I don't know what that could be except if it was that there is too much nitrogen (just guessing).
But anyway I actually prefer the shoots to the sprouts and I use them just like purple sprouting broccoli.I also do the same with kale.

Same with me, birkie. After six months, I have microsprouts.

I've said it at least once here but it bears repeating. To get your sprouts to mature, pinch out the top of the plant about six weeks before the first hard frost. In northern NY I do that about Sept first. I planted the variety Jade cross this year and by the middle of Oct I had a bumper crop of really delicious sprouts. If the only sprouts you have ever had are the ones from a grocery store you won't believe how sweet they are and how crisp the texture stays on the ones that come from your garden. Wont help you for this year, but next year give it a try. Hope this helps.

I can agree with pickin the tops, if Ya want...but its really not neccesary. One trick Ive learned is to pick the lower leaves one at a time, so that the stalk is nothing but little growing sprouts.

I can give some photo proof of this later, but I would like to know something from anyone whose taken those leaves and store them in the fridge, (week or so) then cook them like you would collards, or mix em with any other green.
Ill be back in here, later and Good Garden to Ya!

I bought some brussel sprouts last spring(????) and they grew great in the garden!
I thought they were doing well when I was asked to make sure everything was going well!
Took a look and found that they were COVERED with aphids!
I've sprayed and pulld them up! YUKKK!!!

This isnt much, but you can see where Ive removed leaves from the bottom up. I have about 20 of these scattered around in different spots, from 1 month seedlings, to this 3 month old here. Ill get another pic of this just before Christmas...

{{gwi:118978}}

I agree with clipping the tops. I tried it this year for the first time. I grew 6 plants, I topped 3 of them the last week of August. I saw a difference within 2-3 weeks, so I topped the other three. I harvested about 7 lbs off 6 plants.

blane - I love sprout tops. I get them from the greengrocer as a vegetable in their own right, not just a by product of growing sprouts. they're delicious.

ninjabut - can I ask you what the point of spraying was if you pulled up the plants anyway? A strong blast with the hose would have deterred the aphids and you could have been eating home grown sprouts soon. Aphids are not the end of the world.

These were not just a few aphids! They were covering the plants and down into the leaves of the buds! Yuk!
I sprayed before pulling because there were so many and I didn't want to shake them (live) all over the rest of the garden!
I think they've already hit my new broccoli.
I've never HAD aphids in the 6-7 years I've been vege gardening.
What I have now is chard, some snow peas, some late green beans, I'm just pulling up the tomatoes, some broccoli and I have lettuce and beets ready to plant.
Do aphids bother any of these, or should I shut down the garden for the winter?

Shut down the garden for the winter? In your climate, your kidding right?

Blane- I as just unsure what plant the aphids would attack! I've never had them before!
It look like they're going after the broccoli.
Lettuce, beets arugula chard looks OK!
Riped out the tomatoes and all those damned nastersiums! They're taking over the garden!
Starting to compost for 2 new beds next spring!
Nancy

Ok, just get ya a spray bottle, kinda like an old windex bottle or the like.....And mix up a few drops of Dawn dish soap, and go to war with these aphips, be sure to hit the underside of the leaves, cause thats where they are, hiding from you......They know whats coming ....He-he...