[ad_1]
Brussels sprouts have been grown for a long time and are still popular today. You can roast, steam, or sauté them. They also look great in the yard. Little cabbage balls have strong stalks and leafy tops that are tightly packed.
The sprouts have small heads that look like cabbages and hold tightly wrapped leaves. The leaves of the plant are thick and wide. The big leaves are also good to eat. Because they can handle frost, Brussels sprouts can stay in the garden all winter. Brassicas taste better after a little frost, so wait until after it snows to pick them.
The crop might be a little harder than other easy cool-season choices, but the rewards are that much sweeter because they are full of nutrients. We can enjoy the fall treats fresh from the stem, by the pound, if we know how to grow them, like pinching them to make them grow faster.
Read on to learn when and how to pinch Brussels sprouts for the best results.
About Brussels Sprouts
Brussels Sprouts:
They are in the same family as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and cabbage.
Brussels sprouts take a long time to grow because they focus on the roots and upper growth before making the sprouts. Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera is in the same genus as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and cabbage.
In places with mild weather, fall is the best time to plant Brussels sprouts seeds so you can harvest them in late winter and early spring. In cool places, plant Brussels sprouts seeds about four months before the first frost in the fall, when the soil is warmer than 40°F (4°C). They can handle temperatures as low as 10°F (-12°C).
The rounds are ready to be picked after a long maturity period of 80 to more than 100 days. They grow from the bottom of the stem to the top, where each leaf meets the stalk. Pick buds that are the size of cherries or bigger, up to one inch across.
To grow a healthy, well-formed crop of sweet sprouts, you need to water them regularly, make sure the soil is healthy, and pinch them to encourage budding and growth. Lightweight row covers over seedlings and transplants early on can help keep pests and wind from hurting them in the first few weeks.
Pinching Brussels Sprouts
The best conditions for growing Brussels sprouts are:
Full sun, with at least six hours of sun every day
Soils that are moist, rich in organic matter, and drain well
A soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0, which is slightly acidic to neutral. Watering once a week with about an inch of rain or irrigation.
Pinching Brussels Sprouts
This method helps sprouts grow.
Pinching, or topping, is a way to get rid of the tip of the stalk to help the sprouts grow. When you pinch Brussels sprouts, the plant sends energy to the leaves and fruits that are already there instead of making new ones. The buds on the stem grow bigger faster. With regular water and food from organic soils, they grow into full, round globes.
Topping Brussels sprouts makes all of the heads ready to eat at once (or almost).
When to Pinch
Timing the Brussels sprout pinch is important for getting ready rounds to happen faster. These are the ones to watch before topping because the heads grow from the base of the plant first. Another way gardeners encourage big, full sprouts is by measuring the height of the plants.
Sprout Size
When the smallest sprouts are about ¾ to 1 inch wide, pinch the top of the Brussels sprout stem. The buds on the upper nodes will grow to the right size for harvest.
About three weeks before you want to harvest, try to pinch the Brussels sprouts. The size of the lower buds, the number of days until they are ready to harvest, and the fact that winter temperatures are below 10°F (-12°C) are all things to think about when deciding when to harvest.
If you leave the sprouts on the stem, they will keep getting bigger (up to about two inches), but they taste best when they are small.
Plant Height
You can choose to pinch off the growth tip when the plants are two to three feet tall. Topping the stalk does the same thing as pinching as the sprouts grow. Instead of growing more, the plant sends energy to the buds and growth that are already there.
How to Pinch
The smallest sprouts are between half an inch and three-quarters of an inch wide. Cut or snap off the top one to two inches of stem. This step is easy to do by hand or with pruners, and it speeds up growth for the plants that are still on the stalk. Take off the very top cluster of soft leaves, which are also good to eat.
Harvesting
After the first frost in the fall and into the winter, pick Brussels sprouts when most of them are about an inch long. Cut off the stem at ground level and the leaves. Take the loaded stems to a cool, dry place, like a basement. For a few weeks, lay them down or hang them up (upside down) to harvest.
You can also pick individual sprouts from the stem by gently twisting the lower ones to eat while the upper ones grow. Take off the lower leaves as well, since they are starting to turn yellow. Pick sprouts before the leaves turn yellow to get the best results.
Take the sprouts off the stem before putting them in the fridge. They can last for up to two weeks. You can also freeze or pickle them to keep them longer.
Pinching to Make Seedlings Thinner
You can start pinching Brussels sprouts after they germinate and the seedlings are three inches tall. Thin the plants so that there is enough space between them for air to flow and for them to grow fully.
Plant seeds ¼ inch deep, whether you start them indoors to get a head start or plant them directly in the ground. Every 18 to 24 inches, plant two seeds directly in the ground. To encourage the strongest growth, thin the seedlings down to one per group. If you are planting in rows, keep the rows 24 inches apart.
Instead of pulling or tugging on the thinned seedlings, cut or pinch them at the base. Pinching or trimming keeps the roots of the other seedlings from being disturbed. You can eat the tiny seedlings, too. Use the thinned sprouts as a garnish, on salads or sandwiches, or in stir-fries.
Common Questions
When it’s hot outside, leaves can grow small, open heads instead of dense, tightly wrapped ones. Warm weather in the fall can be a problem. Brussels sprouts grow best when the temperature is below 70°F (21°C). If you’re worried about small sprouts, cut the stalks off at two to three feet high. This will send energy into plump rounds instead of leafy growth.
Bitter sprouts might not get the benefits of being exposed to frost. When it gets a little frosty, starches turn into sugars, which gives the best flavor. Wait until it gets cold and even snows before you pick. Brussels sprouts can handle temperatures above 10°F (-12°C).
Without pinching, Brussels sprouts keep growing and getting bigger until they are full size. It’s not necessary for planting or harvesting, but it does help. Pinching or topping the stem helps the sprouts grow faster and become bigger, fuller, and better shaped. Pick the lowest sprouts as they reach one inch without pinching them. Then keep picking higher up as the other sprouts grow.
[ad_2]
