Permapotes

Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar

Brussels sprouts are a cabbage crop valued for their small, tightly packed heads arranged along a sturdy stem. They suit you if you want a vegetable with naturally small portions, a dense texture and a recognisable cabbage flavour. Unlike a heading cabbage, the plant does not produce one large central head. Numerous small leafy buds form the part that is normally eaten.

The botanical name is Brassica oleracea, Gemmifera Group, in the Brassicaceae family. Brussels sprouts therefore belong to the same species as several other cultivated brassicas, including broccoli and cauliflower, while having a different structure. Each sprout develops in a leaf axil, meaning the junction between a leaf and the main stem. These buds are neither fruits nor seeds, despite their small, rounded appearance.

The plant has an upright outline, with a stem that can approach a metre in height depending on the variety and conditions. Large spreading leaves surround the sprouts, with a leafy tuft still visible at the top. The sprouts are usually green, but purple varieties also exist. Their diameter, firmness and uniformity vary according to the variety and the plant’s development, so not every plant has precisely the same appearance.

The life cycle is biennial, although Brussels sprouts are normally grown for their crop during the first season. A plant that continues its cycle can develop a flowering stem, yellow flowers and elongated pods containing seeds. The formation of the small sprouts belongs to the vegetative phase. This distinction explains why the edible portions resemble tiny cabbage heads rather than flowers, even though the plant is related to broccoli.

Varieties include De Rosny, Demi-nain de la Halle, Prince Marvel and Sanda. They do not all share the same height, earliness or cropping period. Some plants are more compact and others taller; their suitability for cold conditions also differs. A variety name alone cannot guarantee a particular flavour or yield in every garden. These differences matter when comparing the shape and seasonal character of the plants.

In the kitchen, Brussels sprouts accompany potatoes, mushrooms and other vegetables, or appear in gratins and pan-cooked dishes. Their flavour depends on the variety and preparation; excessive cooking can make sulphurous smells more pronounced. Their upright growth and many small heads also create a distinctive appearance in the vegetable garden, quite different from cabbages with a single large head.

Brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts
Characteristics
  • Lifecycle : Annual
  • Exposure : Full Sun
  • Frost Hardiness : Frost Resistant
  • Cultivation Difficulty : Medium
  • Mature height : 60 cm
Sowing & Planting
  • Greenhouse Growing : Not Required
  • Sowing Depth : 1 cm
  • Plant Spacing : 50 cm
  • Row Spacing : 60 cm
Maintenance
  • Maintenance : Moderate
  • Water Requirements : Moderate
Other characteristics
  • Soil Type : Mixed
  • Soil pH Preference : Neutral
  • Pest Sensitivity : Moderate
  • Disease Sensitivity : Moderate
  • Weed Sensitivity : Moderate
  • Pollination : Insect-pollinated
  • Propagation : Sowing