When to harvest brussels sprouts

How to Grow Brussels Sprout Plants

Growing Brussels sprouts requires cool weather. They are a slow-growing, long-bearing crop that grows best in cooler regions, or in early spring or fall.

Growing Brussels sprouts requires cool weather. The ideal climate is the "fog belt" of the Pacific Northwest, but they will grow in just about any part of the country. A slow-growing, long-bearing crop, Brussels sprouts should be planted in early spring, or mid- to late summer for a crop that matures in the fall. The small heads mature best in cool and even in light frosty weather. Spring planting is also fine in cooler climates. Be aware that sprouts maturing in hot or dry weather will be flimsy and bitter. Brussels sprouts belong to the cole crop family (Brassica oleracea), which includes cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, kale, and kohlrabi.

Quick Guide to Growing Brussels Sprouts

Plant Brussels sprouts during the cool temperatures of early spring and early fall.
Brussels sprouts need room to spread out, so space them 18- 24 inches apart in an area that gets 6 or more hours of sun daily and has well-drained, fertile soil with a pH of 6.8.
Before planting, improve native soil by mixing in several inches of compost or other rich organic matter.
Check soil moisture regularly and give plants 1 to 1.5 inches of water weekly.
Encourage an abundant harvest by feeding Brussels sprouts regularly with a continuous-release plant food.
Lay down a 3-inch layer of mulch to retain soil moisture and prevent weeds.
Harvest when heads are firm and green. They should be 1 to 2 inches in diameter.

Soil, Planting, and Care

Like most vegetables, Brussels sprouts need a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight daily; more is better. They like fertile, well-drained, moist soils with plenty of organic matter. The soil pH should be on the high side of the range for vegetables, about 6.8, for optimum growth and to discourage clubroot disease. To be sure about pH, get the soil tested. You can buy a test kit at a well-stocked garden center, or have a soil test done through your regional Cooperative Extension office. Apply fertilizer and lime using the results of the soil test as a guide. In the absence of a soil test, incorporate plenty of nitrogen-rich amendments (like blood meal, cottonseed meal, or composted manure) in the soil, or mix in aged compost-enriched Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics®All Purpose In-Ground Soil All Purpose In-Ground Soil to add nutrition and improve the texture of your native soil. For best results in your garden, though, don't stop at the soil. Growing plants need a steady supply of high-quality nutrition, too, so feed them regularly with a continuous-release fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® Edibles Plant Nutrition Granules, which feeds the beneficial microbes in the soil in addition to nourishing your plants. Be sure to follow all label directions.

Brussels sprouts also need more boron than most other vegetables. Boron is a plant nutrient used in minute quantities by all plants; without it, Brussels sprouts develop hollow stems and small buds. If your plants have shown these symptoms, you can add boron to the soil by dissolving 1 level tablespoon of borax (such as 20 Mule Team from the grocery shelf) in 5 quarts of water and sprinkling it evenly over 50 square feet of bed. DO NOT be tempted to mix more because too much causes problems. Also, do not apply unless your plants have shown the deficiency symptoms we just mentioned.

For your best chance at garden success, skip the seeds and start instead with strong, vigorous Bonnie Plants®. Set the young plants at the spacing noted on the label. Brussels sprouts get large, so they need to be about 18 to 24 inches apart in a row or bed. If planted in rows, space rows 30 inches apart to give yourself enough room to walk. Don't let seedlings sit around for long, dry out, or get stunted in their pack. Plant right away.

Water thoroughly after planting to encourage good growth, then mulch to keep the ground cool and moist. Water regularly, applying 1 to 1.5 inches of water a week if plants don't receive enough rain.

Troubleshooting

Insects that attack Brussels sprouts include harlequin bugs, cabbage loopers, diamondback moth, imported cabbageworm, cutworms, cabbage maggot, thrips, and webworms. Aphids can be especially difficult to control. Plants can also be bothered by powdery mildew and rust.

Harvest and Storage

Sprouts first form at the bottom of the plant and continue forming toward the top for several weeks. Brussels sprouts are ready to harvest when the tiny heads are firm, green, and 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Remove sprouts by twisting them until they break away from the plant. As you remove the lower sprouts, you can also remove yellowing leaves; the plant continues to grow upward, producing more leaves and sprouts. The plant will withstand frost and can be harvested until a hard freeze strikes. The best-quality sprouts are produced during sunny days with light frosts at night. As winter approaches, you can trick the sprouts into maturing all at once by cutting off the top of the plant about 3 weeks before you want to harvest. One full-sized, healthy plant can bear 2 to 3 pounds of sprouts. They come quickly at first but will slow down as the weather gets colder. Once a sprout is picked, new ones will not form in that spot. Full-grown sprouts keep well on the plant in cold weather, making them a great winter harvest item for gardeners in the South (planted in fall). In cold climates, gardeners often bury Brussels sprouts plants up to their tops in hay or leaves in late fall, then pull off the little sprouts as needed through winter.

Store fresh, unwashed sprouts in plastic bags in the refrigerator. Fresh sprouts taste best, though, so try to limit refrigeration to a day or two. And don't toss the leaves! Cook them as you would collards — they're delicious.

Brussels sprouts transplants look much like a cabbage, a close relative. As plants grow upward they form big leaves on long stems.

Buds form first near the bottom of the plant on the central stalk and continuing forming up to the top of the plant.Cutting away the leaves makes it easier to reach sprouts that are ready for harvest.You can encourage all the sprouts to form at once by cutting the top of the plant out once it reaches full size.

FAQs

Where do I look for the sprouts on the plant?

The sprouts are borne up and down the stem.

How can I get my sprouts to mature at the same time?

If you cut 6 inches off the top of the plant, then they will all be ready to harvest in three to six weeks.

Why do my sprouts form loose, not tight heads?

Sprouts that develop in hot weather (in spring or during a warm fall) often do not form compact heads.

How do I know when to pick sprouts?

Harvest sprouts when they measure 1 to 2 inches in diameter and are firm, like tiny cabbages. The ones at the bottom of the plant will mature first, but some gardeners cut the top out of the plant to encourage all the sprouts to mature at about the same time.

Why do my sprouts taste bitter?

Sprouts turn bitter when they have been left on the plant too long or if the weather is hot when they mature.

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Harvesting Brussel Sprouts - When And How To Pick Brussel Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts

By: Becca Badgett, Co-author of How to Grow an EMERGENCY Garden

Image by PhilDarby

Harvesting Brussels sprouts provides a nutritious side dish on the table, and learning when to harvest Brussels sprouts can make your experience more flavorful.

As with most vegetables, learning how to pick Brussels sprouts at the right time is a worthwhile endeavor.

When to Harvest Brussels Sprouts

Picking Brussels sprouts should begin when the sprouts are one inch (2.5 cm.) in diameter. Harvesting Brussels sprouts is best done when maturity occurs in cooler weather. Lower sprouts will mature first, with upper sprouts maturing a day to a few days later. With most hybrid varieties it takes upwards of 85 days for the sprout to reach maturity.

The open pollinated variety, ‘Rubine’ can take 105 days or longer to maturity. Rubine is somewhat less productive than many hybrid varieties, but may be your choice if you wish to harvest Brussels sprouts that are not of hybrid types.

‘Long Island Improves’ is an open pollinated type that produces in about 90 days, but is not a guaranteed performer.

How to Pick Brussels Sprouts

When picking Brussels sprouts from hybrid plants, begin checking for ripe vegetables after 80 days. Indications that the vegetable is ready include size of the Brussels sprout and firmness. Picking Brussels sprouts, no matter the variety, is best done during cool days, so plant the crop accordingly, about three months before you want to begin picking Brussels sprouts.

When the Brussels sprout begins to form near bottom leaves, removing these plant leaves will often aid in getting ready for harvesting Brussels sprouts. This is often done by those growing and picking Brussels sprouts commercially. If leaf removal is not done before harvesting Brussels sprouts, remove the leaves afterward so they will not take energy from maturing sprouts on the plant. Breaking off the Brussels sprout often breaks the leave off. Some growers remove the top of the plant to direct energy to the vegetable before picking Brussels sprouts.

When are Brussels Sprouts Ready to Pick?

Learning how to pick Brussels sprouts and when to harvest Brussels sprouts, no matter the variety, involves a few critical points. Picking is best done before the leaves of the sprout turn yellow and begin opening. Sprouts should be firm and about an inch (2.5 cm.) in diameter for optimum flavor and nutrients. Also, and depending on when you planted them, if you can wait until there’s been one or two frosty nights, the sprouts are said to actually become sweeter (referred to as cold sweetening). Pick spouts from the bottom of plants and check daily for more sprouts that are ready.

Learning when to harvest Brussels sprouts is not difficult if you plant at the right time and follow these suggestions.

This article was last updated on 11/15/22

Rules and terms of harvesting Brussels sprouts for winter storage Russian farmer

Brussels sprouts are very unpretentious in cultivation: they practically do not require additional feeding, hilling and watering during growth.

But in the conditions of the middle zone during cold summers, it often does not have enough time to mature, so always choose early-ripening varieties when planting.

To increase the yield, pinching (pinching) is necessary at the end of August.

This is a special simple technique in which the top growth point is removed from the stem in order to accelerate the development of lateral buds. If this is not done, then the stem will strenuously stretch upwards and the resulting sprouts will be very small.

The main rule when harvesting Brussels sprouts before winter storage is not to rush! Brussels sprouts are not afraid of frosts and even small frosts.

Harvest time

What is the harvest time for Brussels sprouts ? The main sign of the ripening of cabbage heads and the signal to start harvesting is the complete yellowing of two or three lower leaves, which must be cut off. The exact timing of the start of the harvest of Brussels sprouts in the regions may vary, but usually it is the second half of September.

Brussels sprouts should be harvested gradually, as the sprouts ripen, from bottom to top. It is advisable to harvest the first harvest when the fruits have reached the size of a walnut without waiting for their size to increase. This will allow the next sprouts to develop more quickly.

Ten to fifteen fruits can be harvested from one plant at a time. After seven to ten days, the second batch will ripen, which will be signaled by the next yellowed leaves, which should also be removed. A little later, under favorable weather conditions, the following fruits will soon ripen.

The fruit can be up to five centimeters in diameter. Harvesting in warm autumn may continue until November . During the season, several dozen heads of cabbage are collected from one bush. For one family, four to five plants are quite enough in a summer cottage.

Brussels sprouts can be harvested in any weather . If frost unexpectedly happened at night, then in order to preserve the nutritional and taste properties of sprouts, it is important to follow one rule: in the morning you do not need to immediately collect them. Let the air warm up a little, the plant will gradually be freed from ice crystals, its conducting system will be restored, and in the afternoon you can harvest.

No special garden tools are needed to harvest Brussels sprouts. The sprouts must be broken off with your fingers. This is very easy to do, no effort is required.

You can learn about how and when to remove other types of cabbage from the garden, for example, white cabbage, kohlrabi or cauliflower, from our articles.

Storage rules

Where and how to store Brussels sprouts? Collected cabbage heads are used either immediately fresh for cooking various dishes, or removed for winter storage.

If there is a cellar, cellar or glazed loggia, where you can maintain a constant temperature plus two to five degrees, without allowing it to fluctuate, then cut down stems together with heads of cabbage are sprinkled with sand from below and stored for up to two months , without loss of quality and nutrients, consuming fresh Brussels sprouts.

If stable frosts set in early in the fall, and the resulting sprouts did not have time to ripen, then to obtain a full-fledged crop, a bush of Brussels sprouts can be dug up and dug in a greenhouse, where the plant will continue to grow and the sprouts will ripen. Heads of cabbage should be collected from such a plant gradually, as they mature.

Store fresh Brussels sprouts in the refrigerator for up to ten days .

To do this, the sprouts should be placed in a plastic bag with holes or in a special container with a valve. Freezing is the best way to store Brussels sprouts for a long time.

To do this, the sprouts are washed, dried on a towel, put in a plastic bag or a special container and put in the freezer. They can be stored there until the next harvest .

Learn about the calorie content and energy value of dried Brussels sprouts in our article.

After harvesting the entire crop, the cabbage stem is cut down or uprooted immediately.

In the northern regions, where a stable high snow cover lasts all winter and there are no thaws, Brussels sprouts can be left on the vine, sprinkled with additional snow.

In the spring, when the snow melts, cabbage will delight you with fresh buds in a wonderful way.

Read also our articles on the rules for storing all types of cabbage at home and in a basement or cellar.

Brussels sprouts have the highest protein content among all types of cabbage . It is included in the top ten diet food products. Properly growing and storing Brussels sprouts will keep you consuming delicious, natural vitamins all winter long.

When to harvest Brussels sprouts from the garden in autumn

Contents

1 When to harvest Brussels sprouts
- 1.1 When Brussels sprouts ripen
- 1.2 How to tell if Brussels sprouts are ripe
- 1.3 How to properly cut Brussels sprouts
2 How to speed up ripening
3 How to store
4 Conclusion Even a novice gardener can easily cope with its cultivation. But often difficulties arise with determining the maturity of its heads. After all, the fruiting period of this vegetable does not coincide with other types of culture. Therefore, it is worth figuring out when to harvest Brussels sprouts and how to harvest.

This vegetable is characterized by prolonged fruiting

When to harvest Brussels sprouts

All vegetable varieties are divided into three types, depending on the ripening period: early, medium and late. In the former, the growing season is much shorter, so the fruits reach faster. But early varieties are not suitable for long-term storage. Middle and late species grow much longer, and they have to be harvested later. But they keep better.

When Brussels sprouts ripen

Brussels sprouts ripen according to growing region. In the central regions, the first vegetables ripen by early September. And in the Urals, you can harvest Brussels sprouts no earlier than October, so you need to take care of sheltering the plants in advance. At one time, you can collect 10-15 fruits.

To more accurately determine the ripening period of a variety, it is necessary to fix the moment of formation of the ovary in the axils of the leaves. It will be possible to harvest the fruits three months after that. Brussels sprouts are harvested in several stages as individual fruits ripen.

How to tell when Brussels sprouts are ripe

The need for picking can be determined primarily by the size of the vegetables. It should be about the size of a walnut. But it is important that the leaves are tightly pressed.

The first vegetables should be harvested when the lower leaves on the plant turn yellow and should be removed. Usually, the fruits located at the bottom of the trunk ripen first. Brussels sprouts need to be harvested in a timely manner so that the nutrients begin to flow faster into the heads of cabbage located higher on the trunk. Otherwise, the maturation process will be significantly delayed.

After 10-14 days, the lower leaves on the trunk will turn yellow and dry again, which also need to be removed. This indicates that it is time to harvest new ripe fruits.

Heads of cabbage can ripen on the plant until the beginning of November under favorable weather conditions. Moreover, the collection is possible even after slight frosts. Under the influence of short-term low temperatures, vegetables do not lose their consumer qualities. But in this case, it is better to clean them in the afternoon, until they are completely thawed.

You can tell if Brussels sprouts are ripe by doing a little test. To do this, you need to squeeze the forks with your fingers to determine how dense it is. And at the same time, listen - a small creak should appear, confirming the maturity of the fetus.

Important! Premature harvesting is not recommended, as this will negatively affect its taste and fresh storage time.

During the season, 25-40 heads are formed on the stem of the plant

How to properly cut Brussels sprouts

No special harvesting tool required. Heads of cabbage can simply be torn off by hand. It is also possible to use a sharp knife. In this case, the heads of cabbage must be cut near the stem itself, otherwise they will fall apart into separate leaves.

How to accelerate the ripening

The long growing season of the crop causes many gardeners to refuse to grow it. But there are a few secrets that can speed up the ripening of the crop.

At the end of August, all heads of cabbage are already formed on the trunk of cabbage, so the removal of the growing point will allow redirecting the plant's forces to their maturation. To do this, simply pinch off the top with your fingers. In this case, it will be possible to cut Brussels sprouts in the open field two weeks earlier.

You can determine the period of pinching by the following features:
- the height of the bush has reached 80-100 cm;
- in the lower part of the plant one third of the heads are already well formed;
- Fruits have already formed in the axils of all leaves.
It is necessary to remove the growing point in a timely manner. If you delay the timing of the procedure, then it will not be able to significantly accelerate the ripening of the fruit. And if you hold it ahead of schedule, then pinching stimulates the growth of lateral branches on the trunk. In this case, the plant will direct forces to their development.

Important! Pinching is especially necessary when growing late-ripening crop varieties.

Fruit ripening can be accelerated with the right nutrition. This culture does not require many nutrients. However, the introduction of nitrogen fertilizers at the beginning of its growth and potassium elements at the stage of head formation will allow harvesting ten days ahead of schedule.

Root dressing recommended for Brussels sprouts

How to store

Harvested vegetables can be stored in the refrigerator, freezer, cellar and balcony. In the first case, it is recommended to put the crop in food containers equipped with a valve or perforated plastic bags. In this form, vegetables remain fresh for 10-12 days.

You can extend the shelf life by digging up the plants by the roots and burying them in wet sand boxes on the balcony or in the basement. Then you will have to harvest the fruits as they ripen. In this case, the storage period is two months, subject to high humidity and good ventilation.

The longest way to save crops is in the freezer. In this case, their shelf life is six months. However, for this, the heads of cabbage should be properly frozen. They need to be dried for 2-3 hours, then put into bags in small portions and wrapped tightly. And only after that send it to the freezer.

Conclusion

Knowing when to harvest brussels sprouts, and how to determine the readiness of vegetables, it will not be difficult to harvest. And given the recommendations for care, you can significantly accelerate the ripening of heads of cabbage. This will make it possible to achieve the maximum yield of the variety even in regions with difficult climatic conditions.
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