Brussels Sprout is a cool season vegetable that can be grown in spring or fall. They are an interesting and rather beautiful addition to any garden. The brussels sprouts form around the base of the stem as the plant grows tall and the top has a beautiful head of green leaves. Baby brussels sprout plants are the cutest! The brussels sprout plant is a very unique grower in deed! Brussels sprout gets a bad rap at many dinner tables, but if cooked just right, they can taste amazing. Brussels sprouts are full of the vitamins C and K, carotenoids, fiber, and folate and are often boiled or roasted. Brussels sprout plants can be grown in a variety of garden types; in ground, in raised beds, or in containers.
Depending on your locations winter temperatures you can start your seeds a few different ways. If you have winters that are very cold, it’s better to start your seeds indoors, and wait for warmer temperatures before transplanting. If your winters are more mild and warm, you can start your seeds outdoors. Keep your seedlings well-watered and when they get about a half a foot tall, move them about a foot apart from each other. Provide mulch and fertilize once a month.
If you are growing brussels sprout through the winter, keep the top leaves intact and mulch very well (10 -12 inches). Cover the plants with clear containers or row covers if a frost or freezing rain is expected.
Brussels sprout are ready to harvest when they are still firm, a nice green color, and 1-2 inches in size. Twist the sprout until it pops off and remove any yellowing leaves as you work along the stem. To encourage a faster harvest, you can cut the top of the plants off, about 3 weeks before you want to harvest.
Club Root causes the brussels sprout roots to become mangled and misshapen. It is a fungal disease that causes the plants to quickly wilt and die. Remove any infected plants. Sterilize the soil and raise the pH to 7.2 to prevent the fungus from spreading to the other plants nearby.
Downy Mildew is caused from wet humid conditions. Overhead watering is also a cause. To prevent, water at the base of the plants, provide good air circulation, and keep leaves as dry as possible. A spray made from, 1 part milk to 10 parts water, can help if it’s already started. Fungicides can help prevent it.
White Mold is the fungus, Sclerotinia, and can appear on many parts of the plant. Plants will wilt and die off slowly and patches of white mold will appear. It can reduce harvest amounts. To prevent spreading, destroy any infected plants and remove any infected mulch or soil from the growing area. Water at the plants bases, not overhead, and control weeds in the area. Use fungicides if necessary and do not allow the mold to overwinter In the soil or garden areas.
Aphid nymphs and adults like to suck on plant juices, attack plant leaves, stems, buds, flowers, fruits, and the roots of many vegetable plants, including broad beans. To find them, look for misshaped, curling, or yellowing leaves. Look for tiny eggs on the undersides of leaves. They can be one of many colors, such as, white, tan, red, yellow, brown, or black. They are tiny and usually cover large portions of the leaves and stems. To prevent them, you can plant companion plants such as herbs that may deter or distract them. You can try and knock them off by spraying the plants thoroughly with water. Neem oil, insect soaps, cayenne pepper spray, a dusting of flour, and Diatomaceous Earth are all effective against aphids.
Cabbage Root Maggots feed heavily on roots and clump together in groups. They are small, white, legless maggots. It is the baby of a cabbage fly. Cabbage flies emerge in spring and lay eggs near the base of plant stems. Larvae hatch and burrow into the soil to feed on roots. After feeding, they mature into the pupae stage and turn a brownish red color. Soon cabbage root fly adults will emerge. Without treatment the plant will die. If you find eggs remove and destroy them. Check roots for maggots and remove with a heavy rinse of water before replanting in fresh soil. Sticky traps, predatory nematodes, or wasps, can be effective preventatives.
Flea Beetles are tiny beetles that create holes in the leaves that are sporadic. They can spread diseases like wilt and blight. To treat for flea beetles, you can use insecticidal soap, an early season insecticide, talcum powder, or sticky traps. All these options will reduce their numbers and damage.
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