Brussels Sprout Production

[roadrunner]

I planted some Brussels Sprouts last year, just because...then I read (after it was too late) that they take a long time to produce and I'm starting to see that...I planted these things back in November 2017 and they seem to be still growing, but ain't producing nothing.

Anyone know when they'll produce?

BTW, I also planted an artichoke about the same time and it just bloomed, picture of it at the bottom.

 

[Chuck]

I planted some Brussels Sprouts last year, just because...then I read (after it was too late) that they take a long time to produce and I'm starting to see that...I planted these things back in November 2017 and they seem to be still growing, but ain't producing nothing.

Anyone know when they'll produce?

BTW, I also planted an artichoke about the same time and it just bloomed, picture of it at the bottom.

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From what I can see in the pictures your sprouts are beginning to sprout. On the bottom leaf is there a round ball where the leaf meets the stem of the plant?

 

[Durgan]

Beautiful artichokes. I grow them some years, treat as an annual in Zone 5. Not usually as pristine as yours. You growth is excellent.

Brussels spouts grow every year. I had the problem you are having, not producing cabbages, but only one year. I eventually replanted. I had bought the seedlings and assumed had got god knows what.

They do take a full season, from May until November. Bugs attack them usually but I get ten plants of good quality. The attacker is the white cabbage butterfly. I often pick the larvae off the small cabbages. I would leave them and see if they will head.


Brussels sprouts

http://durgan.org/2014/October 2014/12 October 2014 Brussels sprouts/HTML/12 October 2014 Brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts

The type is Jade Cross

Five Brussels sprout plants were dug up. Brussels sprouts grow well in my area. The plants must be sprayed during the season to make perfect sprouts, since the grey and white cabbage moth eat the small cabbage outer leaves and disfigure them. One plant produces many cabbages. I give them away since I get enough with one or two meals.

 

[headfullofbees]

Firstly, you should not have sprouts plants that large without edible sized sprouts at least at the bottom of the stem, and I fear they have failed to form because of too much competition for nutrients.
Secondly, unfortunately, because sprouts like best to form in cool weather, I think any which grow now will blow.
Here in the UK, you need them to start forming at the end of summer, picking in autumn into winter, but, I'd imagine in your climate, you plant in the autumn, harvesting late winter into spring.
Like parsnips, it is believed thy are better after a frost, but for different reasons:
in parsnips some of the starches turn to sugar, in sprouts, the cold tightens them.
I suggest, since they obviously grow well over winter in your climate, you try again, aiming to get the plants in a month earlier, giving them 2ft 6in apart, each way, with only the lightest of competition, and look to be finishing your crop around now.

One consolation: those sprouts tops look very good, and they make for excellent greens.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

[CanadianLori]

I have been told that the plants need to be "topped" in order to get the sprout along the stem to come to a decent size.

 

[Durgan]

I have been told that the plants need to be "topped" in order to get the sprout along the stem to come to a decent size.

I just leave them to grow and they are wonderful producers under normal conditions. Never touch them except to retard the white cabbage butterfly. Can't give them away, since most people detest them.

 

[CanadianLori]

I love them but so far mine have only gotten sprouts as big as a marble so this year I will try the topping business. I've got nothing to lose after my past dismal efforts.

 

[Durgan]

I love them but so far mine have only gotten sprouts as big as a marble so this year I will try the topping business. I've got nothing to lose after my past dismal efforts.

I am just down the road from you and always have success. I buy or start the seeds at home. I always grow Jade Cross. Six plant don't require much room about two feet apart, off by themselves in the garden. Topping just stunts them and improves nothing.. My cabbages are always large except at the top and they be a little smaller. Also pick from the bottom during the growing season for the table. There are a lot of meals off one plant.

 

[headfullofbees]

I have been told that the plants need to be "topped" in order to get the sprout along the stem to come to a decent size.

Not the case, I grow them every year, and they get to a good size.
It is the case that when a sprout has formed to a decent size, removing the leaf immediately above it can help, but only because it is no longer in the way.
They usually grow and are harvested from the bottom as they grow successionally up the plant.

 

[headfullofbees]

I am just down the road from you and always have success. I buy or start the seeds at home. I always grow Jade Cross. Six plant don't require much room about two feet apart, off by themselves in the garden. Topping just stunts them and improves nothing.. My cabbages are always large except at the top and they be a little smaller. Also pick from the bottom during the growing season for the table. There are a lot of meals off one plant.

May I ask about the texture of your "cabbages"?
Sprouts are supposed to be hard and tight.

 

[Durgan]

cabbages would be perfect except for bugs. Usually they are tight. But sometimes the bottom ones flare a bit. Still acceptable.

 

[Purrfluff]

My brussels sprouts plants overwintered but started bolting as soon as the weather warmed up. I don't know if all sprouts do this but it could be what is happening to yours. Instead of forming sprouts at the base of the plant mine formed flowers.

 

[Mai Tran]

I'm growing Brussels sprouts in the central highlands of Vietnam. I planted from 3 August and today is 25 November. The plants are like: 1. Sprouts are not tight
2. After the leaves on the lower part turned yellow and fell down, the sprouts stay so small, I'm not sure if they can grow bigger.
3. When I cut the sprouts in half, some have rotten part on the inside. Is it because of some fungus or disease?

Please teach me what I can do.

 

[Marck]

Greetings, welcome to the Forums.

Warm temperatures are one reason the Brussel Sprouts (Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group) form loose heads. What have temperatures been while heads were forming? Which cultivar are you are growing?

The brown patches inside the heads are a worse problem . This might be some type of Soft Rot (Erwinia, Pseudomonas, etc.). The rot might be getting inside because the heads are loose.

 

[Mai Tran]

Thank you so much for your reply. We grow the Japanese variety here because we heard that it's more heat resistent than the Western varieties (we tried the seeds of Evesham but they only produced big leaves, no sprouts at all). The temperature has been around 22-24 celsius degree in the day time and 14-16 degree at night since 1 month.

Could you please teach me how to deal with the Soft rot problem? It is bad because we cannot remove the bad ones when we harvest, we can only know when we cut in half.