Brussels Sprouts: The Cool-Weather Cuisine Staple

A curious and captivating vegetable, Brussels sprouts are bite-sized buds with the appearance of miniature heads of cabbage. They are enjoying the spotlight in the culinary universe right now and are well deserving of the attention. A member of the Brassica genus, Brussels sprouts include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and collards among their close relatives. These cruciferous vegetables are exceptionally nutritious, low calorie, low carb, high in protein and even boast proven cancer-preventing compounds.

 
In the kitchen, this versatile veggie can dress up or down and easily fit into any meal plan. We love a simple preparation of pan roasted sprouts in a drizzle of olive oil and topped with a splash of balsamic vinegar and fresh ground sea salt and cracked black pepper. They are also delicious raw in a mixed salad; steamed and served with a creamy cheese sauce; roasted and tossed with goat cheese crumbles, candied walnuts and dried cranberries; or stewed in a tangy curry.

 
Like other vegetables, Brussels sprouts will benefit from appropriate companion planting. Some plants to consider for growing near your sprouts include garlic to boost sweetness; basil to repel thrips; nasturtiums to repel cabbages worms, cabbage loopers & flea beetles; beets to provide magnesium; and chamomile to enhance flavor.

 
Brussels sprouts are a long-season vegetable that produces the best quality harvests when the buttons mature in cooler weather. It’s a crop that’s definitely worth the wait, and once you’ve tasted these sweet, little gems fresh out of the garden, we’re confident you’ll be a life-long fan.

 So, now’s the perfect time to get your Brussels sprout seed started. Make sure you choose a few varieties with different maturities, that way you can keep the fresh harvests going from fall through the winter.

Here are a few handy tips to help you succeed with your Brussels sprout crops:

• Brussels sprouts perform best when they mature in chilly weather.
• We recommend starting the seed indoors now through July to yield harvests after at least a frost or two for the sweetest sprouts.
• Here in western Oregon, we find that starting seeds in mid-May and transplanting in mid-June yields the biggest stalks.
• Paying attention to the days to maturity of the varieties will help you time your harvest.
• Brussels sprouts benefit from high fertility early in development and less as they mature. Use a slow release fertilizer at transplant and later only if symptoms of deficiency occur.
• Each plant will produce a single, tall stalk with the sprouts forming at the leaf nodes.
• When firm & well formed, begin picking sprouts from the bottom; upper sprouts will continue to mature as lower ones are harvested.
• Alternatively, you can top hybrid varieties to help the sprouts mature more uniformly. Around the end of September, cut off the top 2-3 inches of the plant. The buds will form and swell more evenly, for heavier picking or even whole stalk harvests.

Check out our Brussels Sprouts selection here. Happy planting!

Author: Kat B.