When to Harvest Brussels Sprouts

It takes patience and commitment to achieve a good brussels sprouts harvest. You can't get too eager and pick too quickly—you need to know when to harvest brussel sprouts for subsequent growth. Even after harvesting, this vegetable continues to grow and needs some looking after longer than just about any other crop in the vegetable garden.

Plants are usually set out with a target harvest date already in mind because the flavor of these small cabbage-like vegetables improves after they go through a frost. The average time to harvest for most varieties is 80 to 90 days.

Here's what you need to know about when to harvest brussels sprouts so the timing is perfect.

When to Harvest Brussels Sprouts

To harvest sweet, meaty brussels sprouts, time your planting according to the average or expected day of first frost in your growing zone. In temperate zones, the best time to harvest brussels sprouts is late spring to early summer—late April, May or early June. If you live in a frost-free zone or one with only occasional light frost, the best time to harvest your sprouts will be during cool weather months—December through March. Counting back 12 to 16 weeks translates to a planting out date in mid to late summer or the end of July into August.

Days to harvest, listed on your seed packet, may vary by a few days to a week depending on variety, but the best tasting sprouts won't be ready to pick until 3 to 4 months after planting out. Plants grow to a height of 2 to 3 feet before little sprouts form in the leaf axils, with one sprout just above each leaf. The process starts at the bottom of the plant, processing upward around the stalk sequentially. Removing the leaf below each developing sprout gives it room to grow.

You can harvest brussels sprouts throughout summer. With that said, to get the best texture and flavor, you'll want to pick them when they are pretty small, about 1 inch in diameter. Once frost or cooler temperatures convert the starches into sugars, start picking them when they reach 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Flavor is significantly improved, and harvest can continue down to temperatures of 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

How to Know When Brussels Sprouts Are Ready

In the case of brussels sprouts, bigger is not always better. Brussel sprouts are ready to harvest when they are bright green, tightly wrapped, and feel solid with just a slight give when pressed between thumb and forefinger. A few loose outer leaves are okay, and you can remove them, but sprouts that fail to form a solid ball of tightly wrapped leaves are bitter and not worth harvesting. It's perfectly okay to harvest and consume larger brussels sprouts. They have a higher water content and won't be as meaty but can be as flavorful as smaller ones.

How to Harvest Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are harvested a couple of different ways depending on your preference.

Harvesting Sprouts Individually

You can start picking sprouts one by one during summer months: this when when they grow to about the size of a marble. Remove lower leaves as they yellow. The stalk will continue to grow upward and produce new leaves and sprouts.

Pinch out the top of the stalk about one month before your first frost date to time your harvest with autumn frosts. This will shift energy from producing new foliage to maturing sprouts already on the stalk. Harvest individually from the bottom up when sprouts are a diameter of 1 to 2 inches. Grab the sprout at the bottom, where it rests against the stalk and give it a quick twist to snap it off. Alternatively, you can use a sharp knife to cut the sprout where it attaches to the stalk.

Harvesting an Entire Brussels Sprout Stalk

If you want to harvest the entire stalk of sprouts all at once, back time one to two months from your harvest date, preferably after one or two frosts. Pinch out the top of the stalk and remove any lower leaves that have turned yellow. You can also snap off any leaves growing below a sprout to make room for the sprout to get bigger. After a frost or two have occurred, remove all remaining leaves and harvest the entire stalk by cutting it with a sharp knife one inch above soil level.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will more brussels sprouts grow after you harvest them?

More brussels sprouts with grow after you harvest them unless the very top of the stalk is pinched out. The plant will keep growing upward, usually to 2 to 3 feet tall. But once a sprout is removed, another won't grow in that location.

How long will brussels sprouts last on the plant?

How long brussels sprouts last on the plant depends on your pest control and hardiness zone. Brussels sprouts attract insect pests, so good control is critical for a good harvest. Your hardiness zone also makes a difference. Sprouts last longest at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, whether still in the garden or harvested as an entire stalk. You can harvest sprouts from the garden until temperatures drop to 20 degrees F. A harvested stalk will keep for 3 to 5 weeks when kept at 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Are Brussels sprouts perennials?

Brussels sprouts are not perennials. They are biennials which means they live for two years. The first year they produce foliage and the second year they produce flowers and seeds before dying back. They are grown as an annual for the edible, round, cabbage-like sprouts that form in the leaf axils the first year.

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