I grow most vegetables successfully,but have real problems with
brussel sprouts,particularly those that are ready from December to
March.I try to grow the variety Wellington,and can never really get
good plants that stay healthy and robust from the planting time in
May.My soil is fairly light (sandy) and I am always adding compost and
well rotted horse manure to enrich it.I do occasionally get club root
problems,but have overcome this mainly by heavy liming in the
winter,as well as putting lime into the hole when planting.I also grow
the plants in pots,and end up with strong plants in 5" pots with a
good root system.They seem just fine for the first few months,until
about September in fact when the sprouts start to form.From then on
the plants start dropping lower leaves,and by now (early October)about
half of the lower leaves have turned yellow,and the sprouts are still
only about a centimetre diameter.In my past experience this size is
about as big as they get,as the plant has effectively stopped
growing.I only feed the sprouts once ,with fish,blood and bone in July
when I earth them up, put stakes in and firm the ground again.
What am I doing wrong?
Regards
Michael

"michael" wrote ...
I grow most vegetables successfully,but have real problems with
brussel sprouts,particularly those that are ready from December to
March.I try to grow the variety Wellington,and can never really get
good plants that stay healthy and robust from the planting time in
May.My soil is fairly light (sandy) and I am always adding compost and
well rotted horse manure to enrich it.I do occasionally get club root
problems,but have overcome this mainly by heavy liming in the
winter,as well as putting lime into the hole when planting.I also grow
the plants in pots,and end up with strong plants in 5" pots with a
good root system.They seem just fine for the first few months,until
about September in fact when the sprouts start to form.From then on
the plants start dropping lower leaves,and by now (early October)about
half of the lower leaves have turned yellow,and the sprouts are still
only about a centimetre diameter.In my past experience this size is
about as big as they get,as the plant has effectively stopped
growing.I only feed the sprouts once ,with fish,blood and bone in July
when I earth them up, put stakes in and firm the ground again.
What am I doing wrong?

The do lose their bottom leaves, ours have started to as well, it's normal.
Try some Growmore or another high Nitrogen feed.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

On Mon, 06 Oct 2008 09:19:59 -0700, michael wrote:

..My soil is fairly
light (sandy) and I am always adding compost and well rotted horse
manure to enrich it.
What am I doing wrong?

Trying to grow them in an unsuitable soil. Try carrots Sprouts (It's
Brussels btw) and cauli's like a nice heavy soil.

Derek Turner wrote:
On Mon, 06 Oct 2008 09:19:59 -0700, michael wrote:

.My soil is fairly
light (sandy) and I am always adding compost and well rotted horse
manure to enrich it.
What am I doing wrong?

Trying to grow them in an unsuitable soil. Try carrots Sprouts (It's
Brussels btw) and cauli's like a nice heavy soil.
Brussel sprouts need firm soil, treat is down before planing and put
some support in then as they grow tie them to the supports. The best
ones I have ever grown were in a sorely neglected allotment, I just
skimmed off the weeds and planted the into the rock hard soil. My Father
always maintained that Brussels should be planted with a crow bar!

Derek Turner wrote:
On Mon, 06 Oct 2008 09:19:59 -0700, michael wrote:

.My soil is fairly
light (sandy) and I am always adding compost and well rotted horse
manure to enrich it.
What am I doing wrong?

Trying to grow them in an unsuitable soil. Try carrots Sprouts (It's
Brussels btw) and cauli's like a nice heavy soil.

I am intending to convert my allotment to 4 deep beds to help rotation.
Can sprouts be grown at all well in a deep bed given that the idea is to
avoid treading on the soil?

Thanks
Paul

--
CTC Right to Ride Rep. for Richmond upon Thames

On Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:00:43 +0100, Paul Luton wrote:


I am intending to convert my allotment to 4 deep beds to help rotation.
Can sprouts be grown at all well in a deep bed given that the idea is to
avoid treading on the soil?

What will they follow? If potatoes (which means digging) then you may
have a problem, if (e.g.) legumes that you've just cut off at the ground
then the soil may be sufficiently compact. In the case of most brassicas
I'd hold very light to the 'avoid treading' the gardener's foot is well-
known to be 'the best fertiliser'.

Anyway, why 'deep beds'? most crops only use the top 6 to 8 inches. I'm a
great believer in 'no dig' or minimal tillage.