UK gardening - Broccoli-cabbage question feedback

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Broccoli-cabbage question feedback

George.com

2007-10-28, 9:25 am

Thought I would report back on the 'broccoli-cabbage' question I asked here
a week or so back.

I planted some 'broccoli' seed a workmate gave me. Some of it went fine,
some of it failed to head. After waiting a reasonable time I decided it
wasn't likely broccoli but maybe some form of cabbage. Some help here and
some googling led me to conculde it may have been a collard green or 'tree
cabbage'.

Anyhow, just to be safe I tried it out on the neighbours, warning them
beforehand that it may be a 'strange' cabbage. The verdict, whatever it was
"not much chop". The leaves were too bitter apparently. The remaining plants
have now become a temporary mulch waiting for a crop of sweet potato. The
sweet potato tubers I planted in that spot last weekend have all died. Maybe
karma for trying to poison the neighbour.

rob

Robert $Plymouth$

2007-10-28, 9:25 am

"George.com" <roblyn@ihug.co.nz> wrote in message
news:fg1hs8$h80$1@lust.ihug.co.nz...
> Thought I would report back on the 'broccoli-cabbage' question I asked
> here
> a week or so back.
>
> I planted some 'broccoli' seed a workmate gave me. Some of it went fine,
> some of it failed to head. After waiting a reasonable time I decided it
> wasn't likely broccoli but maybe some form of cabbage. Some help here and
> some googling led me to conculde it may have been a collard green or 'tree
> cabbage'.
>
> Anyhow, just to be safe I tried it out on the neighbours, warning them
> beforehand that it may be a 'strange' cabbage. The verdict, whatever it
> was
> "not much chop". The leaves were too bitter apparently. The remaining
> plants
> have now become a temporary mulch waiting for a crop of sweet potato. The
> sweet potato tubers I planted in that spot last weekend have all died.
> Maybe
> karma for trying to poison the neighbour.
>
> rob

Where are you? I understand that sweet potatoes in the UK should be planted
from rooted slips when the weather warms up in spring. The ones I tried this
year from T and M were a bit of a disappointment but I put that down to the
3 months of poor summer weather

Bob Hobden

2007-10-28, 1:25 pm

"Robert (Plymouth)" wrote after...
> "George.com" wrote ...
>
> Where are you? I understand that sweet potatoes in the UK should be
> planted from rooted slips when the weather warms up in spring. The ones I
> tried this year from T and M were a bit of a disappointment but I put that
> down to the 3 months of poor summer weather
NZ. Which is why the timings seem strange to us in the UK. George, can I
respectfully suggest a signature like mine to stop any confusion on behalf
of those reading your posts on URG.

I did my own "Slips" this year from the tubers I grew last year from the T &
M slips. Just laid the tubers down in a 2 inch layer of compost in the
greenhouse (min 50°F) and watered a bit, soon the shoots came up and tried
to root into the compost and could easily be pulled off with roots attached
and potted up ready for planting out end of May. Got so many I supplied the
whole site, well those that wanted some.
Haven't dug them up yet, bet the slugs have had a go, they usually do.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

George.com

2007-10-29, 3:25 am

"George.com" <roblyn@ihug.co.nz> wrote in message
news:fg1hs8$h80$1@lust.ihug.co.nz...
> Thought I would report back on the 'broccoli-cabbage' question I asked
here
> a week or so back.
>
> I planted some 'broccoli' seed a workmate gave me. Some of it went fine,
> some of it failed to head. After waiting a reasonable time I decided it
> wasn't likely broccoli but maybe some form of cabbage. Some help here and
> some googling led me to conculde it may have been a collard green or 'tree
> cabbage'.
>
> Anyhow, just to be safe I tried it out on the neighbours, warning them
> beforehand that it may be a 'strange' cabbage. The verdict, whatever it
was
> "not much chop". The leaves were too bitter apparently. The remaining
plants
> have now become a temporary mulch waiting for a crop of sweet potato. The
> sweet potato tubers I planted in that spot last weekend have all died.
Maybe
> karma for trying to poison the neighbour.
>
> rob

the irony, here in New Zealand, is that I talked with the source of the seed
today. He assured me the seeds were indeed broccoli, not cabbage. He had
several that did not head properly either. The neighbours tucked into a
'nice' feed of broccoli leaves last week.

rob

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