[johnfh]

 I noticed our local greengrocer had locally grown (South Somerset) purple sprouting on display in early December. I have yet to find any seeds available that claim harvesting starts until February.  Does anyone know which variety would give sprouts in late November onwards outdoors or are they likely to have been grown in a polytunnel or some such protected environment?

[DD.]

I've been picking mine since November.

Shouldn't be - but I have!

[DavidT]

With current weather patterns it is hard to be exact with veg harvesting. You need to use the timings on seed packets as a guide rather than the gospel.

[johnfh]

Thanks DD and DavidT for your quick responses.  What variety did you sow?

[gardener247]

i harvested mine in october cause the weather was so wierd

[DD.]

Thanks DD and DavidT for your quick responses.  What variety did you sow?

Early Purple Red Arrow (T & M) - but not THAT early!

[Comfortably Numb]

Extra early Rudolph should start from January according to D.T. Brown. So, with the strange weather patterns we've been getting, early December is quite possible I would think.

[Salmo]

My Rudolph has shoots coming and I will expect to be cropping as soon as we get some slightly warmer weather.

[strangerachael]

I've been picking mine in very small quantities since about August, but that's partly because I sowed it so early. I would prefer it to start after Christmas and last until March/April, when there's not much else available, but it seems to me that you can sow it whenever you like (apart from the very coldest months) and it will crop so many weeks later therefore you could have it right through from late summer to the following spring if you sowed the right varieties in succession. 

[noshed]

Mine are just starting to sprout now.

[viettaclark]

Mine too. How big do you let them shoot? Don't want them going to yellow flower, do you?

[DD.]

If you can see purple - have them off before it's too late!