When do i plant brussel sprout plants

It is thought to have descended from wild Mediterranean kale , developing near Brussels, Belgium — and thus, unsurprisingly, the name. Respected botanists as recently as the seventeenth century referred to it only as something they had heard of, but had never seen.

The plant made its way to North America around , and has been distressing American children ever since. Most varieties of this plant have an extremely long growing season with a lengthy interval between planting and harvest, as much as days. Though there are some shorter-season varieties, which will have your kids singing the blues in as few as 80 days.

Oh, and did we mention that they greatly appreciate a little nip of frost to really enhance their flavor? So, that means very northern gardeners can plant as early as mid-June, reap the taste-enhancing benefits of a frost or two, and enjoy these tasty treats at Thanksgiving. Gardeners further to the south can almost certainly get a fall crop in , though the sprouts might not be ready for Turkey Day.

Things get tricky when these southern gardeners get a little cocky and think maybe they can also get a spring harvest in. Play with different varieties to get the timing right, according to your local weather patterns.

According to Cornell University , shorter plants tend to mature earlier and be more cold tolerant. This variety produces tightly packed one-inch veggies. We go more into growing brussels sprouts during winter here.

Plant transplants 14 to 18 inches apart in full sun. These veggies will tolerate light shade, but this will slow their maturity. They prefer well-drained fertile soil with lots of organic matter and a pH of 6 to 6. Apply a thick layer of mulch for moisture retention and weed suppression.

Four weeks later, apply a second round of fertilizer. Brussels sprouts are susceptible to the same bugs that plague other cole crops. If you suffer an infestation of cabbage aphids, wash off with hard stream of water. Use Bacillus thuringiensis to get rid of cabbage worms , and spray insecticidal soap to kill flea beetles.

If you see cutworms , your best bet is to hand pluck them off. Luckily, this plant is fairly disease free. Practice crop rotation to help prevent diseases. Cover cropping also serves as a great way to revitalize the soil between veggie plantings. Twist, snap, or cut off sprouts when they are hard, compact, deep green, and reach mature size, depending on the variety. Yellow leaves are bitter and unappealing, even to adults. Read more about harvesting here. Try some of these tasty recipes for our favorite balls of green goodness found on our sister site, Foodal.

This side dish is simple to make, and it goes with just about any type of protein. Get the recipe now on Foodal! Bacon makes everything better and the Brussels are cooked to al dente still firm rather than being squishy. And the added fats helps your body absorb the nutrients packed into the sprouts.

And for more even ideas, you can take a look at all the Brussels sprout recipes we have on Foodal. Have you grown this plant? Photo credit: Shutterstock.

Recipe photo by Mike Quinn. Be sure to allow the full time outdoors for required days to harvest. In warmer climates, fall planting is preferred. You should be able to direct seed in mid-summer for a late fall or early winter harvest. The plants will grow and sprout best in full sun and need at least 6 hours of sun daily. Too much shade will slow the sprouts' maturity. Brussels sprouts like a slightly acidic to neutral soil that is fertile, well-drained and moist, with plenty of organic matter.

The soil pH should be between 6. A good amount of organic matter will help maintain the moisture they need for their intense growth. Brussels sprouts like the soil around them to be firm, but not compacted. Pat it down lightly. Keep the sprouts' soil moist but not soaked, giving it between 1 and 1. Brussels sprouts prefer temperatures between 45 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

They'll tolerate a couple of days below freezing, and even improve their flavor with a bit of light frost. This is not a warm-weather crop—sprouts that mature during hot or dry weather will be bitter and flimsy. Fertilize Brussels sprout plants twice a season with a nitrogen fertilizer—once when the plants are about 12 inches high and again four weeks later.

Brussels sprouts take about three to four months from transplant before you can begin harvesting. They grow tall first and don't start producing sprouts until they reach almost full height. Each sprout grows in the leaf axil or joint. They begin maturing from the bottom of the plant upward. Start harvesting when the lower sprouts reach the size of large marbles.

Pick the sprouts before they get too large and start cracking and turning bitter. Pulling off the sprouts is easier if you remove the leaf below the sprout first, then twist and pull the sprout. Some people prefer to cut, rather than pull the sprouts. Each plant yields approximately a quart of sprouts total. After harvesting, a second crop of Brussels sprouts may begin to grow at the base of the stem. These will not be as tight as the first buds, but they are still edible.

Start them off early to get the best crop. Use early, mid-season and late cultivars, to provide a long cropping season. For an early crop, sow in a greenhouse in small pots or modular trays in February, for harvesting from August. Brussels are traditionally sown in a separate seed bed, rather than on the main veg plot, then transplanted in early summer, once more space is available.

Thin seedlings to 7. Grow in pots if clubroot is a problem. Water the plants regularly until they have settled in. In September, mound soil around the base of the stems, to provide extra support.

Roots become swollen and distorted, and leaves become pale and yellow and wilt easily. Plants may die. Birds, especially pigeons, can cause an array of problems including eating seedlings, buds, leaves, fruit and vegetables. Protect the plants from birds by covering them with netting or fleece. Scarecrows and bird-scaring mechanisms work for a while, but the most reliable method of protection is to cover plants with horticultural fleece or mesh.

White larvae approximately 5cm 2in long, feed on the roots just below the soil surface, stunting growth and causing plants to wilt and die. A number of caterpillars will feed on brassicas, but the most common are those of cabbage white butterflies. You will usually see the caterpillars, if not, you will see the holes they make in the leaves. They will also bore into the heart of cabbages. In mild attacks, or if you have only a few plants, you may be able to pick the caterpillars off. Insect-proof mesh or fine netting mm mesh can prevent egg-laying.