One of my favourite Vegetables, so how could I leave them out? They are quite slow growing, taking about 6 months to reach maturity. I should have them just in time for Christmas then!

Sowing should be about April, either in a greenhouse or indoors, where they will take about a week or so to start to sprout. Planting out should be in May and June into quite heavy soil in a sunny spot.

My Brussel Sprouts Diary

19th May 2013 – Day 1 – I am quite late with these as I realised I still had space in the veg patch, so I dashed out to get a packet of seeds. I have started my seeds indoors in 12 pot trays, within another flat tray, planting a couple of seeds in each pot in moist compost, about 1.5 cm deep. Brussels likesthe sun, so they are in the conservatory on the window sill, being watered every other day to keep them damp.

26th May 2013 – Day 8 - My Conservatory makes such a fabulous green house! Lots of little seedlings have sprouted in 7 days. I need to read up on sprouts as they grow above ground and the stalks are quite big. I am thinking that I may have to donate some of these as I have not a massive amount of space left.

2nd June 2013 – Day 15 - I am quite excited about the seedlings getting so big. They still need to be bigger before I plant them out. Next weekend would be ideal, but I am away, so it will have to be the Monday after maybe….

Definitely going to have to give some away, as I have read that you need to space them about 50 cm apart in a row, and rows also 50 cm apart!! This means I can fit about 8-10 in the garden.

2nd June 2013 – Day 29 - They are in the veg garden and, as I have taken the pumpkins out and put them into tubs, I have room for about 18 plants. Could be a bumper harvest of sprouts ready for Christmas!! I did place them about 50 cm apart to give them plenty of above ground room.