Last year I planted sprouting broccoli in the front garden, thinking that if it worked we’d have lovely fresh purple sprouts to eat – it hardly being likely that it would be the local scallies’ vegetable of choice. And then Sandy said ‘you’re not going to eat that, are you? With all the pollution from the cars?’ I thought our street had pretty few cars, but then an air pollution survey showed it as being over the EU limits. So my beautiful purple sprouting broccoli can’t be eaten… But maybe it’s helped to absorb just a little of the nasty stuff emitted by the traffic.
and then Sandy said ” dig up a bit of lawn and plant sprouting broccoli in your back garden. It will be delicious”.
And indeed there is one in the back garden, sprouting away. And one is really plenty.
I would happily eat your broccoli and feed it to my kids; I can’t see how air pollution would be a worry especially as petrol is lead free these days. A far greater risk would occur if your soil was contaminated with lead, mercury etc. or had previously been used for industrial/chemical use. Enjoy your vegetables!