My mom and dad needed to pick up some hanging flower baskets and impatiens for their backyard and invited us to meet them at a farm and nursery not far from our home. The place was in full bloom with beautiful hanging baskets, petunias, and geraniums as far as the eye could see. What caught my eye, however, was a shelf of young vegetable flats just outside the nursery door. Dad picked up a four-pack of broccoli rabe, and before long I had a four-pack in my hands, too. Then Hubberman spotted brussels sprouts. Pretty soon I was toting a four-pack of those around as well. “I’ll fit them in somewhere,” I reasoned.
Of course, after coming home to research space requirements for brussels sprouts and broccoli rabe, I realized I have absolutely no room for either in my little raised bed. Those guys require a lot of space! Lesson learned – always research first! O well. Looks like my dad will do some surrogate gardening for me this season!
Here’s a gallery of the beautiful farm where we shopped. Photos by my Hubberman.
Clover and Thyme 
I say pooh to space requirements. In my experience many of them don’t need as much space as tradition suggests. Do a little experimenting; see what happens. Maybe you’ll be on the cutting edge of brussel sprout cultivation. Or at least have a few to call your own. 😉
I’m still trying to figure out how I might be able to accommodate a few of them here. But if not, I can always let my dad babysit them for me. 🙂 Thanks for dropping by and commenting!
Ohhh! Lucky to have a babysitter! I couldn’t resist your title. I am a garden center sucker, so they all feel like rookie mistakes.
Great photos. It’s still early … plenty of time to build a broccoli – brussel sprout bed.
Thanks!
I have to control my garden greed every time I go to a garden center. It is hard not to bring “just one plant” back home.
I know! Every plant I see tempts me!
Been there done that. It’s the worst feeling when you can’t plant something you have bought at whim. Glad your dad will foster them for ya 🙂
Yes, they’ll have a good home either way. 🙂
What a shame I love both of them too bad you can’t figure something out, You’ll just have take some from your dad if you can’t find room.
We love them, too! Dad’s never grown brussels sprouts, he’s actually looking forward to trying that out!
Surrogate gardening, thats funny! Good one
LOL, Thanks. 🙂
I always over buy when it comes to plants–I think maybe it’s more “optimism” than “rookie”!
Aw, thanks! That’s such a kinder, gentler way to look at it! 🙂 LOL
Well–we “optimists” need to stick together! 🙂
Stick ’em in a bucket and pray! 🙂 I grew the strangest looking (but delicious) broccoli in a Rubbermaid tote a few months ago. The stalk grew to enormous proportions before getting a “head.” I just kept waiting…and one day it was there!
I think I may keep one of each, just to see what they do. Dad’s coming over today to pick up the others. 🙂
Ha! I have exactly the same issue! I have to avoid nurseries as soon as I’m “full up” on goodies every season or I end up buying way more than I can a) Possibly plant in time or B) Have current garden space for.
Which is why, every spring, I’m rushing to add a new bed here or a new bed there, just so I can plant the not-so-well-thought-out plant purchases I made!
I know! I spent all of $3 on those little guys, and I’m ready to launch into constructing another raised bed just to plant them! LOL
I have the same problem! I have now moved to planting herbs in hangning baskets, cause there is no more room in the veggie bed. haha I agree little sis about space requirements….I rarely follow those. I know quite a few people who do it and have had great results with it.
sorry…part of my comment is gone! haha I was asking if you had heard of square foot gardening.
Hi Monique! What I’m doing now is pretty much square foot gardening. I have a 4 x 8 enclosed raised bed. I have to be careful what I plant more from a height consideration than a width, because if it grows too tall it might bust through my screen! 🙂 I did decide to plant one broccoli rabe in the enclosure, and I planted one brussels sprout plant in a container on the deck. The rest went to my dad. We’ll see how they do!
fun! let us know how they do!