Brilliant Sprouts

[The Mouse]

And when I say brilliant, I mean Brilliant F1.

I've just picked the last of them, after a continuous supply of large, tasty sprouts since August - and actually, I had a few in July!

That's what I call a good crop. And we eat them every two or three days. I've even used them for making coleslaw. All that from fourteen plants.

No prizes for guessing what variety I'll be growing this next season.

[Mike Vogel]

Congratulations! I grew Darkmar this year and from 12 plants I have had very few sprouts, starting in November. About 4 meals' worth. However, I'm hoping to be picking rather more this month and Feb.
I think I sowed mine too late [May] and ought to have made two sowings. I'll try to get it right this year.

[Monika]

Sounds good, Mouse. I grew Montgomery last year and we have picked them since mid-November and plenty more to come from 8 plants, but they are rather large (the individual sprouts I mean, not the plants), so for this year I am trying Cascade which seemed to get a good write-up and description.

As I have said in another one of my posts, Montgomery has certainly stood up well to the severe weather we have had, down to minus 10 on the allotment and deep snow for days on end.

[The Mouse]

Congratulations! I grew Darkmar this year and from 12 plants I have had very few sprouts, starting in November. About 4 meals' worth. However, I'm hoping to be picking rather more this month and Feb.
I think I sowed mine too late [May] and ought to have made two sowings. I'll try to get it right this year.

I sowed mine 29th March, and planted out on 10th May, so mine certainly had a lot more growing time than yours!

My other variety (Wellington F1) weren't sown until 25th April.
I grew them last year and they cropped well from Christmas until 20th March.

Unfortunately, they aren't doing so well this year. I decided to grow them in my garden because it's handy to have things on the doorstep at this time of year, but the soil here is a lot lighter than on the allotment and although I dug a lot of manure in, fed them and firmed the soil as thoroughly as I could, the sprouts are very small, and the bottom half of the stems is bare.
I'm not quite sure whether to blame rabbits, or just poor growing conditions!

Swings and roundabouts!

[Colin Miles]

I have grown Brilliant in previous years and will certainly be growing them again this year. They hold very well for an early variety and taste good. This year I have Nelson and Montgomery. Both have survived the extreme cold - Nelson grew the better of the two and for an early is holding well - but my Autumn Highland Cabbage and January King 3 have both been totally frosted, and even the Dwarf Kale has suffered, but not the Purple Sprouting Broccoli - Claret, Red Arrow and Garnet- strange.

[PLUMPUDDING]

I agree, they are Brilliant. Its the first time I've grown this variety and they are the best I've ever grown - large, solid and very productive, taste good and they've stood the horrible weather very well too.

[Mike Vogel]

I'm still waiting for my Darkmar to produce their main cropping. I think i will get late sprouts. My Cavolo Nero [seeds from you i think, Colin] has survived the frosts and the other brassicas seem to have done so too and are ready to make a spurt once the weather starts to warm up a bit more.

[The Mouse]

I'm still waiting for my Darkmar to produce their main cropping. I think i will get late sprouts. My Cavolo Nero [seeds from you i think, Colin] has survived the frosts and the other brassicas seem to have done so too and are ready to make a spurt once the weather starts to warm up a bit more.

Hi Mike

Have you grown Darkmar before and, if so, how late do they usually crop?

I'm always on the lookout for ways to extend the sprout-growing season, because they are my favourite vegetable!

At the moment I am growing Wellington F1 as my lates. Last year they took me through to late March. If Darkmar are still producing a crop any later than that, I might consider growing them next year!

[Johnboy]

Hi Mouse,
I do not know why Mike's Darkmar 21 are yet to produce but I have grown them for a number of years especially for my Christmas dinner and this year was no exception. I picked the last around mid January.
The variety that will give you what you seem to be after is 'Severn Hills' which do not start producing until around now and go on to the end of April and depending on the year into early May.
I have found that either Montgomery F1 or Wellington F1 will still be picking at this time. I have never grown Brilliant F1 but may give them a whorl this coming season.
Certainly by choice of variety you can have Brussels from Late August, too early for me because there is still much summer produce at hand, until the beginning of May.
JB.
PS. Severn Hills seeds are available from Kings Seeds and several other seed houses.

[The Mouse]

Thanks, Johnboy

I'll try and get hold of Severn Hills for this coming season, then.
If they could crop through April, that would be great!

Good luck with Brilliant, if you're giving them a go this year. I've grown them two years running now and have just bought the seeds again for this season. They are by far the best variety I've ever grown!

[Brenjon]

I have grown Wellington as my first venture into sprouts. very pleased with them and still cropping .I will try brilliant as well this year as everyone seems to be singing their praises.
Regards Brenjon