(Best months for planting Brussels sprouts in USA - Zone 5a regions)

S = Plant undercover in seed trays. P = Plant direct in garden where they are to grow.

Grown for its small (typically 2.5 cm diameter) leafy green buds, which resemble miniature cabbages.

BETTER IN COOLER AREAS.

Brussel Sprouts will not grow good "sprouts" in warm areas - they open and are floppy.

In warm areas they are likely to be infested with aphids Pick formed sprouts from the bottom of the stems leaving the plant growing.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Brussels sprouts

Remove any discoloured outer leaves.
Cut in half and steam with other vegetables.
Do not overcook as that produces the distinctive smell that puts people off eating Brussels sprouts!
They go well with a chopped tomato and onion mix.
Traditionally served with roasted chestnuts for Xmas dinner in UK.

Your comments and tips

16 Jun 13, keith (Australia - temperate climate)

My brussels sprout Plants are growing very tall , at least 4 foot high and very healthy plants, the Sprout are starting to appear and approx. 2 inches round, but they are all very hollow and all leaves ,No Hearts

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06 Jun 13, Ronald (Australia - temperate climate)

The last time I planted Sprouts they never grew any bigger than my little finger nail.Then a friend said to cut the leaves off, so as to let the goodness go to the sprout and not the leaves. I have planted them again this year, is that correct or not ??

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28 Apr 13, Derek Victoria (Australia - temperate climate)

is there a gauge for testing the soil? if yes where do we get it from.

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30 Apr 13, Sustainable Jill (Australia - temperate climate)

Most garden centres or larger hardware stores sell pH testing kits.

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30 Apr 13, jo (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi Derek. You can pick up pH testing kits from most garden supplies/hardware stores. When you test the soil make sure that you dont handle it (use a spoon) and that you get a selection from different areas where you're planting and mix it all together to get a representative sample. Then you mix it with the indicator liquid and compare the colour with the chart. this will give you the pH of the soil. It can then be amended with lime (for acid soils) or sulphur (for alkaline). these can be brought from the same shops.. regards, Jo

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29 Mar 13, Margo Pten (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

This is my first attempt at growing Brussel Sprouts in Tasmania East Coast, do I need to do anything special as they are looking nice and leafy, but cannot see any actual sprouts yet.

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11 Mar 13, Kahanamoku (Australia - temperate climate)

Anyone got any tips on how to get the seeds to germinate and sprout? I dont seem to be having much luck 'undercover' - could it be that the temperature is still to hot given that we're in a strange heatwave in victoria at the moment?

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30 Mar 13, Bob (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi , I had the same trouble till i put them into a plastic soft drink bottle which i cut the top half off at the taper .I kept the bottle without any drain holes and added 2 hanfulls of broken up horse manure then filled the rest with beach sand almost to the top .I soaked the sand with water and left it fora few days before planting 6 seeds and added the top half of the bottle to act as a mini glass house so no night time raiders could get to the shoots once they emerged. Left it so that it got the full sun till mid day and have just transplanted the 6 seedlings into the main bed. I'm going to put the plastic bottle parts over them till the get fully established. Hope this helps you .Bob

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16 Jan 13, (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)

Sorry it should read birds eating my brusselsprouts

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13 Jan 13, Violet Bossut (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)

What can I use to stop eating my brussel sprouts. That is the only plants they go for.

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