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Plant Dimensions
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Height - Up to 120cm/ 48" - Spread allow +90cm/3ft
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Yield per plant |
Up to 10 globes once established |
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Sowing time |
Late February - April - temperature +18C/64F |
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Planting time
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Late February - April - temperature +18C/64F
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Time between planting and harvesting
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1 -2 years |
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Where to Sow
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Indoors (February) - 3-4 seeds 2.5cm/1" deep in small pots of
compost
Outdoors (March - April) - 2.5cm/1" deep in drills.
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Potting up indoor sown plants
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Pot-up seedlings individually into 12cm/5" pots once they
have reached 2.5-5cm/1-2".
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How to Plant Out
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Harden off indoor raised plants. Plant firmly at least 90cm/3ft
in each direction. Water well and protect from full sun
until established.
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How to take Offsets from existing plants |
In February or March, scrape away the soil from the base of
the plant and using a sharp bladed trowel, slice down
between the parent plant and the outer smaller shoots
(offsets), making sure you leave at least 3 shoots in the
centre of the parent plant. Plant each offset about 5cm/2"
deep spaced as above. Any leaf tips can be trimmed back.
Water well and protect from full sun until
established. |
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Growing on - 1st year
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It is very important that you don't harvest any
matured globes in the first year. Cut off any
heads as they start to develop. Keep the ground
weed-free and well watered and apply a mulch around the
plants in May.
Apply a liquid feed every two weeks from June to August.
In the autumn, cut down the stems and cover the crowns with
a double layer of fleece, leaves or straw to protect from
frosts.
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Growing on - 2nd and subsequent years
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Remove the winter protection in April. Apply a liquid feed
every two weeks from June to August.
In the autumn, cut down the stems and cover the crowns with
a double layer of fleece, leaves or straw to protect from
frosts. This should be removed the next spring.
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Harvesting
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The plants will throw up several stems each of which will
carry a large (king) bud or head and possibly several
smaller ones down the stem.
Although they can be eaten at various stages, they are
properly mature once the buds have swollen but the scales
are still soft and green and about the size of a cricket
ball. Harvest the king bud first along with a short portion
of stem (about 7.5cm/3"). This should trigger further buds
to develop lower down.
Harvest regularly from late June to September |
