purple sprouting broccoli

Purple sprouting broccoli is one of those great reasons for 'growing your own'. The major supermarkets offer 'broccoli' throughout the year even though its season  in our English soil is June to October. The 'broccoli' we buy in the supermarkets is in fact calabrese - another member of the brassica family. It is a short plant that is easy to grow, has a good flavour and freezes well.
True broccoli is pictured - purple sprouting broccoli. It is pungent, having a tasty, peppery flavour and is very different to the 'broccoli' available to supermarket shoppers. The mature plants are 1.5metres high and need staking to stop them falling over, They need netting to provide against their nemesis - the wood pigeon. Its florets are harvested around Mothers Day and the season has already peaked due to the warm weather we have had recently. Just boil in a little water for a delicious vegetable.