General
Brussels sprouts are among the hardiest of all cabbages when it comes to winter cold. They also have the highest vitamin C content, making them a valuable winter vegetable. Depending on the variety, you can harvest them right through to the following spring — so you'll always have fresh veg from the plot, even in the depths of winter.
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Facts and figures
Times
Direct sowing from Late March to Early May. Transplant to bed from Mid May to Late June. Pre-grow about 60 days before planting out, approximately between Mid March and Late April. After a growing period of 165 days, harvest can begin around Mid October and continues until Mid March next year.
Sowing and planting
You can sow directly from mid to late March, but starting them off indoors from early to mid March is the better option. After a few days of hardening off, you can then plant them out in the bed from early to mid May. It's a good idea to add a small amount of organic fertiliser into the planting hole when you set them out.
Location and soil
As heavy feeders, they prefer a good garden soil enriched with plenty of compost in a sunny spot. Brassicas don't like acidic soil, so add some lime if needed.
Neighbourhood
Growing them near alliums can cause growth to stall. Strawberries and a few others don't sit well with them either. But you can happily plant them alongside peppers, lamb's lettuce and radicchio, among others.
Crop rotation
As always, don't plant the same crop in the same spot for several years, and close relatives like other brassicas don't make good predecessors or successors either. Members of the allium family and a few others also don't get on well with brassicas in rotation. There are, however, a few that work well — parsnips, chard and beetroot can follow or precede them without any trouble.
Care and fertilising
To protect them from cabbage white butterflies or whitefly, you can plant celery between the brassicas or cover them with crop protection netting. One or two feeds with organic fertiliser and/or watering with plant teas or liquid manures help provide the nutrients they need and keep the plants healthy. During the main growing period, always make sure they get enough water.
Harvest and processing
Depending on the weather and how well they've grown, you can harvest the sprouts from late autumn through to spring whenever it's frost-free. Pick from the bottom upwards — new ones keep forming higher up the stem. In spring, you can also harvest and use the small savoy-like head that forms at the top. The sprouts are still perfectly good to eat even when they've started to open slightly. These tender little sprouts cook quickly and are brilliant for a fast stir-fry.