Growing Brussels Sprouts - How to Grow Brussels Sprouts
Brussels Sprouts
Brassica Oleracea
Brussels Sprouts, so called because they were very popular in Belgium, are
best known today as the least popular part of the Christmas lunch. Yet they
are delicious if cooked properly - see Brussels
sprouts recipes and are an
excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin D, folic acid and dietary fibre.
Brussels sprouts contain health-promoting compounds called glucosinolates which
may help to prevent cancer, so we can call them a 'super food'.
They are a member
of the brassica family
so club
root will be a problem if you have this on
your plot.
Brussels Sprouts are a slow growing vegetable, taking 26 to 31 weeks to reach
maturity and produce a crop of sprouts. However, there are few vegetables
that can be enjoyed fresh from September right through February.
Cultivating Brussels Sprouts
Started off in March and April they are usually
planted out in May and June where they will sit until required, even through
to March. Do allow enough space for them, most varieties of Brussels
sprouts need 75cm between plants.
They like a rich soil with plenty of nitrogen.
The sprout packs a lot into a small space, just completely strip the leaves from
one sprout and spread them on a table. You will be surprised how much leaf is
crammed in there. This leaf area is why they need that nitrogen.
Prepare the bed for them as detailed in Preparing
the Ideal Brassica Bed and
because they are in the ground so long and put so much into each sprout, they
really benefit from an extra feed in August or September to produce well. Just
a couple of teapsoons (10ml) of dried blood or 5ml of sulphate of ammonia
sprinkled around the base of the plant is ideal.
In early autumn, as the sprouts begin to form, drawing some earth a few
centimetres up around the stem or mulching with garden compost will help
stabilise the plant as well as feeding it. The sprout is a tall plant and
will catch the wind. Wind rock moves the roots, breaking the tiny root
hairs that take water and food into the plant and so causing lower yields.
Planting in a sheltered spot will also help stop this and staking tall
varieties is worthwhile.
Brussles Sprouts Pests & Problems
Apart from clubroot,
Brussels sprouts can be troubled by the cabbage
root fly. If
this is a problem on your site, use collarsto keep the pest
off until the crop is well established.
Wind rocking and lack of available nutrients is the cause of the most common
fault with sprouts, blown sprouts. This is where they start to open up
rather than forming a tight head. The sprouts develop from low on the stem
and removing the blown sprouts and additional feeding with a liquid fertiliser
high in nitrogen can stop the problem allowing the sprouts further up the
plant to develop properly.
Culinary Uses Of Brussels Sprouts
To cook them, just clean and remove any loose outer leaves then drop into water
at a rolling boil for two or three minute. Remove and drain well, then gently
fry in butter with plenty of black pepper for a few minutes. You will not recognise
them as the same soggy vegetable suffered with Christmas lunch
Gluts can be frozen, just blanch for two or three minutes beforehand and
remember they are effectively three quarter cooked when you defrost them.
Once you have stripped the sprouts from the plant, the top can be removed
and used as cabbage, a bonus crop now very fashionable amongst the foodies
apparently.
There's a list of recipes
using Brussels sprouts as the main ingredient on this site.
Recommended Varieties of Brussels Sprouts to Grow
Red Brussels Sprouts
For something different on both plot and plate, why not try growing some
red Brussels sprouts? They're certainly different. Pictured is Red
Delicious from Suttons
Seeds (also available from Dobies)
You could also try the red Brussels sprout Falstaff available from Thompson
& Morgan A novelty purple-red sprout, that matures over a long period
and has a milder, nuttier flavour than standard green types.
These sprouts have been awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit and are exceptionally
suitable for the home grower. RHS Award of Garden Merit Brussels Sprouts
Seeds
Personal favourite is Wellington, an F1 Hybrid that is late maturing heavy
cropper and holds well. Available from Suttons Seeds
Resources
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