I planted brussels sprouts for the first time this year. The plants are tall, leafy, very healthy looking, but the sprouts are still hardly noticeable. I have nothing to lose by leaving them alone for a while, but was wondering if this is normal growth. The rest of the garden did very well this year. Thanks everyone.

-- Cathy Horn (hrnofplnty@webtv.net), September 19, 2000

Answers

Cathy, I don't know where you are, but you don't want to be picking brussels sprouts until after a good hard frost anyway -- they taste much better once they've been frosted. I've seen sprouts still standing in the garden, useable, well into November even here in NH, so I would just leave them alone and let them grow for a while yet. Home grown are so good!

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), September 19, 2000.

Cathy, seems rather late in the year for your sprouts being so small. Usually when a plant grows a lot of leaves and little produce, too much nitrogen is at fault. But since sprouts ARE leaves, don't know what the answer would be. Possibly not enough water? Since they aren't a problem, just leave them. I have noticed over the years that the sprouts I grow don't get nearly as large as what the grocery stores sell. That suits me because the smaller the sprout, the less there is to eat. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), September 19, 2000.

Cindy, this is a family joke ---but my Dad if he were still alive would ask what sign of the moon did ya plant them????? My Dad did nothing without consulting the moon signs!!! Since I was raised that way it is really hard for me not to do it, also!!!! If you planted at the sign for root crops you won't have good above the ground crops-- is what I was taught---if it is really true or not I don't know---but when all of your life/ you were raised by consulting the moon signs it is a hard habit to break!!!!! My Dad never castrated an animal with out checking the moon signs/ never built fence/ never planted garden/ you name it --I even weaned my daughter by the signs & Quit smokeing by the signs---it is just something that I grew up with. When you asked that question / I could hear my Dad say ==did you plant in the right sign of the moon?????? Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), September 19, 2000.

Hi. I usually plant brussels sprouts here in SE TX in November, and they mature in about Feb. I don't know if you do this or not, your post didn't mention it, but when the sprouts get to be about the size of marbles, I pull most of the lower leaves off the plant, leaving about 10 or 12 on the plant, and also twist out the top of the plant (the tops are yummy cooked). Removing the leaves and twisting out the top makes all the plants 'energy' and nutrients go into enlarging the sprouts, which are little balls of compact leaves themselves. Apparently this is how they are grown commercially, and everyone around here does it. Might explain your small sprouts. Good luck!

-- Hannah Maria Holly (hannahholly@hotmail.com), September 19, 2000.

Can't be too little water, as we had a very rainy summer here (NY). I'm going to try twisting off the tops, that makes perfect sense! Thanks!

-- Cathy Horn (hrnofplnty@webtv.net), September 19, 2000.

Update: I took Hannah Maria's suggestion, twisted off the tops, and removed some lower leaves and Bingo-it's been less than a week and the sprouts are the size of marbles. I gotta tell ya, the leaves are delicious, some of the best greens I've ever tasted. Thanks, everyone!

-- Cathy Horn (hrnofplnty@webtv.net), September 24, 2000.