New M&S sprout good for GYOers
Controversy this week. Marks & Spencer have smashed together two pillars of the vegetable community to launch a sprout/kale hybrid called ‘flower spout’, on sale Monday. 
The new vegetable (yes, a new vegetable) looks like a blown-open sprout, where once tight leaves now grow proudly into middle distance, much like a young cabbage afraid of commitment. It’s still a handsome devil though – but this launch works on more levels than looks alone.
I like that the achievements of talented breeders are recognised by such a major market introduction (see HW report). I like that cabbage rootfly can sleep easy, knowing there is another welcoming Brassica family member to host upon.
Mostly though, I like that people are gossiping about flower sprout, adding double-digging-momentum to grow-your-own in the process, still spurring people on to pick up a trowel and give growing a go. In short, it’s another story about healthy veg – and an emotive one at that, given the unenviable reputation of sprouts as disliked by so many, not least children.
It seems that Brassicas are no longer all enormous cabbages that take a fortnight to eat, growing in militaristic rows patrolled by welly-wearing men with pipes. No, no, no. ‘There is a brassica for everyone’. Even reluctant children, who were recently spotted handing out sprouts to each other in a playground at a Garden Organic/Food for Life Partnership school after one child tried a fresh-picked sprout (raw, no less). This is good work by the volunteer gardener involved, changing perceptions, much like the potential of flower spout.
Other good stuff:
Deciding the name ‘flower sprout’ here
Buying the hybrid variety from T&M, here.
Daily Mail report (including larger photo used on this page)
