Christian Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Hello wise owls! I have been given some PSB plants. They are about 8" high at present. Knowing the cabbage white butterflies in my garden, I wanted to plant the plants out and cover with netting to stop the winged pests laying their eggs. Any idea how big the plants get? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I did it last year, & they do get big & sort of unstable too, so they need staking. To be honest you get a LOT of plant for very little vegetable,the butterflies were a nuisance,so I won't bother again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Mine got about 28 inches high I suppose Cinnamon is right about the lot of leaf for little veg, I got one meal off of six plants but the chickens did well out of the leaves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Ditto! Will not be bothering with PSB again - nightmare EDIT Re-read the last 3 posts and they sound really negative! Just to be 'glass half full' - Christian im sure your PSB will grow like weeds and you and the OH will be enjoying meal after meal of it! There - thats evened up the karma! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 The plants will get to about 2.5 feet high and may need staking. They have a very long growing season, but the crop you get does taste lovely. Once the initial larger head has been cut this will be followed by smaller pieces and in a healthy plant you should be able to crop it for a few weeks. We usually grow about 6 plants which gives us enough for 5 people although I am the only one who really loves it. It has a very strong brassica taste with a slight bitter edge, it just tastes so good for you We grow all of our brassicas in an enviromesh cage to stop butterflies. Enviromesh doesn't come cheap but it is sold by the metre in different widths on ebay Gardening Naturally I think the seller is called. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I did it last year, & they do get big & sort of unstable too, so they need staking. To be honest you get a LOT of plant for very little vegetable,the butterflies were a nuisance,so I won't bother again Same here, have given up on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 The plants will get to about 2.5 feet high and may need staking. They have a very long growing season, but the crop you get does taste lovely. Once the initial larger head has been cut this will be followed by smaller pieces and in a healthy plant you should be able to crop it for a few weeks. We usually grow about 6 plants which gives us enough for 5 people although I am the only one who really loves it. It has a very strong brassica taste with a slight bitter edge, it just tastes so good for you We grow all of our brassicas in an enviromesh cage to stop butterflies. Enviromesh doesn't come cheap but it is sold by the metre in different widths on ebay Gardening Naturally I think the seller is called. I use debris netting... its very cheap off ebay and for brassicas its just the job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I use mesh but they still get eaten Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted June 5, 2009 Author Share Posted June 5, 2009 Thanks for all your replies. having trouble fitting it all in especially as it needs netting. Only a few more cabbages to squeeze in now...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 We eat the leaves cooked like cabbage. Dont know if thats 'normal' or not to do that. It just seems a waste to have so many leaves and so little broccoli. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 You can eat the leaves too Lynda. I would have if there were any left! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 I woke up this morning thinking I must put some netting over my Kale plants before we get a butterfly attack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milly Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 It's useful to get the warning about needing to put on nettting - I must do that if it stops raining. I hadn't planned to buy them but Thompson and Morgan were doing a "buy any two seed packets and get purple sprouting broccoli seeds free" so I sowed them and they are quite big plants already. I hope they grow - we buy lots of PSB every year so it would be nice to get our own. Milly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Just be aware that as well as keeping butterflies off, you need to keep the caterpillars off too. I was successful in keeping off the butterflies, but they laid their eggs on the nearby nasturtiums instead. The caterpillars ate the nasturtiums then just walked through the mesh and started on my broccoli. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoebe Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 whether you eat the florets or not (we did not like them), hens love the leaves, so it does provide food for the both of you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted June 7, 2009 Author Share Posted June 7, 2009 That was the plan Phoebe I still haven't found space for them yet Might pot them into larger pots and wait for the broad beans to finish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 We had the PSB leaves today with Sunday lunch. They are ok and Im sure packed with vitamins but they are not the most tasty veg on the planet. I think I might give them to the chooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 We had the PSB leaves today with Sunday lunch. They are ok and Im sure packed with vitamins but they are not the most tasty veg on the planet. I think I might give them to the chooks. Leaves? You are supposed to eat the florets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted June 9, 2009 Author Share Posted June 9, 2009 I'm sure Lynda ate the florets as well Matthew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 Usually the PSB is ready next spring. When I did mine, it wasn't until late spring that the florets formed and I wanted to grow other veg while it took up the room. Not doing that one again. Calibrese it is now and any extra will be frozen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen&Rog Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I persevered with PSB last year and was rewarded with a lovely crop from about 6 plants. I couldn't get netting to go over them properly, so I used to inspect the underside of the leaves once a week and brush off the yellow eggs, or pick off any rogue caterpillars. I nearly lost the lot this spring after the pigeons discovered them - keep an eye out for that! Not sure I'll grow them again, but I still have a stash in the freezer to keep us going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saronne Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 It's well worth growing IMO for an early spring treat. I love PSB steamed and then sauted in olive oil with garlic and chilli flakes and tossed into pasta... Try it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I do it in pasta too, but I fry some good back bacon in garlic, add a spash of white wne, then put chopped PSB in & boil it down a bit. The add some Parmesan - its heavenly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted June 23, 2009 Author Share Posted June 23, 2009 I really need to plant it out now, just need to find somewhere to put it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I am glad that I am not the only one who loves it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
