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Post by skarloey on Nov 12, 2006 9:56:49 GMT
Morning everyone, I picked my first sprouts yesterday, sprouts that were 'sposed to be ready from October but have until now been too small. In fact they are still a bit small. Then I was having a look through a seed catalogue and saw the sprout plants with all their leaves removed. Should I have been removing the leaves? Will the sprouts have more room to grow if I do? Can you tell it's my first year of growing them? ;D BTW, they may have been small but they were lovely!  Oh and I have some later ones that will be ready from December. They are 'sposed to be the sweetest tasting sprouts EVER! Hmmmm, I'll try them on my 3 year old and let you know! |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2006 17:14:50 GMT
Hi Skarloey Mmmm........Sprouts, my favourite (NOT) ;D But I'm glad you have enjoyed them and I'm sure I'd have even tried one of they were small!!! I think that by removing the tops of the sprouts (the bit that looks like a cabbage!!  ), it's supposed to quicken the maturity of the sprouts - whether this is true or an old wives tale I'm not sure, actually shouldn't that be an old allotment tale!! ;D Maybe worth an experiment |
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Post by grannyjanny on Nov 12, 2006 19:24:52 GMT
I think you can use sprout tops as a separate veg. Someone will say if I am wrong.
Janet.
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Post by lottielady on Nov 12, 2006 19:34:17 GMT
My sprout stalks are a bit.....erm......bendy  LL x |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2006 19:47:01 GMT
I think you can use sprout tops as a separate veg. Someone will say if I am wrong. Janet. No you're not wrong Janet, I believe 'sprout tops' are considered a seperate veg, afterall they are like cabbage and broccoli. Bet there a fancy chef somewhere with them on the menu!! ;D |
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Post by isabella on Nov 12, 2006 20:00:47 GMT
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Post by skarloey on Nov 12, 2006 21:09:37 GMT
Hi everyone, Thanks for replying. I had heard you can eat the tops on their own but I though you ate them after you had finished the sprouts. I will pick the tops off some tomorrow and see how they go. I love 'em too Pam. GH, I always put a spoonful of sugar in the water when I cook them (as I do with a lot of veg actually) and it makes them much sweeter. |
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Post by isabella on Nov 12, 2006 21:15:46 GMT
I will try that, Skarloey - I always put a little bit of sugar in the frozen peas!  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2006 22:51:28 GMT
Stir fried with butter, garlic and black pepper, and then when they have finished browning a little bit, throw in some white wine to steam and soften them a little - delish ;D Last year's were a complete failure and my first lot this year were slug food. Got sent a bunch of seedlings and those, with a few survivors of my own, are now fine sprouts. Going to have my first harvest at the weekend.
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Post by Chuckles on Nov 13, 2006 22:56:42 GMT
We used to do extra spouts on christmas day and fry them up in butter and have them with cold turkey on boxing day, yummy |
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Post by 4pygmies on Nov 14, 2006 5:50:39 GMT
Sprout tops were picked at the end of the season and eaten as a cabbage type thingummy - I know this as I come from Bedfordshire - home of the Brussells sprout - I grew up with fields of the things all around me. The smell in deepest dank winter was something else.......but despite this trauma I really love them now. The ONLY good thing about Christmas is bubble and squeak with cold turkey and green tomato chutney on Boxing Day for tea - fried with the left over sprouts it's really scrummy..
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Post by piggingardener on Nov 14, 2006 10:02:23 GMT
I loathe sprouts and have tried many times and different ways but can't eat them. I've even tried juicing them with other things but yeuck, I just can't stomach them. Sprout tops, on the other hand, I find delicious. My Dad grew lots of veg including sprouts and I always looked forward to the sprout tops. I think they're rather like purple sprouting broccoli in flavour, which is one of my favourites.
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Post by skarloey on Nov 15, 2006 10:39:28 GMT
Well I'm certainly looking forward to the tops now...... BUT.....
...... does anyone know if I should pull the leaves off to let the sprouts grow bigger!? ;D
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Post by 4pygmies on Nov 15, 2006 10:44:55 GMT
You could try removing some leaves but I shouldn't take too many as they do protect the sprouts from weather damage. With the unseasonal temperatures your sprouts have got a bit confused so unless you're in a desperate hurry to eat them I should let them bulk up in their own time really!
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Post by skarloey on Nov 15, 2006 10:49:21 GMT
Thanks 4P That makes perfect sense. Patience, patience, patience! |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2006 19:36:05 GMT
I absolutely adore Brussels Sprouts hmmmm.
Commercial gardeners remove the leaves to accelerate harvest, but this practice is not essential in the home garden. Some gardeners believe that the sprouts develop better if the lowermost six to eight leaves are removed from the sides of the stalk as the sprouts develop. Two or three additional leaves can be removed each week, but several of the largest, healthiest, fully expanded upper leaves should always be left intact on top to continue feeding the plant.
About 3 weeks before harvest, the plants may be topped (the growing point removed) to speed the completion of sprout development on the lower-stem area. I usually cook the tops same as cabbage and it's really delicious even non-sprout eaters would be surprised that it doesn't taste like sprouts at all. I've also seen sprout tops sold in Tesco's as a veg!
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Post by skarloey on Dec 10, 2006 19:08:45 GMT
Sorry Ziggywigs, I've only just seen this reply. Thanks for the advice. Now, what do you know about white blister type things all over my later sprouts? The ones ready now don't have it...... yet!  |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2006 20:44:32 GMT
If you have got White Blisters this is from Albugo candida pathogen and is spread by wind and insects....commonly known as white blister rust. What variety were you growing? You may need to grow a resistant strain. Probably the warmer (for time of year) with the wetter weather has allowed this to flourish. More information here and pictures to see if you have indeed got this....there's no chemical control i'm afraid and your only option if you've got this is to rip out and burn the plants affected otherwise it will spread very quickly and to other brassicas. No chemical control available for it. www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0201/white_blister.asp |
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Post by skarloey on Dec 12, 2006 14:30:43 GMT
Hi ZW,
Nope, it's not that. These are big blisters, some about 5mm across. I'd take a photo but OH has the camera in his car. I just went out for another look and I suspect it may be some sort of insect as the leaves have been demolished. The sprouts themselves also seem to be being attacked and have not formed properly.
Shame I won't be getting anything from them but interesting none the less. I did say as this was my first year of growing anything, that I couldn't wait for the successes (which there have been quite a few) AND learning from the failures (which there have been a couple! ;D)
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), it's supposed to quicken the maturity of the sprouts - whether this is true or an old wives tale I'm not sure, actually shouldn't that be an old allotment tale!! ;D Maybe worth an experiment
