brussels sprouts
Ideally a soil test will have been carried out, but if not choose a fertilizer which is high in Nitrogen. The proportions of NPK should be 4:1:2 (parts by percentage, and multiples of, eg 20:5:10 would be ideal). Top dress once a month during the growing season with Nitro Chalk (calcium ammonium nitrate) not often found in Garden Centres but is available by Mail Order. Dried Blood will do, but isn’t as good. A better organic high nitrogen fertilizer is Urea. This can be bought also by Mail Order. It is used in liquid feeds for quick release nitrogen. Often called Ureic nitrogen (in plain English, it is Urine).
Spray regularly with a Contact Insecticide to kill Caterpillars. An Insecticide drench around the plants a few times will take care of Cabbage root fly larvae. Hoe regularly, but do not loosen the soil around the plants. Brussels Sprouts often become top heavy and begin falling over. Pull some soil up around the plants with a Draw hoe and firm well, should this happen.
As with all Brassicas, it is wize to protect the plants from Birds. Plastic garden netting or wire netting can be used, and then removed when the plants are about 20cm tall.
There are varieties available that crop as early as August and as late as March. Choose an early mid and late variety if a long cropping period is required. The main cropping period is October to January. When clearing the crop, smash the stems and roots up with a hammer, before putting on the compost heap. The plants by this time are very woody, and would take about 2 years to rot otherwise.
Tags: Growing Tips
