Brussels Sprouts should be ready to harvest this month. Check for size and colour.
Growing Calendar
This month: Oct
Log to journalReady to harvest now
- •Check size and ripeness
- •Harvest regularly
- •Store or use fresh
Watch Out For
Cabbage white caterpillars strip leaves. Check undersides weekly from late spring and remove egg clusters and caterpillars by hand or net plants early
Pigeons strip whole plants bare in winter when little else is available, so netting is essential and should be in place before the first cold snap
Loose, 'blown' sprouts are usually caused by soft, recently-manured soil. Firm the ground well before planting and avoid feeding with high-nitrogen fertiliser
Common Questions
About growing Brussels Sprouts in the UK
Why are my Brussels sprouts loose and leafy instead of tight?
This is called 'blown' sprouts, usually caused by soft, recently-manured soil or overcrowded plants. Firm the ground well before planting, space plants a full 60–75cm apart, and avoid high-nitrogen feeds.
When should I harvest Brussels sprouts?
From October through to March, picking from the bottom of the stem upwards as the lowest sprouts mature first. Flavour actually improves after a frost, which converts some starch to sugar.
Do Brussels sprouts need staking?
Tall plants in exposed, windy positions benefit from a stout cane tied in loosely from autumn. Firm soil at planting time is the most important measure, since loose soil causes rocking and poor sprout development.
Why do pigeons target my Brussels sprouts?
Sprouts are one of the few green things left in the garden through winter, making them a magnet for hungry pigeons. Net plants securely before the first cold snap, since birds can strip a bed bare in a single visit.
Written from real growing experience, organic methods only. Our story · Our approach
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