Latest / The Beanstalk : A Podcast for Gardeners / Episode 37 – Brussels Sprouts – Cold-Hardy, Sweet and Productive

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Episode 37 – Brussels Sprouts – Cold-Hardy, Sweet and Productive · The Beanstalk : A Podcast for Gardeners

• 0:28
  Welcome back to the Beanstalk, fellow beans.
• 0:32
  My name is John, your neighborhood garden buddy.
• 0:37
  And today, we're diving head first into one of the most
• 0:41
  misunderstood plants in the garden.
• 0:45
  Brussels sprouts have a reputation, and depending on who
• 0:48
  you ask, that reputation ranges from childhood drama to absolute
• 0:53
  dinner table hero. I'm here to tell you that with
• 0:58
  the right growing conditions and a little patience, this crop can
• 1:01
  be downright amazing. These tiny cabbage look alikes
• 1:06
  are one of those plants that make you feel like a wizard when
• 1:09
  you grow them well. So if you've ever been curious,
• 1:13
  intimidated, or burned in the past by bitter sprouts, stick
• 1:17
  with me today. Brussels sprouts are one of
• 1:22
  those crops that reward the gardener who likes a bit of a
• 1:25
  challenge and a lot of a payoff. They thrive in cooler weather,
• 1:31
  which makes them perfect for extending your growing season
• 1:34
  into fall and even early winter, when most of the garden is
• 1:38
  winding down. There's something deeply
• 1:42
  satisfying about harvesting fresh food when the air is crisp
• 1:46
  and everything else is fading back.
• 1:51
  Flavor wise, homegrown Brussels sprouts are in a completely
• 1:55
  different league from what you might remember from the freezer
• 1:58
  aisle. When grown slowly and kissed by
• 2:02
  frost, they develop a nutty, slightly sweet flavor that can
• 2:05
  convert even the most stubborn sprout hater.
• 2:11
  On top of that, they're packed with nutrients, especially
• 2:14
  vitamin C&K, making them a powerhouse crop for both the
• 2:19
  body and the soul. Growing Brussels sprouts starts
• 2:25
  with understanding that they are in it for the long haul.
• 2:29
  These plants need a long season, usually around 90 to 110 days,
• 2:35
  and they prefer cool temperatures overheat in many
• 2:39
  areas. That means starting seeds
• 2:41
  indoors in late winter or early spring and transplanting them
• 2:45
  out once the danger of hard frost is past.
• 2:50
  They want rich, fertile soil with plenty of organic matter
• 2:55
  because these plants are heavy feeders and they'll let you know
• 2:58
  if they're hungry. Consistent watering is key,
• 3:03
  since uneven moisture can slow growth and stress the plant.
• 3:09
  As they grow, you'll notice a thick central stalk forming, and
• 3:13
  along that stalk is where all those little sprouts will
• 3:16
  eventually appear. Giving them full sun and steady
• 3:19
  nutrients throughout the season helps ensure those sprouts size
• 3:23
  up evenly instead of staying small and stubborn.
• 3:29
  Harvesting Brussels sprouts is a slow and steady process, and
• 3:33
  honestly, that's part of the fun.
• 3:36
  The sprouts mature from the bottom of the stalk upward, so
• 3:39
  you don't pull the whole plant once unless you're doing a final
• 3:43
  harvest. When the sprouts are firm,
• 3:47
  tight, and about the size of a large marble or a small golf
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  ball that are ready to go, you simply twist or cut them off the
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  stalk and let the rest keep growing.
• 3:58
  Many gardeners swear that sprouts taste best after a light
• 4:02
  frost, and there's real science behind that.
• 4:05
  Since cold temperatures help convert starches into sugars
• 4:11
  toward the end of the season, you can top the plant by
• 4:14
  removing the growing tip to encourage the remaining sprouts
• 4:17
  to mature faster. It feels a little brutal, but it
• 4:22
  works. One of the most common pests
• 4:27
  you'll encounter with Brussels sprouts is the cabbage worm,
• 4:31
  which is the green Caterpillar you didn't invite to dinner.
• 4:35
  These pests chew holes in the leaves and can seriously weaken
• 4:38
  the plant if left unchecked. They usually show up because
• 4:43
  butterflies lay eggs on brassica crops, especially in warm
• 4:48
  weather. Regularly inspecting leaves and
• 4:52
  hand picking caterpillars can go a long way, and using floating
• 4:56
  row covers early in the season helps prevent the problem
• 4:59
  altogether. Another frequent issue is
• 5:04
  aphids, which cluster on new growth and sucks SAP from the
• 5:08
  plant, causing curled leaves and stunted growth.
• 5:14
  Aphids tend to show up when plants are stressed, so keeping
• 5:17
  your sprouts well watered and healthy helps reduce outbreaks.
• 5:23
  A strong spray of water or an application of insecticidal soap
• 5:26
  usually knocks them back effectively.
• 5:33
  Club root is a more serious problem and one that can be
• 5:36
  heartbreaking if you're not prepared.
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  This soil borne disease causes swollen, distorted roots and
• 5:43
  leads to weak, wilting plants that never really thrive.
• 5:48
  It happens most often in acidic soil and can persist for years
• 5:52
  once introduced. Keeping your soil pH above 6.5
• 5:58
  and practicing crop rotation are your best defenses here.
• 6:03
  Another frustration growers run into is loose or poorly formed
• 6:07
  sprouts, which often happens when temperatures are too warm
• 6:11
  or nitrogen levels are off. Brussels sprouts like
• 6:15
  consistency, and when conditions swing wildly, they show it.
• 6:21
  Brussels sprouts do well when planted near crops that help
• 6:24
  deter pests or don't compete heavily for nutrients.
• 6:30
  Aromatic herbs like thyme and sage can help confuse insect
• 6:33
  pests, while onions and garlic tend to discourage aphids and
• 6:37
  caterpillars from setting in. On the flip side, it's best to
• 6:42
  avoid planting them too close to other heavy feeders that might
• 6:46
  compete for nutrients. Giving them their own space and
• 6:50
  supportive neighbors helps them grow tall, strong, and
• 6:54
  productive throughout the season.
• 6:57
  One of the biggest pros of growing Brussels sprouts is the
• 7:00
  incredible flavor you get from homegrown harvests, especially
• 7:04
  in cool weather. They're also a great crop for
• 7:08
  filling that awkward gap between summer and winter gardening.
• 7:13
  On the downside, they take up space for a long time and demand
• 7:17
  patience, which isn't everyone's style.
• 7:22
  They can also be pest magnets if you're not paying attention, but
• 7:27
  for those willing to put in the effort to pay off, it absolutely
• 7:30
  worth it. One of my favorite ways to
• 7:36
  showcase Brussels sprouts is a simple roasted version that
• 7:39
  converts skeptics fast. You'll need 1 1/2 lbs of fresh
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  Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 cloves of
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  garlic, minced, half a teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black
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  pepper, and about 1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
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  Start by preheating your oven to 425° and trimming the ends off
• 8:10
  the sprouts, then slicing them in half lengthwise.
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  Toss them in a bowl with the olive oil, garlic, salt and
• 8:20
  pepper until everything is evenly coated.
• 8:24
  Spread them out, cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for
• 8:28
  about 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
• 8:35
  When they're crispy and browned, pull them out and sprinkle the
• 8:38
  Parmesan over the top, letting it melt into all those nooks and
• 8:43
  crannies. Eat them hot and try not to feel
• 8:47
  smug about how good they are. Now let's check out some fun
• 8:53
  facts about Brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts get their name
• 8:59
  from Brussels, Belgium, where they were cultivated extensively
• 9:02
  as early as the 16th century, making them a true Old World
• 9:07
  crop. Despite their reputation, modern
• 9:12
  Brussels sprouts are actually much less bitter than older
• 9:15
  varieties, thanks to selective breeding over the years.
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  The sprouts grow in a spiral pattern along the stalk, which
• 9:25
  is a neat visual reminder of how mathematically elegant plants
• 9:28
  can be. Each plant can produce anywhere
• 9:34
  from 20 to over 100 sprouts, depending on variety and growing
• 9:39
  conditions. Brussels sprouts are one of the
• 9:44
  few vegetables that genuinely improve in flavor after frost,
• 9:50
  which feels like nature rewarding patients.
• 9:53
  And interestingly enough, they're part of the same species
• 9:57
  as kale, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower, all just different
• 10:02
  expressions of the same plant family.
• 10:08
  Welcome to the garden Nerd corner, fellow beans.
• 10:14
  From a botanical standpoint, Brussels sprouts are a cultivar
• 10:18
  of Brassica Ole Erasiae, which is one of the most fascinating
• 10:23
  examples of human driven plant diversification.
• 10:29
  Through selective breeding, humans turned one wild mustard
• 10:33
  plant into an entire grocery store aisle.
• 10:38
  Brussels sprouts specifically were bred to emphasize lateral
• 10:41
  bud development along the stem, which is why you get those
• 10:45
  compact sprouts instead of one large head.
• 10:51
  The plants response to cold stress triggers biochemical
• 10:55
  changes that increase sugar content, directly affecting
• 10:59
  taste. This is one of those moments
• 11:02
  where gardening lines up perfectly with plant Physiology.
• 11:08
  Growing Russell sprouts well, is basically applied botany in
• 11:11
  action, and that's pretty cool. Next time on the Beanstalk,
• 11:18
  we'll be shifting gears and talking all about Swiss Chard,
• 11:21
  one of the most colorful and forgiving greens you can grow.
• 11:26
  We'll dig into why it deserves a spot in almost every garden, and
• 11:30
  how it keeps producing long after other crops give up.
• 11:35
  It's one of those plants that quietly earns its keep without
• 11:38
  much fuss. You might just find yourself
• 11:40
  planting more than you plant. Thanks again for hanging out
• 11:46
  with me today on the Beanstalk, Fellow Beans.
• 11:50
  If you want to keep the conversation going, we've got a
• 11:53
  growing community over at the Beanstalk Garden Club on
• 11:56
  Facebook. Come join us, share your garden
• 12:01
  photos, swap ideas, and dig a little deeper into all things
• 12:06
  that grow together. If you're enjoying the podcast,
• 12:12
  don't forget to hit follow on Spotify so you never miss an
• 12:15
  episode. We'd also love to hear your
• 12:18
  feedback or questions for future shows.
• 12:21
  And if you happen to be interested in supporting the
• 12:24
  podcast and helping it grow, you can also find us over on
• 12:28
  Patreon. All of our free content lives
• 12:31
  there as well, with some padded perks for free members.
• 12:35
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• 12:39
  discounts on future products. From our patch to yours, keep on
• 12:46
  climbing.