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Blown sprouts

Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 10:16 am
by JohnN
Though my few Brussels sprout plants have grown strongly, all the sprouts, though quite big, are very "loose", or blown - none of the nice compact ones I usually get. The only damage to the plants has been some leaf nibbling by small snails/slugs. No invasion of caterpillars from white butterflies. Any information, please, on why the sprouts have failed to form?

Re: Blown sprouts

Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 12:43 pm
by robo
Mine are very small this year both the plants and the sprouts are less than half the size they normally are it's just been a bad year

Re: Blown sprouts

Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 1:05 pm
by Geoff
My sprouts are also pretty awful this year but that is mainly club root. The club root resistant ones are forming but the plants aren't very tall. The usual comment is soft ground = soft sprouts, are they in a loose raised bed or more solid ground?

Re: Blown sprouts

Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 1:26 pm
by oldherbaceous
Sometimes if you take all the lower blown ones off, the ones that are still forming are ok....

Mine after a very slow start are starting to look alright.

Re: Blown sprouts

Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 4:11 pm
by sally wright
Dear John,
sprouts that have blown can either be removed (shredded and cooked hopefully not chucked on the compost heap) in the hope that the rest will get better OR they can be left until spring when they will grow into sprouting broccoli. This is what I do.
Regards Sally Wright.

Re: Blown sprouts

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2016 9:22 pm
by John
Hello JN
I grew sprouts regularly until a few years ago.
For several years I had the problem of blown sprouts and finally managed to solve the problem after following advice from earlier versions of this forum. You need to make sure that the plants are set quite deep and growing in hard compacted soil to prevent them rocking about and working loose at the roots. Don't spare the lime. I planted out in very, very well trodden ground in a depression. As the plants became established I back filled and trod the ground down hard again. Also they require plenty of all round nutrients until they approach maturity from then on avoid giving too much nitrogen.

John

Re: Blown sprouts

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2016 7:10 am
by Johnboy
I never pick the first few small sprouts they are left to blow at the end of the season. Although I am very partial to Sproutst the plant tops and the blown sprouts make very tasty eating. I have some Evesham Specials ready to eat now. I have some Bedford Darkmar which I am hoping will be on stream for my Christmas Dinner. I favour the open pollinated varieties although they are not as regular in size as th F1 varieties the flavour to me is so much better.

Re: Blown sprouts

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2016 7:45 am
by Pa Snip
John wrote:Hello JN
I grew sprouts regularly until a few years ago.
You need to make sure that the plants are set quite deep and growing in hard compacted soil to prevent them rocking about and working loose at the roots. Don't spare the lime.
John


John
Like you I was advised many years ago to plant brassicas deep.
I was advised to plant to the depth of first pair of leaves.
I do, and tall things like sprouts and sprouting broccoli still need staking.
Be as careful as I can but I still get blown sprouts on plants that have been windblown and rock.

Re: Blown sprouts

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2016 9:22 am
by JohnN
Thanks to you all for your replies. Yes, I'm eating the sprouts, blown or not, and they're very tasty. I think the problem has been caused by my not planting them deep enough, they have suffered from wind loosening. (Bit like me!!)