Brussels Sprouts
Brassica oleracea (Gemmifera Group)
About it
- Kind
- Vegetables · Annual
- Family
- Brassicaceae
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 14 in apart
- Soil depth in a pot
- At least 12 in
- Water
- About every 7 days
ⓘ We don't know this plant's soil pH, feeding needs and mature size yet.
When to plant
- Start indoors
- 6 weeks before planting out
- Plant out
- Plant out 4 weeks before the last frost
- Window
- Open for about 3 weeks
- Ready
- About 50 days from planting out
Based on your last frost date. Outside the US, check local advice.
Planting partners
What has been claimed about growing Brussels Sprouts near other plants, grouped by how well it has been tested. Most companion planting advice has never been tested; the notes say which is which.
Tested in field trials
- With Chinese Cabbage Napa cabbage grown as a trap crop beside other brassicas draws flea beetles away from them; in trials only a mix of three trap-crop species improved the protected broccoli's yield. UMN Extension ↗Europe PMC ↗
- With Mustard Greens Mustard grown as a trap crop beside other brassicas draws flea beetles away from them; in trials only a mix of three trap-crop species improved the protected broccoli's yield. UMN Extension ↗Europe PMC ↗
Tested in a greenhouse or lab
- With Sage Sage planted with Brussels sprouts reduced diamondback moth numbers in a greenhouse study. UMN Extension ↗
- With Thyme Thyme planted with Brussels sprouts reduced diamondback moth numbers in a greenhouse study. UMN Extension ↗
Mixed evidence
- With Green Onion Green onions are often planted to keep flea beetles off brassicas, but little research supports it and some contradicts it. UMN Extension ↗
- With Marigold Marigolds are often planted to keep flea beetles off brassicas, but little research supports it and some contradicts it. UMN Extension ↗
Safety for pets and children
- Cats No information in our sources
- Dogs No information in our sources
- Horses Listed as a problem for horses (NC State Extension)
- Children No information in our sources
If a pet or child eats part of this plant, call your vet or poison control.
Read from NC State Extension ↗.
"No information" means our sources do not say, not that the plant is harmless. A non-toxic listing is not a reason to let anyone eat a plant.
Pests and diseases
No pest or disease notes for Brussels Sprouts yet.
Check the label and your local extension service before using any product.
Where this comes from
- category NC State Extension ↗ Listed in Table 16-4, "Garden Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs"
- climate requirement NC State Extension ↗ Ch. 16 lists Brussels sprouts among the cool-season annuals, which it defines as cold-hardy; the Toolbox adds that frost sweetens them. No zones: an annual has no winter to survive (see the header)
- climate requirement NC State Extension ↗ Ch. 16 lists Brussels sprouts among the cool-season annuals, which it defines as cold-hardy; the Toolbox adds that frost sweetens them. No zones: an annual has no winter to survive (see the header)
- days to maturity NC State Extension ↗ Table 16-4: T=40-50, S=90-100*, where * means start indoors and never sow direct -- so every planting is a transplant and the app counts from the transplant date, as the catalogue's tomato and pepper rows do. The high end of the transplant range, because seed catalogues run later still
- family npgsweb.ars-grin.gov ↗ GRIN page: Brassica oleracea L. var. gemmifera DC.
- indoor start weeks NC State Extension ↗ UNH (New Hampshire) 4-6 weeks, NC State (North Carolina) Table 16-3 5-7 weeks: 6 is in both
- indoor start weeks extension.unh.edu ↗ UNH (New Hampshire) 4-6 weeks, NC State (North Carolina) Table 16-3 5-7 weeks: 6 is in both
- life cycle NC State Extension ↗
- life cycle NC State Extension ↗
- maturity counted from NC State Extension ↗ The 0069 row took NC State (North Carolina) Table 16-4's T=40-50 (start indoors, never sow direct)
- min soil depth in NC State Extension ↗ Not in Table 18-1; 12 in as collards (12), as migration 0039 did for broccoli and cabbage. A group figure, as every ch. 18 depth is
- sow window weeks extension.unh.edu ↗ UNH (New Hampshire) 2-4 weeks before last frost: weeks -4 to -2
- space requirement NC State Extension ↗ Table 16-4 distance between plants: 14-18 in; low end. The table publishes no row distance, so rows equal plants -- the square spacing of an intensive bed
- species NC State Extension ↗
- sunlight NC State Extension ↗ Toolbox Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- toxicity NC State Extension ↗ toxic for horse from the page's "Problem for" listing.
- transplant weeks rel last frost extension.unh.edu ↗ UNH (New Hampshire) table: Brussels sprout set out 2-4 weeks before last frost; the earlier week
- water frequency days UMN Extension ↗ UMN "Growing Brussels sprouts": "Water thoroughly once a week for well-formed, large, sweet sprouts." The page adds that sandy soil needs water more than once a week.