How to Start, Transplant & Harvest Brussel Sprouts

Planting Seeds

• 1

  Fill seed flats with sterile potting soil.

• 2

  Start seeds six weeks before you plan to plant them outdoors. For example, if you plan to plant the first week in June, start the seeds by the third week of April.

• 3

  Sow seeds 1 inch apart and 1/4 inch deep in prepared flats. Place the flats in a bright location where they will not be disturbed. Keep trays evenly moist.

Transplanting to Garden

• 4

  Prepare the garden by adding 2 to 4 inches of compost and digging into the soil at least 12 to 15 inches, using a garden tiller. Mix in 4 cups of 10-10-10 fertilizer per every 100 square feet.

• 5

  Space 3-inch-tall transplants 24 inches apart in rows that are 24 inches apart.

• 6

  Water the Brussel sprout transplants and cover the area generously with mulch to conserve water and keep the roots cool.

Growing and Harvest

• 7

  Water Brussels sprouts to keep the roots moist. If less than 1 inch of rain falls during the week, supplement water.

• 8

  Remove the bottom four to six leaves once the Brussel sprouts grow about 1/2 inch in diameter. This allows them to reach their potential size of 1 inch in diameter.

• 9

  Fertilize the Brussel sprouts three weeks after planting by sprinkling a circle of 1 tbsp. granulated nitrate fertilizer (21-0-0) around the plant 3 inches from the stem. Scratch into the soil with a garden claw. Water the plants. Apply the fertilizer again after five more weeks, if needed.

• 10

  Remove two to three leaves per week as the Brussel sprouts progress up the stem, but always leave at least six at the top to convert the sun’s rays into energy. Three weeks before harvest, cut the very top of the plant off to make the sprouts ripen faster.

• 11

  Harvest the Brussel sprouts by cutting off the stem from bottom to top, when they reach 1 inch in diameter and are firm. The plants tolerate frosts and the cold weather makes sprouts much sweeter.