broccoli 'Purple Sprouting Early'
purple broccoli or Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) 'Early Purple Sprouting'
- Position: full sun
- Soil: fertile, well drained, moisture-retentive and firm
This attractive and easy to grow crop will reliably produce a good supply of deep purple spears, which will turn green when cooked. Able to withstand low winter temperatures, the delicately flavoured spears can be harvested from late winter and used in a wide range of dishes including stir-fries. Sow both early-and late-maturing varieties of purple-sprouting broccoli to extend the harvest over two months or more. - Growing Instructions: Sow seeds in shallow drills 15cm apart, in a well prepared seedbed in spring. Thin seedlings to 7-10cm apart and transplant onto the vegetable plot once they reach 10cm tall. Space plants about 60cm apart and firm in well. You can also sow into free-draining seed compost in pots or seed trays. Protect from slugs and cover with a net to keep the pigeons off.
- Sow: April-May
- Harvest: March-May (the following year)