Have you checked elsewhere? Sometimes Johnny's have a special variety and other times they just price higher. You are looking at the 'commercial' catalog from Johnnys, right? If not, ask for the commercial catalog, prices are much cheaper and the quantities are not that much bigger.

Marla

I have seen it in other places but in home garden sized quantities. I'll look at Osbornes.

I just 'binged' sprouting broccoli and found that I planted sprouting broccoli, calabrese. I got the seeds, 5 packets for $1 at the local farm store. More than enough for me. Also Just checked Jordan's, found Gr.sprounting calabrese (OP) for $1.40 for 1 oz.

Marla

O.K. Marla, I had read that it is not calabrese.
How did that go for you? Or do you mean you just planted it for this season?

Are you talking about the purple kind?

We trialed overwintering the 'normal' purple sprouting broccoli but we are a bit cold for it's zone and I know one survived but I am not sure if any of the others did. The reason I bothered trying was to have early season broccoli without a hoop house. From what I read last year they should be ready in May.

I bought seeds on e-bay from the UK. It is more popular over there. They were inexpensive.

Yep the purple kind, I should have said that.I haven't seen green sprouting broccoli. They call the green versions other things, where I have seen it.

It might be too late now here. Even my last planting of regular broccoli from transplants in early Feb. bolted. There is pretty much not a time where bolting risk is really low here, so I am hoping I can extend the broccoli like offerings with this or some similar things.

we grew (still growing) Santee in a hoophouse over winter. planted in the fall sometime. it has sold extremely well. the seed, like all things purchased from Johnnys is very expensive. note that maturity is 80-100 days so this is a long term crop. we've been cutting it for several market days.
it makes very pretty bunches.
Johnnys is very proud of what they sell.

Randy, that's a good way to put how Johnnys price their things.

My broccoli is going like wildfires, just planted this year. It's just the regular green. Purple wouldn't sell around here.

Marla