Gardeners have been issued a warning about their Brussels sprouts if they want them to be on the table this Christmas. They are a staple of the Christmas dinner in many homes up and down the country, either topped with bacon, chestnuts or cranberries.
To add an extra special touch to your dinner, you may have decided to grow your own Brussels sprouts. It will have been weeks in the making, as they can be sown from seed in early spring and planted out after the last frost. So, it is important not to mess up right at the final hurdle.
The RHS has issued guidance for anyone growing their own Brussel sprouts and shared the key warning sign you need to look out for. To ensure all your hard work won’t go to waste, make sure you keep an eye on them in the final weeks before Christmas.
They urge: “Remove any yellowed leaves on Brussels sprouts and other brassicas. This will prevent the development of grey mould and brassica downy mildew.”
Another key thing to watch out for is the wind. The RHS added: “Stake or earth up any Brussels sprouts stalks that look leggy and vulnerable to wind rock.”
When it comes to harvesting your Brussels sprouts, make sure you start from the bottom of the stalk upwards. They can be harvested from autumn through to spring, so you don’t need to eat them all at once.
Brussels sprouts become sweeter when the frost kicks in. It is recommended that you pick sprouts regularly by snapping them with a sharp downward tug.
Make sure you remove the lower leaves as you take off the sprouts. In cold weather, you can simply pick off as many sprouts as you need and leave the rest on the plant until you want to eat them again.
But, remember to harvest the sprouts before they start to open or turn yellow. Once all the sprouts have been harvested, all is not over.
You can even eat the leaves or sprout tops, which can be cooked like spring greens. The RHS added: “If you cut the whole stem when harvesting, you can either stand it in water for a few days or hang it up in a cool, frost-free garage or shed, then pick the sprouts as needed.”
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