Grow Brussels Sprouts in the Home Garden
How to Plant and Care for Small Cabbage-like Vegetables
Sep 14, 2009
Brussels sprouts look like tiny cabbages but they have a delicious nutty flavor. They are easily prepared and they are full of fiber, vitamins A and C, potassium. These vegetables were first known in Brussels, Belgium in the 1500s. Thomas Jefferson was the first known person to introduce Brussels sprouts to America when he brought them from France in 1821. These vegetables are in the cabbage family (officially called Brassicas), which includes kale, broccoli and cauliflower. Brussels sprouts can be grown in both spring and fall. Most varieties only take about 85-100 days to mature, so planting a second crop at the end of summer will yield fall vegetables. The plants can over-winter in milder climates.
Preparing the Garden Bed
Like many other vegetables, Brussels sprouts prefer rich soil. A few weeks before planting, work compost into the soil and let the bed sit for a couple of weeks. This will allow the ground to settle. Brussels sprouts are heavy plants and soft soil can lead to them toppling over from a lack of support. They also have a shallow root system. Also, don’t plant Brussels sprouts where other members of the cabbage family grew within the last two years. Diseases common to the Brassica family may have remained behind and this could cause the problems to spread.
Choosing and Planting the Seeds
Select a variety of Brussels sprouts seeds based on the characteristics of each type, particularly the number of days it takes to mature. Some varieties can be harvested early and some have a longer growing season. If planting late in the season, choose a type like Long Island Improved, which will be ready in about 90 days. Or, if planting times permit, choose a variety like Diablo, which is a reliable producer that takes about 110 days to mature.
When sowing the Brussels sprouts seeds, cover them with about ¾ of an inch of soil. Don’t crowd the seeds, even though they are very small. If the plants are started indoors in seed trays they will need about 4-5 weeks before they are big enough to plant outdoors. They are ready when they are about 6 inches tall. Plant the seedlings outdoors in late spring or early fall. Space them about 2 feet apart, as the plants will grow between two and three feet tall. Don’t crowd the seedlings as this fosters disease. Air and light should be available to the whole plant because the sprouts will emerge from the base of the leaf stems. Water the plants well in the beginning and then cut back as the plants begin to grow. This plant likes lots of water but not soggy soil.
Maintenance and Harvest
Keep the plant clean by removing any brown or yellow leaves. It is believed that removing the bottom 6 or 8 leaves will help the sprouts draw more energy and develop better. If this is done, leave the top part of the plant intact so that it will get enough sun and air. Cutting off the top of the plant once it is two or three feet tall will also help drive energy to sprout production.
Fertilize the Brussels sprouts plants about twice during the growing season, using fertilizer that has plenty of nitrogen. Side dressing with compost helps. Don’t cultivate in the area around the plant or this may disturb the shallow roots. If the plant needs support, bank dirt up around the base of the plant. The very top, tender leaves can be eaten as cooked greens.
At harvest time, cut off the lower sprouts on the lower branches first. The sprouts should be about 1-2 inches big. A good crop of sprouts will be tightly headed and bright green. If they turn yellow, they are past their prime. In the fall, allow the first frost to settle on the plants as this changes the taste and makes the sprouts sweeter. Keep fresh sprouts in a paper bag in the refrigerator until they are needed. Otherwise, only harvest them as needed. Cook Brussels sprouts by trimming off the yellow or ragged outer leaves and cut an x in the base of the sprout. Steam them in a few inches of water until they are tender. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes. Enjoy them with butter or olive oil.
Resources
Brussels Sprouts (University of Illinois Extension)
Buckingham, Alan and Whittingham, Jo. Grow Vegetables. New York: DK Publishing, 2008.
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