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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Good Gourd 2 on November 15, 2011, 08:13:35

Title: Brussels.
Post by: Good Gourd 2 on November 15, 2011, 08:13:35
Why are all my brusselsprouts  the size of grapes and don`t seem to be getting any bigger. They are covered in whitefly granted. Just wondering if there is any hope of them recovering. Set them at various stages. Tried soapy water and bug clear. Am I going to have to keep buying em from the supermarket.! :-[
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: RenishawPhil on November 15, 2011, 08:20:13
Ours are tiny to
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: Digeroo on November 15, 2011, 08:23:26
Water and feed.



Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: goodlife on November 15, 2011, 08:37:57
Yep..brassicas are hungry crop..and get some big fat 'babies' ..they need to be well fed and watered.. ;) ;D
If you sprinkle some chicken pellets at the base of the plants..it might still help the later ones that develop swell up.... :-\..while the weather is not wintery, there is still some growth going on.
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: kt. on November 15, 2011, 18:34:04
If its any consolation my Maximus are the size of golf balls and we have been harvesting since 31 August. 8)
The ground was fed with some manure dug in last autumn.  The sprout plants were fed with chicken manure around late July  August early.
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: cambourne7 on November 15, 2011, 20:30:54
when you say feed is chicken poop ok??
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: lottie lou on November 15, 2011, 20:36:34
Quote from: ktlawson on November 15, 2011, 18:34:04
If its any consolation my Maximus are the size of golf balls and we have been harvesting since 31 August. 8)
The ground was fed with some manure dug in last autumn.  The sprout plants were fed with chicken manure around late July  August early.

Oh I am sooo envious, mine are like marbles - however I thought I had broccoli plants up to a couple of weeks ago
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: cambourne7 on November 15, 2011, 20:39:33
I did feel chicken poop july/aug but wondering while the weather is like this is it worth giving them a feed of liquid poop?
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: Ninnyscrops. on November 15, 2011, 20:44:44
Have you had much rain Cam?  Feeding them wholesome stuff still needs a lot of watering in so the roots can access it  ;)

Ninnys
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: Duke Ellington on November 15, 2011, 21:12:56
I have to say that mine have been really good this year apart from the dreaded whitefly. Still edible though :)

Duke
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: gwynnethmary on November 15, 2011, 22:26:12
Ours have been much better this year-possibly because they are netted.
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: Hi_Hoe on November 15, 2011, 22:41:40
Thumbnail size here too.

Am i right that sprouts need a good frost to bring 'em on? If so I'm blaming it on the mild weather (and if its not that i'll just blame the wife instead...)  :-\

Still, even at gnats b#oll#ck size they're still very tasty!  :)

(sorry for being blunt...Im northern..)
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: hippydave on November 16, 2011, 04:24:03
the frost helps more with taste and not size it helps bring on the natural sugars of the sprouts
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: Hi_Hoe on November 16, 2011, 07:50:31
Quote from: hippydave on November 16, 2011, 04:24:03
the frost helps more with taste and not size it helps bring on the natural sugars of the sprouts

ah i see! ;D
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: Anisemary on November 16, 2011, 23:31:01
Our local radio gardening guru swears by twisting the tops off at this stage to get the small buttons to swell.  :-\
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: gazzaroo on November 18, 2011, 08:07:36
Iv try for 2 years now and all mine keep bursting open where am i going rong..mind you my hens love them ..now all i got is good winter feed fot my hens
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: Number Six on November 19, 2011, 08:39:02
Mine were all blown as well. In fact, they were so dreadful I've dug them up. Disappointing after a good crop last year (on a different patch). I have assumed I was over-watering them during the summer, but could there be a more likely reason?
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: jimtheworzel on November 19, 2011, 09:02:51
Use the F1 hybrid seed-and plant on firm ground
wellington is a good variety to try-hard firm sprouts
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: Digeroo on November 19, 2011, 09:59:09
I was recommended to give them a feed in August.  So gave half of them a good amount of BFB.  After a while this was still on the surface so I started watering them as well.   I was rather wary since I did not want them to blow.  The fed ones are about four times the size of the unfed ones.  The patch was well manured in the autumn before.   

I am growing Amaroso pity they are no longer available in the UK.  I have found them very good on light soils.  I find they have no bitterness at all.  You can get them from Holland but the P&P is much too high. 
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: Davidberry on November 21, 2011, 13:46:48
I got some lovely Brussels this year, unfortunately some B***ard stole them off the plants the day before I was going to harvest them, not much chance of having home grown sprouts this winter.
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: pumkinlover on November 21, 2011, 13:49:16
 :( :( :(
Title: Re: Brussels.
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on November 21, 2011, 16:54:45
Quote from: Digeroo on November 19, 2011, 09:59:09
I am growing Amaroso pity they are no longer available in the UK.  I have found them very good on light soils.  I find they have no bitterness at all.  You can get them from Holland but the P&P is much too high. 

Save your own seed. It's often the only solution.