Brown's GYO Purple Rain Broccoli

A purple cape type. Can be cut as a close head like a cauliflower and used as florets, or allow the heads to stretch and cut as tips or short spears like calabrese. Delicious cooked or raw

When to Sow Purple Rain Seeds

April to June

Plant out

June to July

Where to Sow

Sowings can be made in trays or modules under glass at 13°C. Later sowings can be made into a seed bed in shallow drills 2cm (3/4") deep in short rows.     

             
WHAT TO DO NEXT

As soon as glasshouse seedlings show their first pair of leaves, prick off into trays 5cm (2") apart or thin modules to one seedling per cell. Gradually harden off before planting out, spacing plants 40-45cm (16-18in) apart between plants and 45-60cm (18-24in) between the rows. Outdoor sowings should be thinned to 7-10cm (3-4in) apart, then once plants are 15cm (6in) tall, they can be lifted and transplanted to their final planting positions, spaced the same as detailed above.

Handy Tip

A longer harvest period can be achieved if florets are left to stretch and used like Calabrese.

Harvest

September to October.