How to Grow Brussels Sprouts
Instructions & Advice for Growing Brussels Sprout Plants in Your Vegetable Garden
| Nutrition | Watering Instructions | Harvesting |
| Climate | Fertilizing Instructions | Storage |
| Soil | Challenges | Tips |
| Planting |
Brussels Sprouts, as a member of the cabbage family, have the same basic garden growing requirements as cabbage. The small cabbage-like heads normally measure about 2” in diameter and grow from a tall central/main stem.
Gardening Brussels Sprouts requires a long growing period of approx. 130 days, so be sure to allow enough time for this vegetable to mature, when planning your garden. Try to harvest after you've had frost, as it greatly improves their flavor.
Nutrition Information: (back to top)
Contains: dietary fiber, Vitamin A, C, K, B6, Folate, Chromium, Thiamin, Riboglavin, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Copper, Potassium, Manganese
Climate & Growing Conditions: (back to top)
Brussels Sprouts prefer cool growing season. They tolerate frost, but don’t grow well in extended cold or hot periods. Brussel Sprouts are not suitable for growing in hot subtropical climates.
How to Prepare the Garden Soil: (back to top)
Brussels Sprouts thrive in deeply dug garden beds rich in humus, with full sun and good drainage. They do not grow well in soggy soil. They will accept most garden soils. Note: The sprout heads won't form well in sandy soils.
The growing season is long, approx 5-6 months. You will want to protect the plants from wind damage by hilling soil around the plants during the growing season. If you would like the sprouts to mature together at the same time, removing the terminal bud once the plant is about 15” tall.
Brussels Sprouts grow best in soils with pH of 6.0 to 7.5 (Information on how to test your garden soil pH level.)
Gardening Advice Tip: It is important to remove weeds, but be gentle as to not disturb the Brussels Sprouts shallow root system.
How to Plant: (back to top)
Sow seeds, well spaced, in seed trays. Transplant the seedlings when the plants have grown to 4” tall. Plant outside when the garden soil is workable and danger of frost has passed.
For more information on starting seeds indoors, click here.
For good growing conditions for this plant, it's garden rows should be 2 feet apart. (You can sow rows of lettuce between to make the most of your space!).
How to Water: (back to top)
Water frequently. Once the plants are well established, mulching is recommended to help keep the soil evenly moist. Reduce the amount of watering a week or two before harvesting.
How to Fertilize: (back to top)
Provide the best gardening conditions for this vegetable by preparing their garden bed several weeks ahead of planting. Recommended fertilizers for this plant are: poultry manure and a complete fertilizer.
If you've had a lot of heavy rains, it's likely that much of your fertilizer and nutrients have been washed from the garden soil. To replenish and help your plants grow, apply 1/6 oz of nitrate of potash per plant.
Gardening Challenges: (back to top)
This vegetable is very prone to pests and diseases. Cabbage moths, aphids, slugs, and snails are the primary offenders. Downy mildew and club root are diseases that you may see. Yellowish areas around the leaves are telling you that there’s a magnesium deficiency (to resolve: water the soil around the plant with 1 oz Epsom salts in 5 qts of water.)
NOTE: Providing well drained soil is your best bet for avoiding most of the above problems.
Gardening Advice Tip: Practice good vegetable gardening by rotating your crops within your garden space with each new season. This will prevent many plant diseases.
How to Harvest: (back to top)
Harvest period is late summer through to spring (depending upon the temperature extremes in your area).
Harvest Brussels Sprouts as soon as they are large enough to use. Pick the ones lower on the stalk first. Also remove the lower leaves on the stalk to help the buds at the top of the plant grow.
Harvest frequently to promote a better yield.
Storage: How to freeze Brussels Sprouts (back to top)
Remove outer leaves and cut across the stem end of the Brussels sprouts. Wash thoroughly. Blanch Brussels sprouts for 3 minutes. Cool in iced water for 3 minutes. Drain Brussels sprouts and spread on a tray in a single layer. (Cover with plastic wrap so the strong Brussels Sprouts smell doesn’t take over your freezer) Freeze brussels sprouts for 30 minutes. Pack into freezer bags, remove air, seal and label. Freeze Brussels sprouts for up to 6 months.
Storage: Cold Storage (back to top)
Set the plants close together in a cold frame or cold cellar, with soil around the roots. Or, store in a shed or garage, under hay, for “fresh” Brussels sprouts all winter long.
Storage: How to Dehydrate / Dry Brussels Sprouts (back to top)
Wash and remove tough outer leaves. Cut sprouts in half. Steam blanch for 3 minutes and drain. Dehydrate at 100 degrees for 12 hours or until brittle. To rehydrate, soak in hot water with a little lemon juice for about 30 minutes. Drain before using.
Gardening Advice Tips (back to top)
Have a helpful gardening tip (or even a funny story) to share about your brussels sprout growing experience? Share it with us at: gardeningtips@howtogardenadvice.com
----------
Note: This page's content, unless specified otherwise on this page, belongs specifically to www.howtogardenadvice.com. Reciprocal links are certainly welcome. However, if you wish to use this content, as written, on your website - please be courteous, respectful and lawful... and ask permission first. Provided you 1) make it clear that the content came from this site, and 2) you leave the links back to my site within the page and 3) your site doesn't contain any profane or derogatory content, I'll likely approve your posting the content. Please email me first for approval at info@howtogardenadvice.com. Thank you.