Thank you for the reply.

I have bamboo stakes for support.

I am prepared to protect the Brussels Sprouts and other plants from low temperatures but I have not done it before so I may need some coaching.

I concur with the Dave's views on 'companion planting'. Personally I'd ignore it. When you transplant you can bury the sprout stems up to the first leaves. They will root from the stems and will be better anchored. For a fully grown sprout plant you will probably need something sturdier than bamboo, more like broom handle diameter. You'll also need to pep up the container mix a bit since the tomatoes will have removed a lot of the nutrients. As Dave says, you are very late with these so you may either not get any sprouts or get them only next year if your plants manage to overwinter. They really needed sowing back in the summer. If you get no sprouts the topmost greens make a very tasty vegetable.

Yeah if they are tiny seedlings, it is probably too late to get sprouts. You could try and overwinter them, that may be difficult in a container.

The seedlings can be frost/freeze sensitive but as mature plants they are one of the hardiest things you can grow, unphased by much of winter.

Reading your comments I wonder if it is best to plant the Brussels Sprouts in 5 gallon containers and then that way I can move them indoors or on a sun porch during days/periods when the temperatures are very low..

I could have probably planted the Brussels Sprouts a couple of weeks earlier than I did but the seeds were not stocked during the summer at the stores in my area. The real problem may be that the weather in my area is not fool-proof when it comes to planting Brussels Sprouts, at least not for a Fall/Winter harvest. I planted the Brussels Sprouts in September (maybe even late August) and we had several 90 degree days during that month, July and August would have been even more intense. I had access to peas seeds and planted those earlier than the Brussels Sprouts and some are doing fine but others look like they may have gotten sun scalded even though they were in a partially shaded area. But at the same time with the peas I am up against the cold weather getting them before them before they start producing. It boils down to I really wanted to do Fall planting and not be limited to radishes, but it is not without risks.

I am going to keep plugging along. According to the almanac:

For October, the average high is 73 and average low is 54;
For November, the average high is is 64 and average low is 45;
For December, the average high is 54 and average low is 37.

Thanks again for the feedback.

It does not sound like temperature will be an issue for you. The problem with containers is that they have cold air on all sides and will quickly freeze solid. But if it barely goes below freezing you should be fine into December. I would put them wherever they get the most sun, that will be the issue. In my area we are already just about into the "persephone period" with days at 10 hours or less of sun, just a few more weeks.

Part of fall gardening is nursing the plants through summer heat. There really isn't much of a way around it, except for the super fast maturing stuff. BS may languish a while in the summer heat, and get scalded, but they will survive.

"I could have probably planted the Brussels Sprouts a couple of weeks earlier than I did but the seeds were not stocked during the summer at the stores in my area. The real problem may be that the weather in my area is not fool-proof when it comes to planting Brussels Sprouts, at least not for a Fall/Winter harvest. I planted the Brussels Sprouts in September (maybe even late August) and we had several 90 degree days during that month,"

That is all methodology issues that could easily be avoided in the future. You simply buy all your Fall gardening seeds in the spring when seeds are normally available. Never plan on the seeds you want to be available in the Fall. It seldom happens.

Then you start the plants indoors in early July, then harden them off a bit so they can be transplanted out in Sept. with some shade or protection. The air temps aren't relevant, the amount of direct sun exposure when young and small is. And a 5 gallon bucket isn't big enough for BS.

Dave

Yep this is my first time seriously gardening and I wanted to continue the momentum from the summer. My gameplan is to do late winter indoor planting of Brussels Sprouts, peas and lettuce in hopes of harvesting those before it gets too hot, and of course Spring planting. As of now I have a place to do indoor planting and expect that to be the case for winter planting but not sure if it will be available for summer indoor planting. If it is I definitely will be using the space for plant starting.


I read that the Brussels Sprouts can be planted in a container that is 12 inches tall and 12 inches in diameter, and the 5 gallon containers I have in mind are are 17 inches tall (IIRC) and 12 inches in diameter. Is a 5 gallon container too small as in the Brussels Sprouts will not produce, or is it that a bigger container is desired for them to reach their full potential?

I also find the premise of companion plants (as in, certain plants enjoying the company of other plants) kind of amusing. Since tomatoes like warm weather, and brussels sprouts largely like cool weather, I'd have to guess that if you planted them together, one of them likely wouldn't do all that well. But not because they don't like each other. There are many plants that enjoy soil conditions and nutrients that are diametrically opposite. So they don't do well in the same place, but not because they dislike each other.

"I read that the Brussels Sprouts can be planted in a container that is 12 inches tall and 12 inches in diameter,..."

There are many things one can read, many things "claimed" in life but it doesn't make them true. ;-) The truth often lies in the context of that claim. Things like a specific variety like one of the dwarf types were grown in that size container, grown in a specific location/climate like the Pacific NW, on a drip irrigation and feeding system to keep the soil moisture content and nutrients stable,etc can be somewhat successful - in some cases.

A better approach is to first understand the nature of the plant in question, what its ideal growing conditions are, and then try to provide as close to those ideal conditions as possible. Then accept the less than ideal results you will get from the less than ideal conditions you provide.

When you move from in ground planting to container planting the plant is already starting out with one strike against it simply because it is contained - container gardening has its own set of problems in ground gardening doesn't have. Using an overly small container is two strikes.

The average BS plant is at least 3-4' tall with a stem 2-3" in diameter, requires staking to remain upright, and sucks up water and nutrients like a horse. Do you think that would do well in a 12" pot? It would be a miracle IME to get a healthy plant much less any production.

But the best way to learn is to try it yourself and see what happens. You are already quite late as we have said so go ahead and try one of the plants in a 5 gallon bucket and compare how it performs compared to one in a larger container.

Dave

A better approach is to first understand the nature of the plant in
question, what its ideal growing conditions are, and then try to provide
as close to those ideal conditions as possible. Then accept the less
than ideal results you will get from the less than ideal conditions you
provide.

Agree

Sprouts, unlike peas and lettuce, take a long time to grow and produce. I don't know your climate but it seems highly unlikely to me that you will get a harvest from early spring sown sprouts before your heat starts. Plus they really don't taste anything like as good as they should if they don't get a touch of frost. I know my conditions are different from yours but I would expect to sow early season BS in early November from a March sowing ie at least 7 months in the ground.

@
floral_uk,

Thanks so much for the insight about including Brussels Sprouts in my late winter planting plans.

I am unclear on your last sentence, are you planning on planting BS seedlings in November?

Sorry - I messed up there. I meant harvest in early November, not sow!