Know Anything about Growing Brussel Sprouts? (manure, vegetables, spring, city)

[Gilpin Girl]

I want to grow a vegetable garden this year. I have zero experience. Not a clue. I love brussel sprouts. I decided I want to include them in the vegetable garden. I've done a little looking into it and they look complicated to grow.

Has anyone ever grown brussel sprouts? If a space alien came here and wanted to grow brussel sprouts what advice would you give him? The alien will be living in Colorado. I thought I would start growing sprouts early inside and then transplant them outside. Apparently they take a very long time to grow. Any thoughts?

[Cinebar]

Originally Posted by Gilpin Girl

I want to grow a vegetable garden this year. I have zero experience. Not a clue. I love brussel sprouts. I decided I want to include them in the vegetable garden. I've done a little looking into it and they look complicated to grow.

Has anyone ever grown brussel sprouts? If a space alien came here and wanted to grow brussel sprouts what advice would you give him? The alien will be living in Colorado. I thought I would start growing sprouts early inside and then transplant them outside. Apparently they take a very long time to grow. Any thoughts?

Wow. Brussels sprouts - I haven't grown them in years. I guess I stopped planting them because the kids hated them and there wasn't much purpose to grow them just for myself.

If I remember right, they went into the ground (as transplants) fairly early in the spring and then weren't harvested until well into the fall - maybe early winter, even. It seems that the rule was to leave them in the garden until after at least one frost.

I believe they are "heavy feeders" - so compost and well-rotted manure is important.

Anyway, I hope someone with more recent experience can give you some suggestions. It's been around twenty years since I last grew them so I'm kind of going on fuzzy memory here.

I also remember, too, that when preparing them, it is a good idea to give them a "brine bath" - salted water - to get any little critters out that may have found their way into the heads.

And I think the best way that I found to cook them was to boil for just a few minutes, until barely tender, and then saute' for a few minutes in butter or margarine.

I actually hadn't thought about growing them for some time - thanks for the reminder! I have just the one kid left at home and who cares what he likes or doesn't like, 'eh? I think I'll grow some this year.

[uggabugga]

they are easy and fun to grow but need a very long growing season, in my experience.

one of the many vegetables i absolutely hated as a kid, but love as an adult..

[leftmyheartintennessee]

check with the cooperative extension service office in your town/city...
They may have printed information available about vegetable gardening for your area...it should be either free or a small charge for the info.
also seed catalogs that come in the mail may have info about them as well...or the local nurseries may be able to help...
last but not least there is downloadable info. on the internet ( just google
colorado gardening or growing brussel sprouts)
the library may have books available about specific vegetable gardening for your area.
good luck with your search...& happy gardening