Crops › Brussels Sprouts
How to grow Brussels Sprouts
in the UK
Sow March to April, plant out May to September, harvest October to February. About 180 days from seed to plate.
Brussels sprouts, eh? Folk either love 'em or hate 'em, but I reckon a proper home-grown sprout is a cracking thing. They take up a fair bit of space on the plot, mind, and hang about for ages, but you get fresh greens right through the winter when not much else is doing much.
Sowing
You want to get your sprout seeds in during March or April, like I say in the app. You can sow 'em in modules or small pots indoors on a windowsill, or straight into a seedbed outside if the weather's not too rough. Pop 'em about 1.5 cm deep and give 'em a good watering. If you're sowing outside, make sure the soil's fine and crumbly, then thin the seedlings out to about 10-15 cm apart once they're big enough to handle. They're a Brassica, so they like a bit of space, even when they're little.
Growing on
Once your seedlings have a few true leaves, usually after a month or so, you'll want to prick 'em out into individual pots. Grow 'em on until they're good and sturdy, then get 'em hardened off for a couple of weeks before planting out. Don't rush it, especially up here in the North East, you want to be well past the last frost, usually mid to late May. Plant 'em deep, right up to the first set of leaves, and give 'em a good 60-75 cm between each plant. They'll need staking later on, proper tall, you know.
Looking after it
Brussels sprouts are hungry, thirsty things, to be honest. Keep 'em well-watered, especially in dry spells, or the sprouts won't swell up right. A good top-dressing of well-rotted manure or compost around the base in summer helps, and a bit of general fertiliser too. Don't forget to earth up around the stems a bit as they grow; helps keep 'em steady.
What goes wrong
The main bother you'll get with sprouts is the cabbage white butterfly; their caterpillars can munch through leaves in no time. Netting is your best bet, really. Aphids can be a pest too, especially on the growing tips, so keep an eye out and squish 'em or wash 'em off with soapy water. Slugs can be a problem when they're young, but less so once they get big.
Harvest
Sprouts are ready from October right through to February, about 180 days after sowing. You pick 'em from the bottom of the stalk upwards as they firm up. Just twist 'em off, like. You can leave 'em on the plant all winter, picking as you need 'em, which is cracking. Don't worry about a glut; they'll sit there waiting for you.
I always pinch out the very top growing tip of my sprout plants around September, just helps the sprouts swell up a bit better, you know what I mean.
Dates for your plot
Type the first half of your postcode and the plant-out advice shifts to your area's typical frost dates.
Varieties, and whether the club would grow them again
| Variety | Club verdict |
|---|---|
| Maximus F1 This early variety gives you big, uniform sprouts. A good choice if you're keen to get your first harvest a bit sooner in the season. | No club votes yet |
| Trafalgar F1 A cracking maincrop variety known for its excellent flavour. If taste is top of your list, you won't go wrong with these. | No club votes yet |
| Montgomery F1 This one's a proper winter hardy variety, tough enough for our North East winters. It'll keep producing sprouts well into the colder months. | No club votes yet |
| Red Bull If you fancy something a bit different, Red Bull gives you lovely red sprouts. They're great for adding a bit of colour to your Christmas dinner plate. | No club votes yet |
| Diablo F1 A really reliable choice, this one's bred to be disease resistant. It takes a bit of the worry out of growing sprouts, especially for beginners. | No club votes yet |
| Crispus F1 You'll get a cracking harvest from this high-yielding variety, with sprouts that have a lovely crisp texture. Perfect if you want plenty to go round. | No club votes yet |
| Bosworth F1 This hardy variety is perfect for a late harvest, standing well in the cold. You'll be picking fresh sprouts right through the depths of winter. | No club votes yet |
| Brilliant F1 A truly brilliant maincrop choice, giving uniform sprouts with a good, reliable flavour. It's a solid performer for any plot. | No club votes yet |
| Red Ball This heritage variety produces distinctive red-purple sprouts. They're a bit of a talking point and have a lovely sweet taste. | No club votes yet |
| Groninger An old Dutch heritage variety, Groninger is known for being incredibly hardy. It's a fantastic choice for reliability and standing up to bad weather. | No club votes yet 1 growing it |
| Crispus F1 You'll get a cracking harvest from this high-yielding variety, with sprouts that have a lovely crisp texture. Perfect if you want plenty to go round. | No club votes yet |
| Montgomery F1 This one's a proper winter hardy variety, tough enough for our North East winters. It'll keep producing sprouts well into the colder months. | No club votes yet |
| Red Delicious True to its name, Red Delicious gives you purple-red sprouts with a lovely sweet flavour. A great heritage option for something special. | No club votes yet |
| Diablo F1 A really reliable choice, this one's bred to be disease resistant. It takes a bit of the worry out of growing sprouts, especially for beginners. | No club votes yet |
| Falstaff Falstaff is a striking heritage variety with beautiful purple sprouts. It adds a splash of colour to the winter plot and on your plate. | No club votes yet |
Votes are members rating varieties in their Seed Tin, one vote per gardener. Tap a variety for the full page and where to buy.
Buy Brussels Sprouts seeds
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Cook the harvest
Halved Brussels sprouts roasted at high heat until their cut faces caramelise and their outer leaves turn papery and crisp, then tossed while still hot with toasted hazelnuts, shaved Pecorino and a sharp honey-lemon dressing. This sits in the gap between a side dish and a starter — substantial enough to open a dinner party, interesting enough to stand alone for lunch. The contrast of the caramelised sprouts against the cold, sharp dressing is what makes it.
30 min · easyA deeply satisfying red lentil dal where Brussels sprouts are quartered and cooked directly into the lentils, absorbing the turmeric, cumin and tomato broth until they become tender and almost creamy at the edges. A final tarka of mustard seeds, dried chilli and crispy fried shallots spooned over the top pulls everything together. This is weeknight food at its most honest — one pan, thirty minutes, deeply good.
35 min · easyRaw Brussels sprouts, sliced paper-thin, make a remarkably good base for a Caesar — they have the bitterness of cos lettuce but with more substance and a lovely nutty sweetness. Tossed with a punchy anchovy dressing, sourdough croutons and a blizzard of Parmesan, this is a proper salad that earns its place as a main course.
30 min · easyA proper weeknight hash that turns Brussels sprouts into the crispy, caramelised backbone of the dish. Shredded sprouts fry up beautifully alongside cubed potatoes, smoked paprika and onion, finished with runny fried eggs on top. It is the kind of simple, satisfying meal you will come back to all winter.
30 min · easyWatch for, and grow alongside
Questions people ask
When do you sow Brussels Sprouts in the UK?
Sow Brussels Sprouts from March to April. Plant out May to September, after the last frost.
How long does Brussels Sprouts take from sowing to harvest?
Roughly 180 days, with the harvest October to February.
Which Brussels Sprouts varieties do gardeners grow again?
Club members rate every variety they grow. This page shows the grow-again votes for Maximus F1, Trafalgar F1, Montgomery F1, Red Bull and more.
Track your Brussels Sprouts from packet to plate
Sowing reminders and harvest forecasts for your own frost dates, the Seed Tin, Scan Centre for any label or packet, and the Potty Mouth Garden Club. Free to start.
Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 3 September 2026.