Are you using the same seed variety and seed company each time? Try a different seed variety.

David

david,

i've thought of that and tried long island improved (from martha stewart) & catskill (ferry morse) - same results. i'm wondering if there's some nutrient i'm lacking or if i should be giving more water? another crop i don't do well with (but don't start indoors) is corn. my corn rarely grows full ears and i think that's a water issue. i do water now when it gets really hot and dry and my current site is really exposed to wind so i do mulch, but i don't have drip irrigation and i don't water with tremendous regularity.

I have the same problem with Long Island Improved brussels sprouts that are growing now. (They overwintered with little damage from cold.) However, my Jade Cross E brussels sprouts have tightly closed sprouts. I read that high heat can cause sprouts to open but mine grew in temperatures mostly 65 and cooler.

I don't usually get on this forum but I just wanted to say I grew Jade Cross last year. They were winter sown and did great. We had cool temps last summer, I think it was because we had so much rain. The top sprouts were loose but the bottom ones were closed when I harvested them. I read somewhere that they need consistant moisture to keep the sprouts closed. We had about 2 weeks between rains so maybe they did dry out, so I will be watering better this year. They were in a raised bed so maybe they dried out faster. Marg

Thanks so much for the Jade Cross recommendation! Same exact situation here, Catskills and Long Island improved both failed to give us sprouts last year. We are growing a few of them again because we actually really liked the leaves...LOL, but I would still like to get the sprouts some day! I figured my climate was not conducive. Will definitely search for Jade Cross for next year (this fall I mean).

Same here. I think it was 'Bubbles' I grew. They were very loose. That, plus other troubles I had, dissuaded me from growing Brussels sprouts again. Maybe I will try again with this knowledge.

One of the problems was with tiny black gnats that got trapped in the leaves of the sprouts. Nothing that would harm anyone, just unappealing. Anyone know about that?

Jim

ok, 3rd variety's the charm?! jade cross e it is for me for this year - thanks everyone! :-)

I planted LI Improved seeds last year, and then bought overgrown root bound closeout sale Jade Cross plants mid season and transplanted them. The Jade Cross did great, while I got nothing from the LI Improved.

I'm on my second year with BS. The only problem I seem to have is aphids. I now just spray them down whenever it doesn't rain in less than a week. Seems to work.

For me, this is one of those veggies where hybrids work out better.

The hybrids are very much ahead of the curve when it come to maturity time and other good attributes.

"Oliver" has been one of my fav's..."Diablo" is supposed to have superior taste, but longer to maturity (110 days vs. 90).

I think those black gnats are really black aphids. If not under control, they can cause problems.

David

You might try starting them a little later, timing the maturity for October or so. Mine always leaf out (and are full of the little gnat things) during late summer, but once we've had some cool weather, they will grow some nice sprouts. I put them in too late this year, and they overwintered in Zone 6, and are growing some nice sprouts right now. I plan to overwinter them for March sprouts from now on.