Does anyone know of a variety of purple sprouting broccoli that does not grow too tall, I planted some last year and it grew really very tall, so the cabbage white butterflies got under the enviromesh.

I don't know of a smallish variety but one way of getting smaller plants is simply to sow quite late. I don't start my broccoli off until late June/July time. They grow well from a late sowing but just don't get too big. The plants finish up about 2 ft tall. Although each smaller plant is less productive they can be grown at closer spacing so nothing much is lost in the end.

John

This is just a thought (and might be completely wrong) but would pinching out the growing points help?

This might also have the effect of giving you a bushier plant with more areas to produce sprouting heads from? I'm sure others can advise if this is hogwash....

We put insect mesh (a finer sort of net) over ours and it was plenty wide enough to cover them and it was the 'normal height'

Thanks everyone will try all your suggestions and see what progress this year !

Hi Colin,
Pinching out would be the wrong treatment because you pinch/take out the first flower head. (I generally take that first head and eat it raw which I rather enjoy especially with about twenty or so plants)
This forces the plant to produce the succulent side-shoots you are after.
Natures Babe,
I do not know of a dwarf or lower growing variety but I like John do not sow until quite late for my Spring varieties. I now also grow the summer varieties in succession from Feb 1st and then the first day of every month till July which I find are traditionally lower growing. I have just this last weekend sown Rudolph which here starts to produce between Christmas and the New Year.
JB.