Growing Brussel Sprouts.

gardeningwithcharlie.com

Latest Update 20th January 2020.

Brussel Sprouts

• I sow brussel sprout seeds in an EcoPropagator in mid summer.  They need heat and sunlight during their early growth stage, but they are not ready for harvest until early to mid winter.  
• The humble brussel sprout, earned an undeserved reputation as a poor tasting rather tough vegetable during and after WW2.  Fresh vegetables were scarce in those days and they had to be boiled for a long time before they became soft enough to eat.
• In fact, when lightly steamed or roasted with herbs, they are delicious and highly nutritious if grown in active organic soil. 

Description.  

• Binomial Name:                                            Brassica oleracea. 
• Family:                                                         Brassicaceae. 
• Variety:                                                         Long Island. 
• Group:                                                          Heavy Feeders. 
• Garden Bed Type:                                          Drip line irrigated raised bed. 
• Plant Spacings:                                             500 x 500 mm. 
• Minimum sun per day:                                    4 hours. 
• Weeks to harvest:                                          26 weeks. 
• Good Companions:                                        Beans, beetroot, sage, onion, nasturtium. 
• Climate:                                                        Warm temperate. 
• Geography:                                                   Southern hemisphere. 

Nutrition  

• This food is very low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
• It is a good source of riboflavin, iron, magnesium and phosphorus.
• It is also a very good source of dietary fibre, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, potassium and manganese.
• More from nutrition data.self.com. 

Maintain Healthy Plants

• This blogpage explains how I maintain healthy plants.  It describes how soil is prepared prior to planting, how to regulate the sun's intensity and how to help protect and feed plants through their leaves.

Propagate Plants Efficiently

•  This blogpage explains how I propagate seeds in a purpose built propagator.

Propagation Plan 2020.

• This blogpage tells you when to sow seeds.

Services Plan 2020.

• This blogpage tells you when to make compost and plan other garden/household related activities.

Growing Instructions.

• Sow brussel sprout seeds in an EcoPropagator in a shallow drill.  Water in well with captured rainwater.
• When the seedlings are big enough, transplant them into prepared soil in a drip line irrigated bed.
• To plant the brussel sprout seedlings, make a 50mm wide hole for each root ball using a large dibber.  Make it deep enough so the root ball is completely covered with soil.
• Keep the straw mulch well away from the seedlings until they are well established.
• Water them in well with captured rainwater.

Harvesting and Storage.

• Brussel sprouts are harvested in early to mid winter in our climate.  
• Remove the sprouts from the bottom of the plant upwards as they develop.  They should be firm but still tender.  They lose their flavour if left to grow too long.
• Cut the stalk at ground level when harvesting is finished leaving the roots to decompose in the ground. 

Organic Pest Control.

• Brussel sprouts, like most vegetables, are vulnerable to attack from certain pests in my garden.  My blog on "Controlling Garden Pests" explains a little about these pests and what to do to protect plants from them.  For details click on the appropriate link below.
• Slugs and snails.
• Cabbage white butterfly caterpillars.
• Greenhouse whitefly.
• Aphids (greenfly).
• Root knot nematodes.