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Brussel Sprouts  (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera)

GROWING SUMMARY​

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  • Onions are frost hardy and germinate best between

  • Timing:  

  • Direct Seeding

  • Growing Seedlings
    Germination temperature

  • Bed Preparation
    Raised beds
    On the flat

  • Plant Spacing
    Germination temperature

  • Irrigation
    Germination temperature

  • Pests and Diseases
    Germination temperature

  • Harvesting
    November – January depending on variety & location

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GROWING SUMMARY​

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  • Brussel sprouts can be problematic in our hot dry summers. They are considered to be winter vegetables but they are actually grown through summer. The seeds need to be sown in November/December and transplanted into the ground in January when it can be hot, dry and windy. They will be in the ground for four to five months, need protection from wind and lots of water. 

  • The plants are large so set them out 450-600mms apart.

  • Like all the large brassicas Brussel sprouts  needs rich, well fertilised soil and plenty of space.  The pH needs to be about 6.5 so add lime or dolomite if your soil is acid.

  • Once the plants start to form baby Brussel sprouts cut the leaves off with scissors or secateurs starting at the bottom of the plant and cutting more leaves off as more sprouts form.

  • If you are not going to pick off individual sprouts as they mature and would prefer to harvest the whole stalk cut out the the growing point at the top when the lower sprouts are 20mm in diameter. A full stalk of uniform sized sprouts will develop in about 4 weeks.

  • Harvest when the weather gets really cold, preferably after the first frost. The sprouts should be fully formed and hard. If you are not harvesting the whole stalk just start at the bottom of the stem and as you remove the lower sprouts the ones above them will grow bigger and fill out.

  • Cabbage moths and butterflies are a problem in summer but can be easily controlled organically with Dipel (Bacillus thuringiensis) or by using some sort of exclusion netting.
    Aphids can also be a problem in the cooler weather

VARIETIES​

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  • Long Island Improved - a trusted old fashioned favourite

  • Red - there are also open pollinated heirloom red varietis

  • Modern F1 hybrids - fast growing and more dependable in hot, windy conditions

MORE INFORMATION

 

Timing

Timing is absolutely crucial with Brussel Sprouts. If you don't plant them in early summer there will be no chance of getting well formed, good sized sprouts

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Pest Control

The worst pests of Brussel sprouts are the cabbage white butterflies that hover around the plants all summer.  With the big leafy cabbage family members the caterpillars are easy to spot but not so with broccoli where they are able to hide in the florets. There is nothing that will put people (particularly children) off this tasty, nutritious vegetable than finding a cooked caterpillar on their plate.

 

You just have to be vigilant in the warmer months. If you see even one white butterfly there will be eggs and caterpillars. The eggs are easy to spot, they are small, round and yellow and you will find them on the underside of the leaves. If you only have a few plants it is easy to squash the eggs off with your thumb. This is easy if you only have a few plants and they are small. The best solution is to check all your seedlings for eggs when you plant them then put some sort of insect exclusion cover over the top of the plants. If the butterflies can't get on the leaves they can't lay eggs. Another great biological control is Dipel, a bacterial poison specific to caterpillars and which will not harm all the wonderful beneficial insects. 

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As the weather starts to cool in autumn aphids can become a real problem. Spray with white oil and or pyrethrum to stay on top of these small leaf sucking insects.

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Weed Management 

​​Because of the wide plant spacing Brussel sprouts are easy to hoe when they are small. Brussel sprouts are also a great candidate for heavy mulching. When using mulch be vigilant with slug control because slugs love young Brassica plants.

 

Once the plants are well established weed problems disappear. The large shady leaves protect the soil and when the outer leaves die off they put small amounts of germination suppressant chemicals into the soil. 

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