Brassica oleracea
Gemmifera Group
Family: Brassicaceae

This annual develops small, green, compact buds in the leaf axils along the stem. These buds are what we eat. Brussels sprouts are boiled or steamed and eaten in winter. They have been cultivated in Europe for about 400 years.

Varieties

There are varieties available to produce autumn, winter and spring cropping. Brussels sprouts do not like long, excessively hot summers. Where this may be a problem choose heat-tolerant cultivars.

Cultivation

Brussels sprouts are sown in spring, from early to late in the season depending on whether you want to harvest the crop in late autumn, in the middle of winter or in early spring. Varieties for early cropping are not so hardy as those bred to withstand the winter. Seed can be sown in seed trays or cell trays under glass, especially early sowings, or in an outdoor seed bed. Plant out when they are large enough, 45-60 cm (18-24 in) apart each way depending on height of the variety (dwarfs need less space than tall ones).

Climate

Zone 8 and above.