Wednesday 4 January 2017

PSB.



Our Purple Sprouting Broccoli has come earlier this year.

I was given the seeds by a friend who had them sent from the UK. I grew just a few plants, and they were all quite different. The one above has purple ribs to the leaves, whereas the others are all green.

This top main head is almost the size of a small Cauliflower, and the secondary heads are all clamouring to grow.

Maybe the difference between these and my usual plants is due to clever F1 hybridisation, but they certainly are an improvement on plants I've had in the past.

As for flavour they are delicious. They came from Suttons; that's all I can tell you!




48 comments:

  1. Beautiful colors!

    Hey, I've noticed you're getting up earlier than usual lately. Are you having trouble sleeping?

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    Replies
    1. I've always had trouble sleeping; usually about 3 hours a night! But recently my radio packed-up, so I just get up earlier instead.

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  2. That's beautiful! I've only ever tried growing broccoli once, and even then it was from started plants. You certainly have a green (or purple) thumb! -Jenn

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    Replies
    1. Our plants are particularly good this year.... maybe I did something differently.

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  3. Nice healthy looking plant. I'm not good at winter vegetables except lettuce, rocket and spring onions. At least we have winter salads

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    1. I only grow 'leafy greens' for winter. Kale, Swiss Chard, PSB, and Cavolo Nero. I've just walked past Haddock's, and everything is white; it -6C this morning!

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  4. I will have to content my eyes; wish there was a taste button here somewhere.
    Greetings Maria x

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    Replies
    1. And plenty of secondary sprouting to come.

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  5. What a wonderfully vibrant picture. Could grace a food magazine. x

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  6. The purple variety is not something I've ever tried, as it isn't sold in the local supermarkets here. It's sometimes used in trendy flowers arrangements, so someone must grow it !

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    Replies
    1. When steamed it turns green, and tastes pretty much like it's green cousin.

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    2. I wont buy those flowers with broccoli in them. Who wants a vegetable stuck in a vase in the centre of the table? Particularly a broccoli.

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    3. You could always fill the vase with Bread and Butter Pudding first, then stick the Broccoli in that; a masterpiece.

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  7. Miss being able to grow winter veg. Pretty photo.

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    Replies
    1. These have grown particularly well this year. I must have made a better class of compost.

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  8. Nice looking broccoli! We normally avoid the F1 varieties because of the seed not being reliable for the following year, but this looks worth having a go at. As for your broccoli doing well this year....perhaps it is the particular type of weather pattern we have been having this winter, and if I get up in the middle of the night, which I do most nights, then I make myself a cup of cocoa and that seem to convince my head that it should go back to sleep for another couple of hours!

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    Replies
    1. I wish I had a foolproof method of going back to sleep, I haven't tried sleeping pills; maybe I should.

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    2. Agree with Rachel don't do the sleeping pills. Like you I sleep very little. Now I am retired I do often have a short 40 winks in the chair. Not being able to sleep at night is a curse not understood at all by those who sleep well. I do think it runs in families. My one son has always had trouble he now listens to "white noise" at night and he thinks it has helped him to get a little more shut eye. Perhaps you will write a column on sleep sometime.

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    3. My wife doesn't understand at all, she keeps telling me to 'go to sleep' which is very annoying. I'll stick with the radio; when I get another one.

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  9. Every so often I try to grow " greens", but they never succeed. Get eaten by pigeons/slugs whatever before they reach anything eatable.

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    1. Amazingly all my plants are 99% untouched by bugs. The above was simply looked-over, then put directly in the steamer.

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  10. Our last cocker spaniel came from Suttons Seeds - or someone who worked for them. He was a smasher as well.

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  11. And for a moment there, I thought you were going to announce a big win on the Premium Savings Bonds. Silly me.

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    1. I've held Premium Bonds for over 50 years, and never won a single penny. I think it's time I got rid of them!

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  12. A pretty food that tastes good also - that's a win-win. I wonder if they are available to buy in my area.

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    1. At a Farmer's Market maybe, but I doubt if you'd find it in a supermarket. What shops call Broccoli, and what gardeners call Broccoli, are two different things.

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  13. Replies
    1. Good, and I don't like Bread and Butter Pudding.

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    2. See if I care. And anyway I dont like bead and butter pudding either.

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  14. I am going to report you to the French authorities for introducing alien species. Once we leave the E.U. Christmas will never be the same without Brussel Sprouts.

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  15. One of my favourite veggies Cro .... do you eat the leaves as well ? XXXX

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    Replies
    1. Every scrap of the above was eaten, but the big lower leaves get given to the horses.

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  16. Mine has just been attacked by pigeons. Gutted as it takes so long to grow. Only tlremoved the nets due to the Avian flu thing and keeping wild birds out. Never mind. Hopefully still have a crop, it is one of my favourites.

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    Replies
    1. The Pigeons don't seem to worry us; they must have a better supply elsewhere!

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  17. One of my favourite vegetables Cro but what is on offer here at the moment has come from abroad and is very droopy by the time it arrives here. Nothing can beat straight out of the garden.

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    Replies
    1. It's my favourite too, but very short lived.

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  18. 40 comments for broccoli !
    You are loved

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  19. That photo looks like a painting. Beautiful!

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    1. With those purple ribs, it really is beautiful.

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  20. NYC weather today has been rather like it can be in early spring...so it was a great day to be outdoors as much as possible. (Snow may join us for the weekend.)

    The colors of those leaves are so beautiful. When you cook them, do the colors deepen, vanish, or remain pretty much as they grew? I'm thinking that these beauties must also contain all sorts of vitamins.

    Your winter garden is very impressive!

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    Replies
    1. The colours revert to green when cooked; rather a pity. We had -6 C yesterday, and the frost remained all day long. This morning it's -1 C..... much better.

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