasturtiums nearby and the white cabbage butterflies and white flies seem to be confused by the smell the leaves give off and they go to them. Once it's cold, they are too dull to catch on what has happened, I suppose. Having said that, in terms of the green calabrese, I keep it under enviromesh just to be sure. If you have any other questions, just ask them and I will try to answer them, and if I can't, lots of the other folks on here probably can. There are some knowledgeable folks on here with wide a range of interests.
Yes Sjoerd, collard, mustard, turnip, broccoli, cauliflower. all that was used. plus a few others i can't think of just yet. I have no idea what i grow, all i know is its green and tastes really good. lol. all my seeds last yr was given to me by neighbors, relatives, friends. last yr was the first yr that i really got involved like i used to in the states... before last yr. i experimented to see what would grow an what wouldn't. now i know as far as veggies go. what needs protection and what can go right out into the wild artic wind.
I've not heard of planting the Nasturtiums nearby; it ounds like a good decoy; I don't really want to use any chemical control against pests but I will give it a go; I love eating broccoli.
Well Biita... it sounds like you've got it all down to a "T", as they say. I'll never forget the enormous astonishment when I read your past posts. You truly are a 'jardinier supréme'. Such accomplishments!
Well I guess greens are greens, but from this American Southern Girl when most southerners refer to greens we are talking about Collards, Mustard, Turnips w/the roots. Throw some smoked ham hock in an fix some fried cornbread an make a meal. I have never thought about eating broccoli leaves b4, but you have me intrigued. I will have to try that. I have eaten kolhrabi leaves an they were good. Last fall I tried growing the purple broccoli, but I couldn't keep the rabbits away. At least they enjoyed them, lol.
They're really pretty plants, too. I've seen the purple broc in stores, but never grew it. I don't start much from seed, and have never seen the plants for sale around here or I would have tried it in my own garden. I never thought to eat the broc leaves, either...thanks for the info Biita.
Well Biita, When I go to the lotties tomorrow, I'm going to look at the purple sprouting leaves in a totally different way. Heh heh heh. mmmmmmm Thanks again for the tip.
