Growing Brussels Sprouts

Unless the thought of noshing on green spuds makes you squirm in disgust, there is little reason why you should not eat your Brussels sprouts and love it too! A healthy diet is not always about spinach salads, salmon rice or super healthy seaweed soups as much as it is about eating the right food and relishing it too. If you are sucker for health foods that look and taste good, then there is perhaps no better option for you than Brussels sprouts. These sprouts are stacked with proteins, folacin, potassium, calcium and fibers, which make them a huge hit with health freaks. Whether you love your pan-browned Brussels sprouts or just need a healthy alternative to your boring green salad, Brussels sprouts can spruce up your dinner in an instant. So what are you waiting for? Just stock up your refrigerator with yummy Brussels sprouts and enjoy your greens. However, if you are game for garden-fresh yields, then you can always grow your own Brussels sprouts right in your kitchen garden. To know more on how to grow Brussels sprouts, read on.  

• If you are looking to hoard up your larder with tasty, healthy victuals to battle the frost, there is no better choice than crunchy, tasty Brussels sprouts to grace your dinner plates. These yummy sprouts thrive well in almost all soil conditions except for acidic ones and yields best under cool humid weather conditions. Brussels sprouts need nitrogen rich soil with a pH balance of around 6.5 to grow. So before you plant the sprouts, make sure you dig in a good deal of organic stuff to boost the moisture retention properties of the soil.
• Since Brussels sprouts grow best during winters, its best to sow your seeds sometime around mid spring or even late summer for better yields. Sow the seeds in seed pots first and then relocate the seedlings to your garden soil after a span of 5-6 weeks. Spade in enough fertilizer and sprinkle adequate water when planting the sprouts. Since Brussels sprouts do not tolerate heat well, it’s best to plant then in partial shade for best results.
• After 90- 95 days, your Brussels sprouts are ready to be gleaned. However, make sure to pick your harvest before the lower leaves turn yellow, as the sprouts tend to lose their tender texture and flavor when fully ripe. Start by picking the lowest sprouts first. Pick out the leaf under the bud and carefully twist the sprout from the plant. You can harvest the entire yield at once or mulch the plants with straw if you plan to harvest them later. You can eat your sprouts right away or store them in the refrigerator for 8-10 days.
• Before you sow the seeds, make sure you spread a layer of fertilizer over the area. Once the sprouts start to spud, apply 1 tbsp (15 ml) per plant of 5-10-10 fertilizer. You can also use a handful of good compost to boost your yield. Just scatter some fertilizer around the base of the plant and water it adequately.
• Like all other cruciferous vegetables, Brussels sprouts are vulnerable to soil borne viral and fungal diseases like ‘club root’. To protect your plants from ‘aphids’, ‘cabbageworms’, ‘flea beetles’ and ‘root maggots’, it's best to use row covers. Also to save your plants from pest raids and diseases, allow three years of gap between plantings of the cabbage family in the same area.