[Scribbler]

Stupid question, but I went to the garden centre to try and get winter purple broccoli seeds, and all they had were the summer sort.

Also looked online and nothing there either.

However the chap at the garden centre said they were expecting the winter sort in the next couple of weeks.

All the purple sprouting broccoli seeds I looked at online said plant up to about June.

I've grown these in the past but bought small plants and grew them on. Best thing was that the slugs weren't around when I plated them out.  Thought I'd try economising and growing from seed. Am I too late? Do I just buy any old PSB seeds?

[mumofstig]

You sow PSB in Spring time and eat them in Spring the next year how early they are ready depends on variety and weather 

[azubah]

It is rather late, but you might just get away with it if the weather remains mild for the next 3 months.
I have sown psb seeds in june or july and they still flowered this year (when I did not want them to) instead of next spring.
I would buy late psb seeds and hope for the best.
It's probably worth the risk as there will be plenty of seed in the packet and you will be able to sow more next  year for use the following spring.

[Scribbler]

I was planning on planting them in small pots/plastic modules in the greenhouse initially.

[Scribbler]

And the chap in the garden centre was talking out of his btm?

[Salmo]

My opinion is that you are better not to bother. Even planting out plants now is unlikely to give you a crop.

Plant PSB seed at the end of May/ beginning of June. Plant out in July. That way the plants get a good framework by the time the cold weather gets here. Late PSB crops March/April. If you also plant a variety Rudolph it will crop Just before that.

[mumofstig]

At least planted they have a chance, even if it's only small one 

[seaside]

No point sowing seed now whatsoever. If you have a dream soil, you might just buy plants at a Garden centre, and hope they get to some sort of adult stage before the Winter, so they can do their thing in the Spring.  Maybe you could go cap in hand to a few allotment neighbours, and scrounge and dig up the odd more advanced plants and transplant them .... people often have far too many PSB. I certainly do.
Our local GC sells cheap late brassicas like January King, PSB, even red cabbage, as bundled dry root pulled plants ( 20 for £1.99) up to when the schools go back. Did manage to get a half decent PSB crop late next Spring from this source one year but I had them out mid August, with no cold weather until mid November.
One thing to think about is many PSB are perennial to a certain extent under the right conditions.

[devonbarmygardener]

You can get a pack of whole season PSB - I think Suttons seeds produced it - you can then harvest all year round - IF you can get the seedlings to survive!