Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera
Brussels sprout
Common names: Sprout cabbage, Cabbage sprouts
This description was machine-translated.
Description
The Brussels sprout bears its small, firm buds like buttons along a tall stem. It is a classic winter vegetable that requires a long growing season, harvested from the bottom up, best after the first frosts, which sweeten and mellow the buds.
Care instructions
Plant seedlings in spring (April to May) with a spacing of about an arm’s length in a firm, nutrient-rich bed, as Brussels sprouts need the entire season to mature. Tuck or support the tall stems in windy locations and begin harvesting from October by picking the lower buds first, the plant remains in the bed throughout winter.
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
loamy, humus-rich, nutrient-rich, moist, lime-loving
Feeding
Heavy feeder
Companion planting
Good neighbors
legume family (Fabaceae)
particularly well establishedLeguminous plants collect nitrogen in the soil, from which Brassicaceae benefit as heavy feeders.
For example Bush beanPole beanBroad beanMarker peaSugar peaRed bean and 30 more species in the catalogue
Source: classic companion planting (DACH-Gartenpraxis)
carrot family (Apiaceae)
You can pair celery and dill with all Brassicaceae because they repel the cabbage whitefly with their scent, a proven companion.
For example Carrotcelery rootDillParsleyCarrot fennelCoriander and 19 more species in the catalogue
Source: Bio-Gärtnerei Mixed-culture Practice
mint family (Lamiaceae)
You will notice that the intense scent of basil, thyme, and others confuses the cabbage whitefly and keeps it away from the cabbage family.
For example LavenderThymeBasilRosemarySageHyssop and 31 more species in the catalogue
Source: bio-gardening intercropping practice
nasturtium family (Tropaeolaceae)
Nasturtium serves as a trap plant for you. Aphids and cabbage whiteflies prefer it over the brassicaceae next to it.
For example Tropaeolum majusMashua
Source: Trap plant practice in organic horticulture
Rather not
Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.
Some of these explanations were machine-translated.
Diseases & pests
3 relevantFrom the knowledge base, automatically linked by affected species. How to spot and prevent them is covered in full in the lexicon.
Delia radicum
The cabbage fly lays its eggs at the root collar of crucifers, and the white maggots feed on the roots and root collars.
More on Cabbage flyPlasmodiophora brassicae
Clubroot is a soil-borne fungal disease caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae that affects all cruciferous plants.
More on ClubrootPieris brassicae
The Large White is the striking white moth whose yellow and black caterpillars can devour cabbage plants down to the leaf veins in a short time.
More on Large WhiteVarieties
4 varieties‚Falstaff’
You will see a red eye‑catcher in your vegetable bed: This F1 variety *‚Falstaff’* forms reddish‑violet buds that brighten any winter dish.
‚Groninger’
A proven, heirloom winter variety for late harvesting.
‚Hilds Ideal’
An old German, open pollinated variety for an early harvest from autumn onwards.
‚Roodnerf’
An open pollinated classic with particularly firm, tightly packed sprouts that hardly ever burst open, even in wet weather.
Notes from real gardens
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From the magazine
Brussels sprouts: the patience crop with the topping trick
Brussels sprouts stand in the bed for almost half a year before the first sprouts are ripe. Two things decide firm versus loose sprouts: a firm soil and topping the growing tip in autumn. Here is how the patience crop succeeds into winter.
Harvesting Winter Vegetables: Fresh from the Frost
Kale, Brussels sprouts, corn salad and parsnip stand in the bed all winter and taste even sweeter after frost. Here is how to harvest fresh from the snow without the leaves turning to mush.