Brussels Sprouts Growing Guide

This cool-season crop is most flavorful after it is “kissed” by frost. Keep plantings moist and well-mulched during the heat of summer, and you will be rewarded with sprouts until Christmas or beyond.

Site Characteristics

Sunlight:
„ full sun
Can tolerate light shade but will slow maturity.

Soil conditions:
„ requires well-drained soil. Prefers well-drained, fertile soil high in organic matter, pH 6.0 to 7.5. Can tolerate slightly alkaline soil. Needs plentiful, consistent moisture.

Plant Traits

Lifecycle: annual
Biennial grown as an annual.
Ease-of-care: moderately difficult
Requires good soil, timely planting and protection from pests.
Height: 2 to 3 feet
Spread: 1.5 to 2 feet
Foliage color: medium green
Foliage and sprouts have bluish cast.
Foliage texture: medium
Shape: upright
Tolerates:
„ frost - Frost improves flavor. Harvest continues until Christmas or even later in some warmer areas.

Growing Information

How to plant:
Propagate by seed
Germination temperature: 45 F to 85 F - Will germinate at soil temperatures as low as 40 F.
Days to emergence: 5 to 8

Maintenance and care:

Grow in summer for fall harvest, similar to a fall cabbage or broccoli crop.
Direct seed about 4 months before expected fall frost. Plant seed 3 to 4 inches apart, ¼ to ½ inch deep in rows about 30 inches apart. Thin plants to about 18 inches apart.
Start transplants in late May and transplant in late June or early July. Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart. Plants have shallow root systems. Avoid even shallow cultivation. Mulch to protect roots, reduce weed competition and conserve moisture.
Use floating row covers to help protect from early insect infestations.
To help reduce disease, do not plant Brussels sprouts or other cole crops in the same location more than once every three or four years.

Pests:

Cabbage aphids - A hard stream of water can be used to remove aphids from plants. Wash off with water occasionally as needed early in the day. Check for evidence of natural enemies such as gray-brown or bloated parasitized aphids and the presence of alligator-like larvae of lady beetles and lacewings.
Cabbage root maggot - White maggot larvae tunnel in and feed on roots of plants. Damage causes wilting early on, death of plants later on.
Cabbageworms - Handpick and destroy. Row covers may be useful on small plantings to help protect plants from early damage. Put in place at planting and remove before temperatures get too hot in midsummer.
Flea Beetles - Use row covers to help protect plants from early damage. Put in place at planting and remove before temperatures get too hot in midsummer. Control weeds.
Cutworms - Control weeds. Cardboard collars around each plant give good protection.
Other pests: Cabbage loopers, Slugs, Nematodes

Diseases:

Clubroot - Locate plants in a part of the garden different from previous year's location. If that is not possible, remove infested soil and replace with fresh soil. Purchase healthy transplants or start seed in sterile potting mix or fresh ground. Rogue plants. Remove and discard or destroy infested plants along with immediately surrounding soil and soil clinging to roots. If soil is infested, add lime to raise pH of soil to 7.2

Varieties
Shorter plants tend to mature earlier and be more cold tolerant. Days to harvest varies from about 80 to 130 days.

Check out the extensive list of Brussels Sprouts Varieties here. You may find many you will love to grow that, may become your families new favorite or re-discover an old one.