Brussels sprouts are a member of the cabbage family and an excellent source of nutrients. Here's how to plant, grow, and harvest Brussels sprouts in your garden!
Named for Brussels, Belgium, where they were first cultivated in the 16th century, Brussels sprouts are a vegetable that is commonly seen in the grocery store, but not-as-commonly seen in the home garden. This is probably because they aren't the easiest vegetable to grow! They require a fairly long growing season (80–100 days to harvest) and are a cool-season crop, meaning that they produce best when grown for a fall or early winter harvest. The sprouts improve in flavor after a light frost or two.
As long as you plant them at the right time, keep them cool and well watered during the heat of summer, and protect them from pests, Brussels sprouts are a rewarding vegetable crop to grow—an accomplishment!
Brussels sprouts are a cultivar (cultivated variety) of wild cabbage, Brassica oleracea, which is the same plant species that cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, and a number of other popular food crops stem from. Over generations and generations, this versatile plant has been bred in different ways to highlight its different features—flowers, leaves, buds, stem, and root—to provide us with a wide variety of foods! Brussels sprouts form as buds along the main stem of the plant, just above each leaf axil.
Note: Due to Brussels sprouts' need for a long growing season, we recommend planting them with a fall or winter harvest in mind. They do best when allowed to mature during the cool days of fall.
To determine the optimum planting time, count backwards from your first fall frost date using the "days to maturity" listed on the seed packet. Generally, this means sowing Brussels sprout seeds about 4 months before your first fall frost date.
Brussels sprouts may be started from seed indoors or sown directly into the garden. We recommend starting seeds indoors, as this gives seedlings a headstart and helps to protect them from summer heat and pests. Direct-sown seeds can take a few weeks longer to mature, so add 20 days to your planting date calculation if you plan to sow outdoors. (In other words, sow seeds outdoors about 20 days earlier than if you were starting them indoors.)
Wit and Wisdom
Recipes Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Shallots & Bacon Cream of Brussels Sprouts Soup Brussels Sprouts With Sun-Dried Tomatoes Easiest Brussels Sprouts Cooking Notes
We prefer roasted sprouts—they have a lovely carmelized flavor!
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