Brussels sprouts: how to grow a good crop

To get a crop of Brussels sprouts, you need to be patient, because even early varieties take up to 5 months from sowing to harvest. And her yield is much inferior to white-headed. Therefore, to begin with, plant just a few roots.

Cultivation of Brussels sprouts

For most regions of Our Country, only early varieties are suitable. It is also important that they are disease resistant.

Brussels sprouts love fertile, loose soils with a neutral reaction, seasoned at least 2 weeks in advance with rich organic matter, wood ash and potash fertilizers. Good hydration in the first half of development and a constant high degree of illumination are important for her.

This cabbage is grown in seedlings. Late varieties are sown for seedlings in March, early varieties – in early April. Choose the exact dates of sowing with such an eye that the period of tying cabbages falls at a time when the average daily temperature does not exceed 20 ° C.

Seeds can be sown immediately in separate pots with loose fertile soil. Or in boxes, at a distance of 4 – 5 cm. Embedding depth – 1,5 cm.

Immediately after sowing, the soil is moistened and the crops are taken out to a cold place, where the daytime temperature is not higher than 18 ° C, and the night temperature is not lower than 5 – 6 ° C. Under such conditions, the soil remains moist for a long time after sowing, so the next watering of seedlings will need to be done only 10 to 14 days after sowing (1).

During the growing period, seedlings need to be fed 2 times:

• in stage 2 of true leaves – with a solution of complex organomineral fertilizer (strictly according to the instructions);
• 2 weeks after the first – infusion of ash (0,5 l per 10 l of water).

10 – 14 days before planting in open ground, seedlings should be gradually hardened off. First, take it out into the open air every day for 30 to 50 minutes. Then the duration of the “walk” is gradually increased and eventually left for the whole day. And 3-4 days before planting, watering should be stopped.

Quality seedlings of Brussels sprouts should have 4 to 5 true leaves.

It can be planted already at the end of April – it is a cold-resistant crop, it can withstand temperatures as low as -7 ° C.

planting brussels sprouts

Landing pits are arranged according to the scheme 50×50 or 60×60 cm – depending on the variety. A large handful of humus, 1 glass of wood ash, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of superphosphate and 1 teaspoon of urea, slightly sprinkled with earth on top. Then the wells are watered – for each 2 liters of water.

Before planting, seedlings in a box or cups are watered abundantly and planted in prepared holes, the soil is compacted. After 2 – 3 hours, the holes are abundantly sprinkled with wood ash or tobacco-ash dust – this will scare away pests. Plants shade for 1-2 days.

Brussels sprouts outdoor care

In the care of Brussels sprouts, the agricultural technique traditional for cabbage species is used, but there is a peculiarity: this species cannot be hilled, so as not to cause rotting of the lower cabbages.

It is also important to remove weeds in a timely manner and loosen the soil after each watering. Or mulch the beds with peat, compost or humus.

Watering. Brussels sprouts are watered once a week, abundantly, approximately 1-30 liters per 35 sq. m. After the appearance of cabbage heads, the amount of water is increased. But it is important that there is no stagnation of moisture in the root zone.

Feeding. The right diet increases the chances of a big crop of cabbages. During the season, Brussels sprouts need 2 top dressings:

• 7 – 10 days after planting the seedlings – an infusion of bird droppings (0,7 l per 9 l of water) with the addition of 1 glass of ash, the consumption rate is 1,5 l per plant;
• at the beginning of the formation of heads – 5 teaspoons of superphosphate, 4 teaspoons of potassium sulfate and 2 teaspoons of niatroammofoska, the consumption rate is 1,5 liters of solution.

But remember that all top dressing is carried out only on wet ground!

And another important point: a month before harvesting, almost all the leaves on the trunk of Brussels sprouts should be removed, leaving only 3-4 top ones, and also cutting the growth point.

Disease protection. Brussels sprouts need to be protected from diseases and pests. First of all, follow the rule: remove plant debris and ruthlessly remove diseased plants. To protect against diseases, once every 1-2 weeks, biofungicides are used – Sporobacterin or Fitosporin (3).

Protection against pests. Cabbage is also attacked by pests, so it is necessary to carry out preventive spraying with biological preparations, alternating between Lepidocide and Bitoxibacillin. You also need to regularly dust the plants and the soil under them with tobacco-ash dust.

Harvesting Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts can be harvested gradually as firm sprouts form. The first sprouts ripen 3 months after planting seedlings in the ground. But do not rush to harvest, because the taste of cabbage improves after the first frost. Brussels sprouts are completely harvested when the temperature drops to -6 – 7 ° C.

For long-term storage, cabbage stalks are cut just above ground level or plants are dug up with roots. Before laying in storage, cut off the top and the last leaves.

How to store Brussels sprouts

Optimal conditions for storing Brussels sprouts in a cellar or basement:

• temperature – 0 – 1 °С;
• air humidity 70 – 90%.

In such conditions, cabbage can be stored for up to 2 months.

In general, there are 4 ways to store Brussels sprouts.

In a bucket of sand. For long-term storage in the cellar, the cabbage is dug up with the roots, shaken off the ground, cut off the top and all the leaves and put the roots in a bucket of wet sand.

In the cellar. In this case, the stem with the top cut off is dried and hung or placed on shelves.

In film. The stalk with heads of cabbage is cut into 2 – 3 parts and each is wrapped in cling film. In this form, cabbage can lie up to 1 month.

In the freezer. With this option, the heads of cabbage are blanched and frozen. The shelf life in this case is 6 months.

Popular questions and answers

We asked about Brussels sprouts agronomist Oleg Ispolatov – he answered the most popular questions of summer residents.

Sources of

1. Lebedeva A.T. 150 vegetable crops in your garden / M .: Eterna, 2006
2. State catalog of pesticides and agrochemicals permitted for use on the territory of the Federation as of July 6, 2021 // Ministry of Agriculture of the Federation

   https://mcx.gov.ru/ministry/departments/departament-rastenievodstva-mekhanizatsii-khimizatsii-i-zashchity-rasteniy/industry-information/info-gosudarstvennaya-usluga-po-gosudarstvennoy-registratsii-pestitsidov-i-agrokhimikatov/