Purple Sprouting Broccoli Killed by Frost

[DazzerelliParticipant]

Did you lose any of your Purple Sprouting Broccoli plants this winter? I lost nearly half of mine with the temperature dipping below -15C on some nights. Although the later sowings are much bigger and take up space for longer, they do appear to be more likely to survive the more severe winters. I lost about 1 in 3 or my late April sowings and 2 in 3 of my late June sowings. They earlier sowings seem to produce a bigger crop too. I’m harvesting some lovely tasting spears most days now.

Cheers,

Darren

[charlesModerator]

 No but I think it was close as some of the kale has been damaged in its stems, making the plants weaker, but all my purple sprouting is excellent, cropping now from a June sowing (we had -10c, less cold than you). It sounds like you have a point though, perhaps sowing it now makes tougher plants.

[CharlieMember]

I’m still picking a lot of purple sprouting from a June sowing, it survived the winter cold – I did have it under netting which does offer some protection.

[Pete BuddParticipant]

I sow all my winter brassicas end of April to beginning of May, if I leave it any later they don`t make any size. Last year the severe weather (Dec 2010)wiped out just about everything. This year I`ve had no frost fatalities at all and brocolli is vying for the best ever. Now; we`ve had plenty of frost this winter, probably below -10C at one point, but we haven`t had a prolonged period and I think this is the difference.

[Rocket ScienceMember]

Just pulled my plants out yesterday. Made a slight mistake and only sowed the early variety instead of early and late. All the same it cropped very well and have been eating it for about 4 or 5 weeks with no frost damage. Did throw some enviromesh over it for our one week of winter. Sown June 7th and followed first batch of lettuce. Variety was tozers own. Anyone recomend a late variety for this year please?

[charlesModerator]

 I have Stormy Hall’s late purple sprouting and it started ten days ago, looks good for the rest of April, see http://www.stormy-hall-seeds.co.uk. Their seeds are good, mostly, but their Sturon onions were much less impressive this year than last and it is surprising how much variation one finds in seed batches from year to year, and between suppliers.

 

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