sprouts

[Si D]

just can't seem to get them to grow properly.

Last year the plants grew but the spouts themselves were only just larger than peas - gave them plenty of time to mature but no joy.

Someone told me it was because I didn't firm the ground down around the plants properly and didn't earth-up.

So this year I did firm and earth.  The sprouts have got bigger but they seem to blow immediately - I was in hospital for a week and they went from dots to big open blown things while I was away.

So what am I doing wrong?  I suppose that there is nothing that I can do to stop the ones that are still developing from blowing straight away?

I did get them to work once a few years back - someone gave me some cabbage plants and as I don't like cabbage I just stuck them at the back and let them get on with it.  Birds half ate them to death so I netted over and they recovered a bit.  Just before Christmas my cabbages miraculously turned into excellent sprouts!

[Si D]

[Tee Gee]

What variety are they.

I find run of the mill varieties a waste of time I only use F 1's my favourite being Maximus.

As I have said many times before I don't go along with the firming in and earthing up business as I find the way I sow/plant mine works for me, this is not to say that these procedures don't work.

I think you have to find the variety that suits your area and soil. It took me many years of trying to get to the point I am at now. Check with other plot holders as to what they are having success/failure with and go from there.



Method

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Brassica%20planting/brassica%20planting.html

[Si D]

thanks - I shall start asking others what they use. 

[shirlton]

We grew maximus last year Psi and they were very good. Only trouble was because of the mild autumn they got amit on them. Probably would have been ok with a fine net on.Glad your op went well.

[Si D]

thanks shirl' - have noted it down for next year.

[antipodes]

Mine seemed to have been attacked again by small grey aphids! Someone suggested a tomato leaf concoction will kill them, has anyone tried this? I love sprouts and like growing my own, the plants are big and healthy but covered in grey masses!! Help!

[Allotment-junkie]

by the sound of it you have an attack of Whitefly.. if it is available to you then I suggest "Bug Clear" very safe to use and very effective ask at your local garden centre they just may have it in stock.. or something similar