Grow Your Own Magazine

I have some Brussels plants and I have started to harvest sprouts but I am wondering at what point can I harvest the tops. Will the plants still grow if I pick off the tops. When is the best time to do this ?

Removing the brussel tops when the lower sprouts are about 1/2" across will encourage your sprouts to mature at the same time.

Alternatively leave them on, and pick sprouts from base as they come ready, when they have all been picked you can harvest the top's as winter greens.

Thanks for the info, Lupin. Much appreciated.

Thanks for the question Woofster. My brussel srouts have quite small sprouts on, and small cabbage like heads on the top. I was wonderining what to do with the heads. When I should cut them - what I should do with them ? Any advice welcome folks.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

I think that Lupin has answered your 'when' question, Alice, as to 'how', I believe that you treat the cabbagy tops as you would spring greens. I don't know how tender the tops are tho' - no doubt we'll both get an answer to that one from the others.

BTW, welcome to the VIne, Lupin!

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Hazel
www.hazelandjanesallotment.blogspot.com
update Sat 15/11/2008......there's gold in them thar...compost bins!......

Welcome Lupin, expecto patronus etc! I only ever harvested sprout tops when the sprouts were finished. It honestly never occurred to me to try it earlier. They might not have been so coarse in texture but even so they are good tasty greens in the dead of winter.

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated November 17th - The Big Dig

i leave mine on til iv eaten the sprouts...

I started eating mine as soon as the blasted pigeons did i like them a lot more than letting the pigeons have them and they do not seem to bother the sprouts jacob

Hello Jacob, you did better then me, the pidgeons cleared them all before i got a chance to have mine.

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God bless all of us.

my brassicas at home are untouched because we have a bird feeder that the pigeons prefer. at the allotment the red ones are all fine so i think theres a moral there...

Got 3 bird feeders in the back garden, one in the front. Starters just give them an appetite!

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated November 17th - The Big Dig