Practical
Plants

Brassica oleracea gemmifera

Brussels Sprouts

a biennial member of the Brassica genus in the family Brassicaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
biennial
Height
1.2 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaf buds - raw or cooked[3][2][6][7]. Well-grown plants produce an abundance of leaf-buds (looking rather like miniature cabbage heads) along the main stem at the leaf axils. These can be shredded and eaten raw in salads, though many people find them indigestible when eaten this way. They have a very nice cabbage flavour when cooked and are a very popular winter vegetable[K]. By careful selection of varieties, it is possible to harvest the buds from early September until late spring[K].

Plant part
Leaves

Environment

Range
A cultivated form of B. oleracea.
Habitat
Not known in the wild.
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind, maritime exposure
Wind
Yes
Maritime
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow in a seedbed outdoors in early spring. Plant out in early summer. In order to produce a larger or earlier crop, the seed can also be sown under glass in February and planted out in May. Do not let the seedlings get overcrowded or they will soon become leggy and will not make such good plants. If your seedlings do get leggy, it is possible to plant them rather deeper into the soil - the buried stems will soon form roots and the plant will be better supported.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in full sun in a well-drained fertile preferably alkaline soil[4]. Prefers a medium to heavy calcareous soil[1][2][4]. Succeeds in any reasonable soil. Succeeds in maritime gardens[4]. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.5 to 7.8, though it prefers a pH of 6.5 or higher[4]. Plants, especially the late harvesting cultivars, are hardy to about -10°c[4]. Brussels sprouts are widely grown in temperate zones for their edible axillary buds which look rather like miniature cabbages. They are available from late autumn to late winter, there are many named varieties. It is possible to bring the harvest period forward and produce more evenly spaced sprouts by removing the plants main growing point. Called 'stopping', it should be carried out when the lower sprouts reach a diameter of about 10mm. Late cultivars are unsuitable for this treatment[4]. Grows badly with strawberries, each plant serving to retard the growth of the other[5]. Grows well with many aromatic herbs, these herbs help to repel insect pests[5]. Some other plants that grow well with Brussels sprouts include potatoes and celery[5].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Simons. New Vegetable Growers Handbook. Penguin 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-050-0

    ↩1↩2

  3. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

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  4. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  5. Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

    ↩1↩2↩3

  6. Thompson. B. The Gardener's Assistant. Blackie and Son. 1878-00-00

    ↩

  7. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

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