Brussels Sprouts are a cool-weather crop.  When they get hot, the plant produces flowers and the little sprouts are ruined.  Brussels Sprouts are a Northern European vegetable related to cabbage.  No records exist of them earlier than 350 years ago.

Where To Grow

Brussels sprouts are basically baby cabbage that grows along the stem of the plant.  They should not be planted where other cole crops (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) have been planted in the last two years.  Failing to rotate the families of plants in your garden breeds disease.  If you have a small garden, rotation by families may not be possible, so you will have to be vigilant and watch for problems.

Plant From Transplants

Brussels sprouts are generally purchased as transplants.  They should be set about  18 inches apart in a row.  Rows should be about three feet apart.  Seeds should be planted 1/4 to 1/2 inches deep and three to four inches apart.  When they get their first true leaves, thin the plants to 18 inches apart.

When To Plant

In most places, Brussels sprouts should be planted in the fall.  They tend to bolt in the spring.  This means the plant stops producing vegetables and starts producing flowers and seeds.  The Brussels sprouts become fibrous and are not good to eat anymore.  Plant Brussels sprouts about four months from the average first frost date.

Water

Brussels sprouts have shallow root systems.  This makes it important to keep the soil moist so they can draw in enough water through their roots.  Mulch helps protect the roots.  It also holds moisture until the plants need it.  Brussels sprouts need 1-2 inches of water a week.

Fertilizer

When you prepare your garden area to plant, fertilize and work the fertilizer into the top six inches of soil.  It is best to do a soil test and fertilize based on that.  If you do not have a soil test, use a balanced fertilizer and follow the directions on the label.  Four and eight weeks after you plant the Brussels sprouts, fertilizer with 1/2 cup per ten feet of row of Nitrogen only (21-0-0).  Place it six inches from the plants along the side of the row.  Water the fertilizer in.  Do not fertilize after the sprouts start or they will split and not be useable. 

Pruning

Topping the plant when it is 2 to 2 1/2 feet tall will make the sprouts grow faster. 

Harvesting

When they are ready, snap or cut them from the stem.  An inch in diameter is the optimal size.  More will develop on the stem until the plant freezes.  Depending on your climate, this may not be until November or December as it is a very cold hardy plant.  In fact, a frost makes the Brussels sprouts taste sweeter and better.

Storage

Brussels sprouts will keep for 2-6 weeks at 32F and relative humidity of 95%.  Most of us do not have a way to do that, so they can be stored in the refrigerator.  Do not store Brussels sprouts around apples, pears, or other ethylene-producing fruits because it will make the Brussels sprouts bitter.

Want to learn to garden? My first attempt at gardening ended up in failure. The weeds took over and squeezed the vegetables out. I was very frustrated by this waste of good seed, time, and money. So I became a master gardener and spent a lot of time helping other people avoid or overcome problems in their garden. 

In order to help others garden successfully, I have written a book, Vegetable Gardening from the Ground Up, available in an ebook or a paperback from Amazon. It is also in Kindle Unlimited.