Hi guys,
Last year I grew some sprouts with mixed success. A few of the plants didn't get picked because the sprouts were too small, they were left over xmas and survived the snow. They have a fairly small and scruffy amount of sprouts on the stalk still but recently the plants are having a growth spurt on their leaves at the top.
I'm fairly new to the game so just wondering if they are worth leaving, would stripping off the sprouts from the stalk encourage new ones to grow?
Or am I just best digging them up?
Thanks
Simon
Can't you eat the new growth as "spring greens"
My sprouts were absolute cack this/last year - still I'm a cussed old so and so and will try again this year!
We eat all the green bits as long as there is life left in the plants..one our friends feeds the tiny green sprouts as 'peas' for his grandkids ;D ;D
Once the plants give up and die or start flowering..then I stop using them ;)
OK, so the leaves are up for grabs but there wont be any more sprouts from it? We maybe had enough for a couple of decent meals but a lot of them were so small that once the outer disheveled leaves had been removed they were pea size!
Thanks
The Spring greens that Brussels provide are absolutely delicious!!! I am just about to start picking mine, as they are one of the few greens available at this time. Even if they get to the flower bud stage, eat them like broccoli.
If you don't need the ground Simon, I would leave them and see if the buds bulk up a bit. While you are waiting have the tops if there is not too much white fly on them.
I very much doubt if they will bulk out now, more than likely they will soon be going to seed, so you may as well get the heads off and use them.
If you were not successful with the sprout this year then try a differrent variety like Braveheart, Montgomery, Wellington, Citadel, and also your meathod of growing them. Make sure they are well firmed into the ground and stake them up as movement of the plant can knock your plant back. Sprinkle a circle of fertilizer (Fish Blood and bone/Growmore) around the plant to give it a bit extra feed.
If you are are in a windy location then plant them in a 6 trench and back fill as they grow firming the soil around them each time.
Hope i am not teaching you to suck eggs
Davy