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Monday, 18 February 2013

Harvesting the first of the PSB

This is the high point of the gardening year for me - time to harvest those long-awaited first tender shoots of Purple Sprouting Broccoli.


PSB is a vegetable that doesn't store very well once cut, so it never seems very nice when you buy it in a shop. This is probably what makes home-grown PSB so rewarding, despite the fact that it takes an absolute age to grow (approximately 10 months).

Today's harvest was not big, but it will be much appreciated.


This is the central head and the first few side-shoots from one of my three "Rudolph" plants. Cutting the whole central head like this will force the plant to put its energy into side-shoots now.


Jane is going to use this broccoli in a dish that involves pasta, walnuts and Dolcelatte cheese. Sounds good to me!


I'm entering this post to Daphne's Harvest Monday - an ideal way to show off one's harvest to like-minded gardeners all around the world.
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23 comments:

  1. Sue Garrett18 February 2013 at 16:16

    Oh dear we have had a disaster with our PSB - more of that on my blog later

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  2. Jo18 February 2013 at 17:04

    That dish sounds good to me too. I've got some Rudolph seeds to sow this year.

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  3. Sophie18 February 2013 at 18:41

    As a new follower to your blog and a grow your own enthusiast (inexperienced mind you) I just love your garden allotment and how wonderful it's in your own backyard. I am a purple sprouting addict and have posted a few recipes in the past on my blog. Can I make a recommendation (even though your wife's recipe does sound delicious)? We have ours with anchovies chilli and garlic and it is divine. Simply fry off the garlic and chilli in a good few glugs of olive oil, stir in 6 anchovy fillets, the stir through cooked pasta and the purple sprouting. It's amazing!! Unless you don't like chilli and garlic of course :-)
    Anyway, I will be following your great blog from now on and hoping to learn lots :-)
    Sophie

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    Replies
    1. Mark Willis18 February 2013 at 19:30

      Hi Sophie, and welcome! It's always nice to get a new Follower. I like the sound of your PSB recipe except for the anchovies. I love chillies and garlic, but I don't eat any fish or seafood. I know that some people say that anchovies just taste salty, but they're wrong. I can identify a dish with anchovy in it at 100 paces!

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  4. Daphne Gould18 February 2013 at 20:23

    Those are way too pretty to eat. I think you ought to put them in a vase.

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  5. Anna B18 February 2013 at 21:13

    You've timed this crop just right Mark! I must try to do this next year as I am missing having something to harvest.

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  6. Gardeningbren18 February 2013 at 22:02

    You should be very proud of this crop Mark. I only recently learned it takes almost ten months for it to reach maturity and where we live, I don't think it can be grown over the winter. Such a shame. Yours looks perfectly perfect. Enjoy that meal.

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  7. Barbie~18 February 2013 at 22:08

    LOVE purple broccoli.

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  8. flowerlady18 February 2013 at 22:12

    Also love PSB,have an extra area now at the end of our raised beds so hope to grow some this year,shame we will have to wait until next year to eat some fresh,enjoy!

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  9. Neesie19 February 2013 at 00:05

    Oh I can hear your smile from here Mark...happy days when the PSB is harvested! Enjoy :D

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  10. kitsapFG19 February 2013 at 01:25

    That is such a pretty vegetable too. I really must grow these once in a while - if nothing else to enjoy how pretty they look in the garden!

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  11. Andrea19 February 2013 at 02:58

    Looks great and the recipe for dinner sounds great now how did it taste?

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  12. Jo@awholeplotoflove19 February 2013 at 07:29

    Well done Mark, that looks fab. I think mine is a couple of weeks off yet.

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  13. Dewberry / Amanita19 February 2013 at 09:27

    Your broccoli looks amazing! I always liked those purple varieties :)

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  14. Liz19 February 2013 at 09:33

    Jane's pasta dish sounds delicious. I read somewhere that walnuts are excellent nutrition wise as is broccoli so it should be a winner.

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  15. Liz19 February 2013 at 09:35

    Oh and I thought I should mention - quite a few of your comments on my blog ended up being put into my spam folder by my anti spam plugin. Weird eh?

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  16. David19 February 2013 at 11:58

    Yay for PSB. They look good and Jane's dish sounds lovely.

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  17. Kelli19 February 2013 at 14:59

    The PSB is so pretty! Too bad I have trouble growing broccoli.

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  18. Lisa19 February 2013 at 15:09

    Very nice. I always like purple and green together.

    Do they turn green when you cook then, like purple beans?

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  19. Andrea Mynard19 February 2013 at 19:35

    Wonderful harvest. I have veg envy as mine isn't ready yet! The recipe sounds fab too, my favourite veggie, can't wait.

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  20. Jude20 February 2013 at 16:48

    Wow Mark, they look fantastic!

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  21. Mary Hysong20 February 2013 at 19:48

    Beautiful purple broccolI! I was too busy to get any started last fall so doing without now ;-( maybe next time

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  22. Maria21 February 2013 at 15:08

    Your photos are making very excited about trying this variety in my garden this year - beautiful!

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