April is a time when everything is "not yet ready" - it's a time for lots of sowing and planting, but not much harvesting.
My favourite crop of the year is currently being harvested though - Purple Sprouting Broccoli.
If you grow two or three different types of Broccoli you can extend the harvest period. Don't be tempted to buy a mixed pack though. I did this once and raised eight plants - seven of which turned out to be of the same variety. I suppose if you are planning to grow dozens of them a mixed pack might be OK. (Anyone good enough at Maths to work out how many you would need to sow to ensure getting at least one of each plant, from a pack containing 3 different types?)
When harvesting PSB the best thing to do is cut the central ("apical") head or growing-point first. This will promote the growth of stronger and more numerous side-shoots.
Apart from the broccoli, just about everything else is at the small seedling stage. This is a scene with which many gardeners will be all too familiar!
 |
| There's a Dining-Room table under there somewhere... |
 |
| The windowsills are also put to good use... |
 |
| Aubergine - Pintung Long |
 |
| Cucumber - Iznik |
 |
| Bush Basil |
 |
| Green Basil - Sweet Genovese |
 |
| Brussels Sprouts - Brilliant |
 |
| Tomato - Ferline |
 |
| Chillis |
I have also sown some of the seeds that Diana from
Kebun Malay-Kadazan Girls kindly sent me. I sowed one pot of Chervil and one of Aquilegia. Here they are sitting on the windowsill of our spare bedroom (with a nice view of Mark's Veg Plot down below...) Thanks, Diana. I'll let you know how they do.
The harvest is beautiful. They are almost blue. My basil is being slow to come up. For some reason I can grow other things, but basil has always been hit or miss with me for transplants. They are easy to buy though so if it doesn't work I'll still have lots of basil.
ReplyDeleteMark-Love your purple broccoli. I'm also not a fan of mixed seed packets. Some people like the element of surprise. Me, not so much. LOL! Your seedlings look wonderful too!!
ReplyDeleteMy basil tends to get eaten though the bugs don't usually care for the rest of the herbs. Right now my a few of my peppers are really getting eaten in the garden. I have to start my basil over again. It fell off the windowsil. :(
ReplyDeleteI am growing three different types of PSB this year to hopefully extend the growing season. I, too, have seedlings all over the place - some of the brassicas will soon be ready to plant out - if the rain ever stops!
ReplyDeleteLovely looking PSB and our favourite at this time of the year, the only thing left now bar a few old parsnips. You have a good crop of seedlings too. With a day off tomorrow I'm looking forward to getting some work done at the allotment with broad beans and potatoes desperate to go in.
ReplyDeleteThere's something very comforting I imagine seeing all that possibility just waiting to happen.
ReplyDeleteThe PSB looks great...no wonder its your favourite :D
Your dining room table matches my kitchen...my deck...my every spare space! nice work.
ReplyDeleteAgree with you on the mix seed pack. Did you not grow purple broccoli last year? If so, are these the same ones? All your seedlings are doing so well.
ReplyDeleteThe PSB looks great, maybe I should plant some...but then what would I give up - too many dilemmas....
ReplyDeleteI like PSB too, often the only kind that produces reliably here, tho a bit slower than normal this year.
ReplyDeleteI have never tasted or even seen PSB. Where have I been? You really are so good at what you do!! This grasshopper has much to learn.
ReplyDeleteEverything looks very health and thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI suppose it depends whether there are equal amounts of seed in each mixture. If there was I reckon you would need to sow 27 seeds to be likely to get one chosen variety. Then to get three different ones would it be 81?. Just a guess as I've forgotten everything I once knew about probability!
ReplyDeleteOr if the first one was automatic would it be 54? Anyway I guess it's a lot!
ReplyDeleteThe only things I'm eating from my allotment now have been frozen. It's exciting seeing the promise of what's to come in those seedlings though.
ReplyDeleteThe big seed out starts this week. Chillis then tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteahh yes, this is our house too... all our window sills and the big table in the hall in front of the window... pot after pot... we planted a whole heap of seeds into our little raised beds yesterday too, beetroot and radish... the lovely pak Choi you sent me are now at that first double-leaf stage and i'm very excited by them... all good!
ReplyDeleteoh and we bought 2 waterbutts on Friday and thank god we did as the rain we had this weekend they are both full!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips on PSB I'd planted mine last June (ish) and it didn't seem to do much at all but over winter 2 of the 3 plants have flourished despite being left unattended completely! :)
ReplyDeleteI do love that purple broccoli too. And I have some seedlings growing in my mini grenhouse. I do love Spring but unfortunately we're about to head into my least favoured season Winter.
ReplyDelete