Brussels Sprout — Vegetables

Brassica oleracea (Gemmifera)

Full sun, moderate watering — hardy anywhere in the UK.

Photograph of Brussels Sprout — Wikimedia Commons via EOL

Sow: Mar
Plant out: May
Harvest: Nov–Jan

Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium
Difficulty: Easy
Hardiness: H7
Season: autumn
Height: 50–100 cm
Spacing: 100 cm
Pets: Safe around pets

Grows well with

Sage — Sage grown with Brussels sprouts brought diamondback moth numbers down in a greenhouse trial.Thyme — Thyme grown with Brussels sprouts brought diamondback moth numbers down in a greenhouse trial.Coriander — Coriander left to flower beside Brussels sprouts draws in predatory insects and parasitic wasps that take out pests.Dill — Let dill flower next to your Brussels sprouts. The open flower heads feed the predators and parasitic wasps that work through the pests.Wild Fennel — Flowering fennel near Brussels sprouts brings in predators and parasitic wasps. Give it room, as it grows tall and seeds about.Nasturtium — Cabbage white butterflies like nasturtium too, so a patch sown next to your Brussels sprouts can take the egg-laying instead. It does not work every year.Chinese Cabbage — A few Chinese cabbages near your Brussels sprouts act as a decoy, pulling cabbage white butterflies away from the main crop.White Clover — Undersow your Brussels sprouts with small-leaved white clover. The green carpet makes the plants harder for cabbage root fly to pick out.

Growing notes

Grows to 0.5-1 metres. Space about 50-100cm apart. At its best in autumn.