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Vegetable Gardening

Planting Brussel Sprouts from seed - direct sow?

14 years ago

I bought some seeds and want to try again with Brussel Sprouts. Do you experienced BS growers have advice as to whether it's best to start them in small containers as seedlings and then transplant or to direct sow? I have just about 100 days until our first frost date (maybe they can withstand frost?) which is their stated DTM. Thanks in advance for advice.

The seedlings I bought and planted in early April are still growing their little sprouts, but I have been advised that they'll be bitter and bad after the heat of summer.

Any advice on fall BS growing appreciated! Thanks.

Comments (8)

cyrus_gardner
14 years ago
I start them in a bed then transplant them. Right now I have kohlrabi, Chines cabbage and chards germinating.The reason is that I want them to germinate where they get few hours of sun. It would be difficult to start them in full sun, when temps reach 90F.
But if you have some of those growers compartmented trays, you can start in them. This way you can control the amount of sun/shade. Once they have a couple pairs of true leaves you can put them in their place in the garden.
heather38
14 years ago
mine where started in trays under the deck seating, they look better than the ones I started 3 weeks before which are in my beds.
Word to the wise, never eat brussels or Parsnip until after a frost! or short freeze, they are amazing after! that said I have yet to understand freeze and frost here, freeze to me is 28??? not good on F thats -2 C which is really, really not that cold compared to what I experience here last winter =)
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I grew Catskill last year. I started from seed on June 20 and transplanted to the garden on August 1. They grew well but cabbage worms were somewhat of a problem and I had to treat with BT-K once a week or so to keep them at bay (this year I plan to use shade cloth/row cover). My plants got about 30+" tall and started to put on sprouts in early October. The sprouts never did get very big, maybe the size of a large marble but there were a lot of them. Some of the sprouts higher up on the stalk never did firm up. One of the plants stalk kind of grew sideways and that plant never did put on sprouts. I have learned that you want to make sure the stalk stays vertical for best production. I ordered a hybrid type this year called Jade Cross E which are a couple weeks earlier than Catskill and are supposed to be more reliable for sprout production and size. I will start 8 from seed in mid June and plant out into a 4x8 raised bed around July 20 and protect with shade cloth. They are going to follow my first planting of bush beans (Provider) so they can benefit from any added nitrogen that the bean roots can provide.
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angela12345
14 years ago
ditnc, I am zone 7 in NC as well and am going to try some brussels. This website gives some great info ... http://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms/plantingguide.html. Brussels are pretty winter hardy, so it looks like we can get brussels all winter long with some season extension techniques.

I have read elsewhere to transplant seedlings at 6 weeks. That means I am already behind for the ideal transplant date. eek !
digdirt2
14 years ago
~ That means I am already behind for the ideal transplant date.

Yep, awfully late to be starting brussel sprouts, especially from seed. Good luck.

Dave
ditnc
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks everyone. Guess I'll be popping those seeds into some little starter pots and put them in some shade on the deck today!

Angela, thanks for that link, great resource. I think we have time, we're not off by too far if we do it now! I got the last pack of BS seeds at Lowe's yesterday so apparently everyone else around had that info! ;-).

They didn't have rutabaga seeds which is the other thing I want to grow, but I have to go to a specialty nursery here to get those. It was funny, I asked the guy how many seeds he had (as in "do I have to rush down there?" and he said, "don't worry, you may be the only person in Wake County who plants rutabaga" and laughed. This will be my first attempt with rutabaga, so any tips on that will also be appreciated! I heard it's easy to grow.

I just couldn't imagine planting cool weather plant seeds in this heat, but planting in the shade/sun and then transplanting makes sense!

(Already looking forward to Thanksgiving dinner with BS and rutabaga :-)
tcstoehr
14 years ago
I planted some "Long Island" variety Brussel Sprouts in mid June. I think planting them in-place makes them more able to deal with the summer heat. They came thru the last two days of 105 and 106 degree heat just fine. Today's supposed to be hotter. I just love the cool, maritime PNW.
ditnc
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks - one more Q pls - is it best/necessary to soak seeds before planting and if so, for how long?
tcstoehr
14 years ago
No soaking necessary. It is, however, necessary to keep the seeds moist until established. By "established", I mean they have sprouted and have spread open their primary leaves. By this time, the root has grown downward in order to tap moisture. At this stage they cannot be dried out by a single hot day.
Keeping the seeds moist when planted in-place in the garden can be a problem in summer. If there is sunny weather and you're not around to moisten them, they can dry out. Simple solution is to place a mulch, board, dropcloth or whatever to keep the surface from drying out.

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