Growing Brussels Sprouts: A Cool-Season Vegetable for Extended Harvest

Care Upon Arrival

Plants may appear yellowed or wilted after shipping. Unpack immediately. Water if dry. Place in bright indirect light or sheltered shade outdoors. Harden off gradually over several days. Protect from frost; transplant to larger pots if weather is unsettled. Plant out when nights are reliably above 50°F.

Planting in the Garden

Choose full sun with rich, fertile, well-drained soil. Rotate crops: avoid planting where cabbage-family crops have grown in the last three years. Dig a generous hole, amend with compost or aged manure and low-nitrogen organic fertilizer. Space per label. Plant at root-ball level, water well, and provide temporary shade for a few days.

Continuing Care

Water deeply and regularly during dry spells. Mulch to conserve moisture. Fertilize monthly with a balanced vegetable fertilizer. After the first hard frost, protect with mulch or a season-extending cover to continue harvesting into cold weather.

Harvesting for Best Flavor

Sprouts taste sweetest after a few fall frosts, about 90–100 days after transplanting. They mature from the bottom up. When sprouts are half the desired size, remove the leaves beneath them to encourage larger sprouts. Repeat up the stalk. Near season's end, pinch the growing tip to direct energy into sprout development. Harvest from the bottom when sprouts reach ½ inch diameter.