[tosca100]

Was mooching around the psb yesterday picking off caterpillers for the chooks, when I came across some very near ready to be picked. It is not supposed to be ready till January! My all time favourite veg and I will enjoy it, early or not, as it might not survive a Bulgarian winter! I have never had such huge, strong plants.




My neighbour is desperate to pull it and my Tuscan kale out....they don't leave any veg except lettuce in over winter.

[pigguns]

What a beautiful plant  :happy:  I've got some 'Rudolph' PSB about the same heads but with leaf holes due to critters despite decent netting, packet said Dec harvest    Am hoping I've managed to pull off PSB succession with some later varieties nowhere near ready yet.  Looks like planning but it was an accident 

You think they won't overwinter? I thought they were hardy.

[tosca100]

What a beautiful plant  :happy:  I've got some 'Rudolph' PSB about the same heads but with leaf holes due to critters despite decent netting, packet said Dec harvest    Am hoping I've managed to pull off PSB succession with some later varieties nowhere near ready yet.  Looks like planning but it was an accident 

You think they won't overwinter? I thought they were hardy.

This is our first year in Bulgaria so not sure why so many other Brits have failed with psb, but very deep snow and temps below -20 might not help.

As for critters, surprisingly, since we have had white butterflies since we arrived in May and they are still around, they don't seem to take hold too badly. I have the bed next to the chooks so any seen get chucked over the fence with a little bit of leaf. Flea beetle has been a bigger problem to young plants.

[superpete]

Lucky you, my favorite veg and lovely photos too Tosca!

[snowdrops]

Looks lovely Tosca. Been going to ask for a while,I know your neighbours kindly helped/did some of your garden to help you to start with,do they continue to do things for you?

[sunshineband]

As long as the snow does not batter to them to the ground they have a good chance of getting  through.

Lovely plants Tosca 

[tosca100]

Looks lovely Tosca. Been going to ask for a while,I know your neighbours kindly helped/did some of your garden to help you to start with,do they continue to do things for you?

We are trying to gently let them know we want to be independent, but they are so caring and want us to be successful the Bulgarian way. Venka was almost upset when she found out we had planted garlic and onions without her and we felt really guilty. As I said she is desperate to clear the brassica patch, but as well as the broccoli and kale there are also some small cabbages still in there. We have made some saeurkraut to please her but only half a bucket as it will be wasted. She is still giving us bottles of mixed veg, beautifully prepared and presented, just in case we starve! And she still sends over food parcels of bread or pizza or rice pudding. The bread usually comes when I have had my bread making day!

I am not sure what she will do if we give her psb, she will think that's a poor size for broccoli and will no doubt stew it for hours with rice or put it in the pig bin.....or bottle it! Bless her, love them to bits.

[Grubbypaws]

I have just looked at my Rudolph and it could be the top photo 

This is my first year growing PSB. I bought the T&M winter selection; 'Rudolph' October to February (so mine is a little late!)  'Red Spear' in February and 'Cardinal' in March.

The plan is to then to use the containers for my potatoes along with the containers housing my T&M winter leek collection!

I dont know why in previous years I have left the containers empty over winter 

You never stop learning