Select your climate zone New Zealand - cool/mountain New Zealand - temperate What is my climate zone?

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		P	P	P

(Best months for planting Brussels sprouts in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

• Easy to grow.
• Harvest in 85-95 days
• Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.
• Best planted at soil temperatures between 7°C and 30°C.
• Space plants: 45-60cm

Grown for its small (typically 2.5 cm diameter) leafy green buds, which resemble miniature cabbages.

Better in cooler areas. In warm areas they are likely to be infested with aphids Pick formed sprouts from the bottom of the stems leaving the plant growing.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Brussels sprouts

Remove any discoloured outer leaves.
Cut in half and steam with other vegetables.
Do not overcook as that produces the distinctive smell that puts people off eating Brussels sprouts!
They go well with a chopped tomato and onion mix.
Traditionally served with roasted chestnuts for Xmas dinner in UK.

Your comments and tips

23 Jul 09 Gai (New Zealand - temperate climate)

My brussel sprout plants look good and healthy with plenty of leaves, and lots of immature sprouts on the stems, but the sprouts are soft and loose. There are very few tight sprouts. What have I done wrong?

31 Aug 09 Kerry (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

It's early September, our BS are 300 - 400mm high and well leafed, the sprout buds are beginning to form, do we need to feed the plants to push them along? and should we be removing some of the larger leaves to encourage the buds to bulk up? Thanks K

14 Jan 10 Jen (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

I don't have much success with brussel sprouts. I know they need cool weather to form tight buds, but it seems that here in south taranaki winter is just too cold and they go dormant.

02 Mar 10 George Halligan (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Brussell sprouts are best germinated and well formed into little plants (100 - 150mm tall) before they are planted. Once planted, and way way before they begin forming little sprouts, give ém heaps of N rich fertilizer. Watch out for aphids. BUT: once buds begin to form, change the fertilizer regime OFF the high N, and more, much more K, with a tad of P. This will promote tight buds, little leaf growth, and they vill haft meer mmmmm

13 Apr 10 Katherine (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

The above information suggests the brussels sprouts be planted in trays then planted out in 6 weeks, but if I buy the plants can I plant them out now? I live in a frost prone region east of Masterton.

18 Apr 10 Liz (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

Katherine, the information is intended as a general guide. There will be regional differences and if your local plant shop is currently selling seedlings, that probably means that it is a good time to plant them in your area.

28 Sep 10 Naomi (New Zealand - temperate climate)

my brussel sprouts didn't do much growing over winter, now they have come away a bit, but are going to flower, does this mean I'm not going to get any actual sprouts from the plants?

26 Oct 10 Tanya (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

My B.S are going to seed but there are sprouts on them should i leave them in? and where is the best place to plant them?

04 Oct 11 Debbie (New Zealand - temperate climate)

My brussel sprouts didnt really grow over winter and are growing and starting to form sprouts now. Howevver some of the plants are also starting to flower. WIll the sprouts still form, or should I pull them out and start again?

06 Mar 12 cherie (New Zealand - temperate climate)

my brussel sprout buds appear to be eaten by a worm or catipillar they seem ok on the outside but when you cut them open they have been eaten, any ideas on what or how to control?