Gardening is a Natural Beginning to a Healthier Living.
brussels sprouts
The instructions below are for my zone: Zone 8b. Instructions may vary depending on your zone. Remember to locate your zone: Plant Hardiness Zone.
The Brussels sprout - the little cabbage on my plate. I was introduced to these when I was young but the world was introduced to them when they were cultivated in Belgium in the 16th century. They have been around for a very long time.
Germination: About 7-12 days
FULL SUN: 5-7 hours is optimal. I have grown some 'sample' plants next to other plants that provided shade in the afternoon and it stunted the plants growth and height. One was grown next to Rhubarb and one was grown next to potato plants. Neither was a good fit. Learn from my mistake, full sun and as much as is available.
I found that it can't hurt to add some sort of support around each plant. In my area, the wind gets crazy and has been strong enough to bend over my tall sunflowers. So I take precaution whenever possible.
Once they start getting taller and you begin to see little sprouts in the armpits of the leaves, you will be cutting off the leaves (shown later). Doing this will make them top heavy. Another reason to have some sort of support in place before they reach this stage.
You can see the sprouts forming, so I cut the ends of the branches off, leaving the top 1/3 of the plant so it can continue to grow. We are not growing leaves, we are growing sprouts. So, you want as much of the growing focus to be on the sprouts.
PH Level: 6-7.5
Biennial The plant, if left in the ground through the winter, will grow seeds the 2nd year. Typically, you harvest all the sprouts in the first year and mulch the rest of the plant. But, if you are planning to save your own seeds, you should leave one or two plants in the ground for the following year.
Weather: 60-70 degrees is optimal. It is best to start your plants in the Fall and let them go through several periods of frost. They will be more tender and tastier.
One year, I started my plants in the early Spring, thinking they grew just like all my other plants. I ended up with some loose leaf sprouts. You want to avoid this, so planting in late Summer for a Fall or early Winter crop is the best idea. You are sure to get a tastier and healthier looking crop of sprouts.
Dirt:
Use a good nutrient-rich compost mixed into the soil before you add your seeds, or your plants that you started indoors.
Planting seeds:
- Start indoors during the Summer months. They take about a month to grow their true leaves and then 85-90 days to maturity. Remember, your goal is to grow your sprouts in the cooler weather, so if you plant in the summer, by the time they have a good set of true leaves on them and you are transplanting them outside, they will be growing in the cooler weather months and putting on their sprouts.
- Space plants 10-11” apart from each other. They need the ‘elbow’ room to grow their leaves. You can see in the image above, just how large their leaves can get.
- Don't forget to add a support system of some sort. I use tomato rings. These work quite well.
Fertilizing:
During the growing period, fertilize with nitrogen once a month. This will promote sprout growth. The flip side is that is will also promote leaf growth. This is why you want to chop your leaves off once you start seeing the sprouts growing. Make sure to only chop the lower leaves, leaving at least 1/3 of the top of the leaves on the plant.
Harvesting:
- As the plants grow taller and you start seeing baby sprouts in the ‘armpits’ of the leaf stems, start breaking off the leaves leaving about 1/2” of the stem to protect the baby sprouts. The leaves are not necessary anymore at this point – add to compost bin.
- Make sure to leave about 8-9 leaves at the top of the plant – all the baby ones growing in. Only break off the one 2/3 the way up the plant.
- Harvest the sprouts in late Fall (October/November). As I noted earlier, they can withstand a few frosts – very hardy.
- You can harvest bottom sprouts in small amounts if you only want them for your night's meal. The plant continues to grow taller and provide more sprouts.
- Harvest in bulk to seal and freeze for the winter.
Storage:
When harvesting the sprouts, do not blanch or boil or can. Just rinse them off (get rid of the bugs) in water and dash of vinegar, then seal them in airtight containers or freezer safe bags.
Insects and damage:
- Prone to club root – reduce the air pockets in the dirt by adding plenty of water when transplanting and pack down to avoid club root.
- Aphids and cabbage beetles – ants carry the aphids to the top of the plant and the aphids burrow into the top tiny new growth leaves and kill the plant. Remedy: soapy water! You can also rub Vaseline around the base of the plant so that the ants do not climb up the plant.
- Green worm (from the cabbage moth)! You have to just find them and pick them off. Can’t seem to have any way of catching that flying psychotic white cabbage moth.
Companion Plants:
Beets, bush beans, carrots, celery, lettuce, onions, peas, and potatoes. Just make sure that whatever companion you choose, don't let it grow too tall and block the sun from the sprouts.
NOTES:
- It seems the stalk of the plant is edible. Once the sprouts have all been harvested, you can boil the stalk and eat it. It takes a bit longer to cook to obtain favorable flavor and texture though.
- Leave the plants in the ground at the end of the first season, cut the stalk down to the ground, mulch heavily to protect the root and over winter. They will grow back the following year. You will get seeds their 2nd year at the end of the season from those sprouts you do not harvest.