How to Grow Brussels Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts  Go to Brussels Sprouts Troubles
Sowing Time	Planting Time	Soil	Spacing	Cutting / Lifting Time	Storage	Cooking
Do not grow Brussels Sprouts in the same plot more than once every three years and ideally it will have grown peas or beans previously. Dig the soil deeply in winter and leave several months before planting to ensure firm soil. Lime to aim for a pH of 6.5-7.5. Plant firmly. Sow in a seedbed and transplant to a permanent bed. Transplant carefully and avoid drying out. By growing both early and late varieties you can be picking Sprouts from September to March. Earth up the stems in Autumn and stake tall varieties. Harvest with the lower sprouts are walnut sized and tightly closed. Work up the stem.
Early March under glass or mid March outdoors until mid April	Early May to end of June	Ensure the ground is firm with adequate humus. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot.	Sow thinly and 6 inches between rows. Transplant when seedlings are 4-6ins and leave 24ins between plants.	Mid September to end March.	Will keep in a food bag in the fridge for up to three days. For freezing, blanch for 3 mins and use within 12 months	Cut off the stalk and remove outer leaves. Cut a cross in the base and wash in cold water. Add 1ins water to a pan and bring to the boil. Add sprouts slowly so the water does not stop boiling. Cover and cook for 7-8 mins.

 

 

Brussels Sprouts Troubles
Trouble	Symptoms	Treatment	Prevention
Boron Deficiency	Young leaves are distorted and heads of cauliflowers are small and bitter. Brown patches on the curds.	Spray at first signs of deficiency	Apply borax before planting
Blown Brussels Sprouts	Open, leafy sprouts instead of tight button ones.	Remove blown sprouts	Ensure plenty of organic matter is added to the soil prior to planting and that the ground is well compacted. Ensure site is sunny and well watered.
Black Rot	Yellowing leaves with black veins. Will kill seedlings and mature plants are stunted.	None	Rotate crops
Cutworm	Large grey or brown caterpillars attack young plants at night and stems are severed below ground. Leaves and roots may also be eaten.	Hoe the soil around the plant during June and July and destroy caterpillars as they are found	Rake Chlorophos into the soil prior to planting
Chafer Grubs	Wilting leaves. Fat, curved grubs may be seen in the soil. The plants will die.	None	Destroy grubs as they are found during autumn digging and rake Chlorophos into the soil prior to planting
Club Root	Discoloured leaves wilt in the sun. Plants will die or grow slowly.	None	Lime well and ensure the soil is well drained. Dip transplant roots in thiophanate-methyl before planting. Rotate crops
Diamond-Back Moth	Green caterpillars fed on the underside of leaves.	Spray at first sign of attack	None
Downy Mildew	Yellowing of upper surface with white furry fungus growth beneath.	Spray at first stage of disease	Sow seeds in sterilised compost. Do not over-crowd and don’t raise seedlings where the disease has been before.
Flea Beetle	Lots of small, round holes in leaves. Seedlings can be killed.	Spray at the first sign of attack. Water plants well in dry weather.	Treating seeds with an insecticidal seed dressing will prevent early attacks
Frost	Can kill plants if it reaches the roots. Affected leaves are easily attacked by fungi or bacteria.	Burn damaged leaves	Ensure plants are firmed well when transplanting
Gall Weevil	Swellings form close to ground level. Crops are rarely affected.	Not really needed.	Apply a soil-pest killer
Leaf Spot (Ring Spot)	Brown rings on mature leaves.	Burn diseased leaves and spray	Do not plant brassicas in the same spot next season
Mealy Aphid	Waxy, greyish “greenflies” appear underneath leaves. Leaves curl and turn yellow.	Spray at the first sign of attack	Burn affected plants
Magnesium Deficiency	Yellowing between the veins of older leaves.	Apply a tonic around the plant and a fertiliser containing magnesium	Incorporate compost into the soil during Autumn digging
Manganese Deficiency	Similar in look to magnesium deficiency but tends to start on young leaves.	Apply a tonic around the plant	Incorporate compost into the soil during Autumn digging
Pigeons	Soft portion of leaves are eaten.	None	Netting is the only viable form of prevention
Slugs and Snails	Leaves and stems eaten. Young plants particularly at risk.	Use slug pellets or add nematodes to the soil	Keep the site clear of rubbish
White Blister (White Rust)	White spots on leaves. Growth stunted and plants might die.	Burn diseased leaves and thin out plants to avoid over-crowding	Do not grow brassicas the following year
Wire Stem	Base of stems is black. Seedlings die.	None	Avoid growing seedlings in cold and wet soil. Avoid over-crowding
Whiptail	Thin, straplike leaves.  Molybdenum deficiency.	Spray repeatedly	Ensure soil is adequately limed

 

Pests and Diseases: Potato

Aphid:

• Symptoms: Plant infested with greenfly.
• Treatment: Spray at first sign of attack
• Prevention: None

Blackleg:

• Symptoms: Blackened stems at and below ground level. Leaves turn yellow and wilt.
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Do not plant soft or rotten seed tubers and don’t cut tubers

Capsid Bug:

• Symptoms: Small brown spots in leaves, later turn into holes
• Treatment: Spray if attack is bad, will not affect yield
• Prevention: None

Common Scab:

• Symptoms: Ragged-edged scurfy patches. Only on the skin, the flesh is not affected.
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Buy healthy seed tubers. Do not Lime.

Dry Rot:

• Symptoms: Shrunken area with white pustules occur during storage.
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Rotate crops. Ensure tubers are sound before storing and handle carefully.

Frost:

• Symptoms: Black stems or yellow patches on leaves
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Cover if frost is expected

Gapping:

• Symptoms: Seed potatoes do not develop shoots
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Buy healthy seed tubers and ensure they are kept in a frost-free location

Gangrene:

• Symptoms: Dark brown depressions on the surface of the tuber
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Store only sound tubers and keep air and frost-free

Hollow Heart:

• Symptoms: Hollow centre of tubers
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Keep well watered during dry spells

Leaf Roll Virus:

• Symptoms: Leaves are rolled upwards and become hard and brittle
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Buy healthy seed tubers. Spray to control the virus-carrying aphids.

Mosaic Virus:

• Symptoms: Yellow or pale green mottling over the surface of the leaf
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Buy healthy seed tubers. Spray to control the virus-carrying aphids.

Magnesium Deficiency:

• Symptoms: Yellowing between the veins of the leaves which turns brown and brittle. Stunted growth.
• Treatment: Apply MultiTonic and spray with Fillip
• Prevention: Feed regularly during the growing season using a fertiliser with magnesium

Potato Blight:

• Symptoms: Brown patches on the leaves with white mould on the underside of each spot. Can destroy all the foliage. grey patches below the skin.
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Buy healthy seed tubers. Spray with Dithane in July and repeat every fortnight if the weather is damp. Keep earthed up.

Potato Cyst Eelworm:

• Symptoms: Weak and stunted plants. Small tubers produced
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Rotate crops. Don’t grow potatoes or tomatoes on infected land for at least six years

Powdery Scab:

• Symptoms: Round patches with raised margins on the skin.
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Rotate crops

Rosy Rustic Moth:

• Symptoms: Hollow stems causing plants to die down early
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: None

Splitting:

• Symptoms: Deep cracks on surface of tubers
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Do not store. Keep plants well watered during dry spells.

Slugs:

• Symptoms: Large holes in the tubers
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Don’t add too much manure and lift tubers as soon as they mature. Keep the area free of rubbish.

Spraing:

• Symptoms: Curved lines in the flesh
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Rotate crops

Soft Rot:

• Symptoms: Soft, evil-smelling flesh
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Store only sound tubers and keep dry

Spindly Sprouts:

• Symptoms: Thin shoots
• Treatment: Stand tubers in a light cool place
• Prevention: Buy healthy seed tubers and ensure they are sprouted in a light, frost-free location.

Soft Tubers:

• Symptoms: Soft and rubbery tubers
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Water well during drought conditions

Wireworm:

• Symptoms: Orange, shiny larvae produce tunnels in the flesh of tubers
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Rake Chlorophos into the soil before planting and lift tubers as soon as they are mature.

Wart Disease:

• Symptoms: Black warty outgrowths on tubers
• Treatment: None
• Prevention: Only plant immune varieties on infected land

Types of Plants – Alpine Plants

Alpines are small shrubs or perennials that grow naturally in mountainous areas and are often used in rockeries. They grow in poor, thin soils with very good drainage. Many are cushion or mat forming and creeping to prevent damage from wind and their fleshy or hair foliage prevents water loss. They do not like damp, humid conditions and like to have their foliage and roots kept dry.

Care: Alpines should be sited in full sun away from trees and in extremely well drained soil, if in doubt, add lots of extra grit. Alpines do very well in sink gardens or raised beds which show off small specimens. Many thrive in cracks between bricks in walls or between paving slaps in pathways.

Pests and Diseases to watch out for:

• Aphids: Treat with a suitable pesticide such as fatty acids
• Birds: Plants may be torn to pieces. Lay lengths of cotton across the plants as a deterrent
• Caterpillars: Remove by hand
• Cutworms: These pests eat through the plant just below soil level. Lift the damaged plant to expose the grub and remove by hand
• Slugs: Can completely devour a plant in one night. Use biological control such as nematodes or buy a prepared solution from your local garden centre

When deciding where to site your rock garden bear in mind the following requirements. Position it in a sunny area away from large trees or shrubs. Any good garden soil will do but it must be gritty and well drained. If yours isn’t, then dig in a good amount of coarse sand and/or stone chippings.

The stone you use for decoration can be any natural, weathered stone but Tufa is also useful. The rocks should be firmly placed in the soil to ensure that don’t move as the plants grow and should look as natural as possible.

If space is limited the best way of growing alpines is in raised beds, sinks or troughs. These can be as small or as big as you want and as long as they have good drainage holes the plants will do well. Place crocks over the drainage holes and add a planting mixture of 2 parts good loam, 1 part of peat or peat substitute, 1 part coarse sand and 1 part of stone chippings.

Allow the soil to settle before planting; planting in groups will give the best affect. Weed regularly by hand, do not feed and water only during dry spells. Each year dress the top of the soil with some of the planting mixture to keep it looking neat and to keep the roots covered.

Using Armilletex in the Garden

Question:

I have just started growing my own veg and I have a problem with slugs eating my crops, and have been told to spray ground & crops with Armillatox. Could you tell me, is this safe to use,and eat the produce, also is it safe for animals as I have dogs? If not could you recommend something else that is safe please.

Answer:

There are quite a number of chemicals been withdrawn from use in the last couple of years. I have checked on the RHS list (http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/chemicalswithdrawn.asp) and I’m afraid Armillatox has been withdrawn from sale. I use organic, wildlife friendly slug pellets which you can get from your local DIY store or garden centre. If you want an organic solution try burying tubs filled with beer and covered with a stone or slate. The slugs are attracted to the beer, fall in and die; if they don’t die you can kill them by pouring salt over them. Not a pretty sight but effective.