How to Grow Brussels Sprouts

When to Start: Spring
At Their Best: Winter
Time to Complete: 30 minutes for sowing; 3 hours for planting out

Materials Needed:

• brussels sprout seed
• seed trays
• soil mix

• cage
• mesh

Cover Plants

Sow in seed trays and add finished compost or dry manure to your beds at the same time. Plant out the seedlings about four weeks later, at least 3 feet apart. Cover plants with a fine mesh to keep out cabbage moths, which lay their eggs on the foliage.

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Crop Care and Harvest

Keep plants well watered until established, and remove withered leaves, which may carry diseases. As they grow, draw up soil around the stems to give them extra stability. Flavor is at its best after a good, hard frost. Harvest sprouts as you need them, picking from the base of the stalk and moving up. After picking all of the sprouts, chop off the top leaves and cook as you would greens.

Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-DK - How to Grow Practically Everything © 2010 Dorling Kindersley Limited