Brussels sprouts

[kennethc]

Hi all

This year I'm going to grow Brussels Sprouts for the first time and I'm looking for recommendations for a good reliable tasty variety that will provide veg from mid-November onwards (especially for Christmas)?

All suggestions welcome and thanks in advance.

Kenneth
Location: Kent, England.

[Scoot]

I'm trying these this year

Brussels Sprout Evesham Special Seeds|Mr Fothergill's Vegetable Seeds

I failed with them last year but that was down to me buying cheap seed (I'm a new gardener, i didn't realise the importance of buying quality seed) and getting something that WASN'T Evesham, or even sprouts for that matter. Apparently Evesham are a good all rounder though.

This will be my first year of growing sprouts as well.

[Aberdeenplotter]

I grew Evesham special last year. Only harvested 2 stalks but that doesn't mean the crop was a failure. I had a spell away from my plot after an operation and when I did get back down there. I discovered a dead fox hung up in the large mesh fishing net I had over them to keep the pigeons off. It had eaten all my sprouts including the stalks of all bar two and also some pot leeks which were also in its reach.

The sprouts we did harvest were really nice

[WendyC]

I grew Bedford, which cropped well, but were at their best before Christmas.

[Snadger]

I grew Evesham special last year. Only harvested 2 stalks but that doesn't mean the crop was a failure. I had a spell away from my plot after an operation and when I did get back down there. I discovered a dead fox hung up in the large mesh fishing net I had over them to keep the pigeons off. It had eaten all my sprouts including the stalks of all bar two and also some pot leeks which were also in its reach.

The sprouts we did harvest were really nice

That's good to know! (Not about the fox!) I usually grow Trafalgar F1 and have had good results, but in my crusade against F1's this year I have chosen Evesham from the OP varieties!

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Hi Kenneth

I love sprouts, but some say like "Marmite" You take it or leave it.

I pride myself on having a huge bowl full for the "Chritmas Dinner" Which to be honest, just caps off my growing season!

"Cromwell" all the way! Has never failed me yet!

But a bit of a tip!

Plant em very, very firmly, and stake em too! They become very substantial plants, and it's the wind rock caused to these large plants which cause the sprouts to blow!

Other than that, they being a long season grower, very much fend for themselves!

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Oh! And another thing, cut off the plant top, like a mini cabbage, and cook the very same way, To die for!

[Scoot]

Oh! And another thing, cut off the plant top, like a mini cabbage, and cook the very same way, To die for!

Do you do this at the end of the season?

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

When the plants are ready for Harvesting Scoot!

Honest! You'd be surprised!

I'd show a pick, but in the process of trying to clear memory on this Ipad

[ryland.j]

I tried evesham for a few years with no luck,sprouts kept blowing.I tried Bosworth F1 last year and I had a brilliant crop,still plenty left now

[Scoot]

When the plants are ready for Harvesting Scoot!

Honest! You'd be surprised!

I'd show a pick, but in the process of trying to clear memory on this Ipad

I'll remember this for when I harvest the last Sprouts. If I get any Sprouts.

I'm reading a lot about "blown Sprouts". What are they exactly and how do you prevent it from happening.

[Alison]

They usually blow when they're not heeled in enough although some varieties are more susceptible than others

[Scoot]

They usually blow when they're not heeled in enough although some varieties are more susceptible than others

I'll try Evesham this year and if I get blown Sprouts, I'll try one of the F1 varieties that supposedly doesn't.

[RaptorUK]

I'm reading a lot about "blown Sprouts". What are they exactly and how do you prevent it from happening.

If you think of a sprout as a tiny cabbage heart with the leaves tightly wrapped over one another they you can think of a blown sprout as an opened up tiny cabbage that is just good for individual leaves.

I've only grown sprouts once and had very good plants and no blown sprouts, when I planted them out I firmed them in with a lump hammer, yes, seriously.

There is another sprout thread here -> http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...-me_87592.html

[Noosner]

Oh, that's useful info about the blown sprouts. In my crop, it's always the bigger sprouts that blow, further down the stalk, so I end up with lots of little ones that taste good but are a pain to prepare. Will get the lump hammer out next time!