Brussels Sprouts Growing Guide

Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera

Crop Rotation Group

Brassicas (Cabbage family) ●

Soil

Rich, deep soil, firm with plenty of well rotted compost dug in to provide abundant organic matter.

Position

Full sun.

Frost tolerant

Yes, improves with frost.

Feeding

Mix a high-nitrogen compost into the soil before planting.

Spacing

Single Plants: 1' 11" (60cm) each way (minimum)
Rows: 1' 11" (60cm) with 1' 11" (60cm) row gap (minimum)

Sow and Plant

Where summers are cool, start indoors in early spring and set plants out when they have 5 or more leaves. In other areas, start seeds indoors in summer and set out plants 8 weeks before your first fall frost date.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalised calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.

Notes

Under the coldest conditions, colonies of gray-green cabbage aphids can seriously infest plants. Control early outbreaks with insecticidal soap.

Harvesting

Harvest from the bottom of the plant upward, twisting off sprouts that are larger than a marble. Removing nearby leaves helps to make room for growing sprouts.