Have you lopped the tops off?

tj

I often read about lopping the tops off here on GW. Interestingly I've never seen or heard of this technique over here. However, there's no harm in trying it if nothing else is working. People here do say sprouts need firm soil to button up well. Is your soil perhaps too fluffy?

Variety isn't the issue. All varieties will respond to the provided growing conditions the same. So the conditions are the problem and most likely of those is insufficient nutrients, primarily P or K but also micronutrients. And the need to supplement those nutrients at the various growing stages of the plant - 3-4 weeks after transplanting, again as lower sprouts begin to develop, and again as sprouts are forming 1/2 way up the stalk. Water consistency and heavy mulching to keep roots cool is also important.

Personally I never top but I do remove leaves.

Dave

The topping is done in colder climes to speed up the ripening (energy goes out instead of up). Might not be a factor in warmer climes.

tj

Floral - last year I topped half of my 10 Jade Cross sprouts at about this time and I didn't notice any difference in sprout size when I harvested in late November. This year I only put out 4 plants and don't plan to top any. I'll have to try eating the sprout tops this year too. For some reason the cabbage worms haven't been on my BS this year but they have been on the broccoli and cauliflower in the same bed.

Interesting and rather as I suspected.

You'll enjoy the sprout tops. They are probably my favourite greens. Not quite sprout and not quite cabbage.

I live in SE Wisconsin and always pinch off the terminal bud of my brussel sprout plants around Sept 15th. I then do not pick sprouts until late October-almost Thanksgiving day as cold and light frosts do make them taste sweeter.

Yes I tried a test where I topped all but one. The topped ones really do increase the size of the sprouts on the top half of the plant faster. This is important in my climate where we can only grow this crop until about Thanksgiving before we get so cold they freeze solid.

Perhaps in the UK where the winters are warmer topping does not matter if you have a much longer growing season. Same for warmer winter areas in the U.S.

Another issue I find with growing brussel sprouts is that tall plants usually yield more sprouts. I always start trimming off lower branches a few at a time starting in early August and doing it every week or two. This does seem to force the plant to grow taller. I know this as some gardeners around me do not remove lower branches nor top their plants and they get a plant that is 30" tall by November and poor yield. Mine get 4' tall and are loaded with nice sprouts on the stalk.

Can someone explain what a sprout top is? Also topped one plant and the top brussel sprouts "bloomed" or opened quickly. What to do?

Sprout tops are the bunch of leaves, tiny sprouts and section of stem growing right at the top of the stem. Like a topknot. Sprout tops.

Once the sprouts have blown (opened) there is nothing to be done to reverse it.