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Northwestern Gardening

Brussels Sprouts Starts Anywhere?

blameitontherain

11 years ago

Ask, ask, ask. Take, take, take, Want, want, want. Promise to make a concerted effort to respond to other's posts when I have answers, but for now, I have yet another plea for help: I fried my first batch of brussels sprouts sproutlings (try that three times in a row without spitting on your Sunday paper) a few weeks ago by leaving the seed tray cover on in the sun (sun?!). The second planting was a total failure; nary a seed germinated. Would plant again but from my reading of several posts here, believe it too late to start from seed. Does anyone know where I can get some starts? Tried Molbak's, Fred Meyer's, Top Foods and Classic nursery. I live in Woodinville and would really like to find someplace close (don't trust my luck with a combination of finicky plant starts, a long drive and warm temps). If you're interested in a trade, perhaps a clump of the tiny, jewel-like alpine strawberries would be a worthy exchange?

Selfish but humble and trying hard to change,

Rain

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Comments (7)

buyorsell888
11 years ago
The ones I bought ended up being cabbage! wish I could help you
botann
11 years ago
I'd try seeds as soon as possible. Who says it's too late?
See what happens..... for the price of a pack of seeds.
What can you lose, balanced out by what you might get,
seems like an easy decision to me. Think of the education, if nothing else.
Maybe you can find some seedlings....somewhere. Hope so.
Mike
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blameitontherain
Original Author
11 years ago
Sorry to hear that, buyorsell888! In my book, there's no contest between slaw and caramelized nuggets of roasted goodness.

Mike, I did go ahead and sow seed batch No. 3 last evening, but without much hope. Had started seeds at the end of July last year and those plants didn't mature in time.

Fingers crossed for try #3 and eyes peeled for seedlings that look suspiciously like cabbage.

Rain
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
11 years ago
Still too early for fall veggie starts to be available in retail outlets. Supposedly still too 'hot'/summer-like to plant out at this time :-) These are usually available starting later this month on into September. 'Franklin' is the variety strongly promoted by Territorial seeds for fall planting if you still wanted to attempt seeding. It has a harvest interval of 80 days compared to upto 200 for others.
blameitontherain
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi.

Found some at the old Classic Nursery site on Avondale! I thought all they sold were varieties of animal feed, but they had a big sign indicating they had fall starts available. So glad I stopped! They had just one variety: Long Island, which I have read on this forum isn't the best for our weather. Nonetheless, happy to have found any at all, I bought 2 six-packs. The owner and one of the clerks (his daughter, perhaps?) were extremely nice and sent me off with a free jug of compost tea. Off to plant!

All smiles,

Rain
blameitontherain
Original Author
11 years ago
Had the chance to google the name of the place where I bought the starts. It is called KIS Farm. The link below (warning: Pop-ups) is to an article in the local newspaper that describes the various goals of the enterprise. Pretty interesting. Apparently, the clerk was author Jessi Bloom. Before you get all eponym-nic on me, note her book is titled, "Free-Range Chicken Gardens." A good book, but her name should've been.... let's see. A bloom is to a plant like a blank is to a chicken... Jessi Egg?

Here is a link that might be useful: KIS Farm Article
bejoy2
11 years ago
I am having a plant trade in Olympia on Sept 15 (see my posting on the 'PNW Exchange' forum). I have planted brussels sprouts, as well as other winter crops (cabbage, kale, chard, broccoli, kohlrabi, broccoli-raab, etc.), which I will be giving away for free. The trade is open to everyone, and you don't have to have plants to offer in exchange.

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