Purple sprouting disaster

VegVirgin

Can anyone please help me salvage my purple sprouting broccoli?  I grew them from seed, planted out last year (its due to be harvested this month).  I think I may have planted the seedlings out a little too close together, not realising how massive the plants would become.  They went mad very quickly, I diligently picked off the caterpillars every day and fed them to the chickens much to my son's delight!  The plants have become so huge most of them collapsed but have still had plenty of life.  Today they look very sad, is it just the weather?  I can just start to seen the faintest hint of purple appearing but nothing else.  Does the broccoli sprout from the top of the plant or out from the stem?  I am really disappointed as have nurtured these plants for months and it looks as though they will just end up as compost fodder.  Any suggestions please?  This is my first real veg plot and am starting to plan for this year so don't want to make the same mistakes again.  Many thanks.

busy in the garden

Also had lots of problems. Hope it works out next year! Ours DID end up in the compost heap!

Joyce Goldenlily

Try giving your plants some dahlia stakes to support them upright. I always have to stake my plants as they do grow very tall.

nick615

To be honest VV I buy all my (few) brassicas from a grower who comes to our Saturday market each week.  From talking to her I gather that one can virtually grow purple sprouting all year round because of the number of varieties available.  Her trays of pants are always sturdier than any I've ever grown from seed, hence I buy straight from her.  The reason for telling you that, and considering how long it is since you say you planted yours, I'm wondering whether it's a case of wrong variety?

Dovefromabove

Not sure why this thread was trawled up ... it’s over 8 years since the OP asked the question ... 
😊 

pansyface

“Her trays of pants”...

And you should see her bra-ssicas...

B3

😂snort