Quote:
Originally Posted by GoDawgs
You got me curious so I looked back in my garden records. I have tried Bubbles, Falstaff and Catskill and at one time I think I have a memory of trying a red or burgandy colored one.
There's no problem getting the plants to grow; just getting them to set sprouts. I read a tip somewhere (here? elsewhere?) about topping the stalk when sprouts start to form so that all energy is directed into making sprouts. I'm going to try that too but I still think it's about variable weather.
|
You are correct; it isn't getting them to grow. It is getting them to grow enough before the spring warm up that they will make sprouts. I usually top my plants but not until I have been picking sprouts for quite a while. I usually do it once the weather turns. You know what I am talking about when the nights go from nice and cool to "uh o! summers nearly here". Once that weather turns you only will have a short few weeks or even days before the sprouts will stop forming tight heads. Below are two pictures taken in mid March of a bed of Brussels Sprouts showing the hoops still in place before being removed shortly after this because of no danger of a hard freeze anymore. The other picture is of the sprouts formed on the plant and ready to be picked. At the time these pictures are taken the plants still have anywhere from a month to over two months of growth and production left in the season before it gets too hot.
Bill