Thursday 8 December 2011

Brussels Sprouts

I've tried a couple of times previously to grow Brussels sprouts without much success, but it looks as though I might manage to taste a few morsels this year. They can be quite hard to grow, producing opened leaves instead of those which are tightly packed. One of the reasons this happens is that the soil in which the plant is grown is too loose. It needs to be firm, so I make sure that I really tamp the soil down around the plant, though it hasn't made any difference in previous years. They're still a little on the small side yet, so I'm hoping that the winds that we're forcast don't blow them over or damage them in any way before they have a chance to develop. I don't need to grow many, there's only me in our house who will eat them. I don't think you can have a Christmas dinner without some sprouts on the plate.

The allotment is suffering from neglect at the moment. It's always busy at this time of year with Christmas preparations as well as other things taking priority over our time. I haven't managed to get all the winter digging done so it looks as though we'll be digging in spring instead, all my good intentions have fallen by the wayside yet again. The only thing we're visiting the plot for at the moment is to harvest.

I'm pleased with our veg stocks at the moment. At the allotment, we've got cavolo nero, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, curly kale, parsnips and leeks. There's onions and shallots in store. In the freezer there's mange tout, runner beans, French beans and carrots. We've still got the two pumpkins which we didn't get round to carving for Halloween which I haven't done anything with yet. We've got enough veg to see us through for a while yet.

If you haven't already entered my giveaway, don't forget to do so. You have until 14th of December to leave a comment on my giveaway post.

17 comments:

  1. Your sprouts are looking good. I haven't done any this year. My plot is really exposed and other people's sprouts have blown over. It's very windy and wet here at the moment I could have done with some kale for tea tonight but I don't think I'm going to brave the weather, I'll have to use some savoy cabbage instead.

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  2. We just visit to harvest too at the moment.

    You don't have club-root like we have do you?

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  3. Sorry Jo - the above comment was me - I was signed on as Martyn! Oops

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  4. I think those sprouts look pretty decent - better than any I have grown, that's for sure. Mine were always "blown" like you have described. If tamping down the soil isn't the key, what is, I wonder???

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  5. Yaaaaaaay - looks as if you will be feasting on sprouts this festive season ~ they will be delicious Jo. My plot is suffering from neglect too - combination of being busy and the diabolical weather. We are both going to be working hard come spring!

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  6. Thanks for the tip about soil round sprouts - maybe that's been my problem in the past as they have always been just a collection of loose leaves!

    Incidentally, I too have two pumpkins left over, being stored in my (very) cold hall. I picked one up yesterday with a view to pumpkin soup, and underneath, it has gone black and rotted. The other is OK but you might need to check underneath and use fairly quickly!

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  7. Jo I don't think you should be too hard on yourself about neglecting the allotment; judging from your stock of stored produce, it seems you've worked plenty hard enough already this year!

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  8. Our allotment has been neglected for most of the year as we have been renovating our house since moving in April. I'm amazed at just how much we have produced for so little work this year. Our sprouts for the last 2 years have been frozen on the plants and I have had to buy them for Chrstmas dinner - the same with the parsnips, so I hope the temperatures are kinder this year.

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  9. I agree about these being a must have with Christmas dinner, so here's hoping that they survive and you enjoy them. Flighty xx

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  10. My sprouts are small too. I'm a bit disappointed. Though I have quite a lot. If they don't get any bigger I will just have to have baby sprouts. I've been doing my "spring" cleaning because I know I will have so much work to do outside when spring comes. x

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  11. I didn't get any brussels in this year...in fact I was missing a few of the things I like to grow. Good tips on the brussels though which i will store away and remember for next year. I still have two pumpkins to cook..just haven't decided what to do with them yet!!

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  12. I didn't know that sprouts like to have soil firmed hard around them so thank you for that great advice. Mine are about the size of yours, but definitely lounging and not standing up! ;-)

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  13. I think many sprout plants will have blown over in the winds we've experienced lately, Wellywoman. I haven't been to the allotment for a little while so I'm hoping that mine are still standing.

    I don't think we've got clubroot, Sue, though I'll be checking now you've mentioned it.

    I don't know what the answer is, Mark. Perhaps it's something to do with the nutrients in the soil, I should really investigate the matter.

    I was hoping to get the plot dug over as it's busy enough come spring, Anna. It looks like we'll both have our work cut out.

    Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment, Vintagemaison. I've checked my pumpkins and they're both ok. I had better get them used up though before they suffer the same fate.

    I'm just thinking about everything I'll have to do when spring arrives, Caro. It's a great feeling to have produced enough veg to store for winter though, it's been a successful year.

    Thanks for visiting, Scarlet. It's amazing how plants still produce with little effort. I hope the renovations are going well and that you'll have a little more time to spend at the plot next year.

    Thanks, Flighty. I don't think I've ever missed having sprouts on my Christmas dinner, and I even make the rest of the family eat at least one even though they don't like them.

    It's a good idea to get your spring cleaning done now, it's always busy at the start of the gardening season, Lorna. Baby veg usually comes at a premium so I shouldn't worry about your sprouts being small.

    I think I'm going to have a go at pumpkin pie, Tanya. I've never tasted it so it will be a first making it and eating it.

    Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, Gardeningbren. I'm hoping that my sprouts are still standing tall when I visit the allotment again. We've had some gusty winds so I'm hoping they haven't blown over.

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  14. I think sprouts blow when they are short of nutrients - they are hungry plants. This can be caused by wind rock damaging the feeding roots or poorly formed roots such as those plants with club root.

    Sprouts do need to be firmed in and we plant ours quite deeply too. Feeding with a notrogen rich feed is also supposed to help.

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  15. Thanks, Sue. I thought it might be something to do with nutrients. That's why they blow when they're not firmed in then. Thanks for that.

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  16. We've had storms up this way for weeks now and the sprouts are still standing. Yours should be fine :)

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  17. I hope so, Tanya. I still haven't checked on them, I must get up there this weekend. It sounds like there's more storms to come, I think winter has finally arrived.

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