Brussels Sprouts

I admit it. I flaked last year. I was all excited early Spring and by summer I had let things go to--well, you know. I did get some potatoes and shallots and my spring garden was great.

Anyway, after coming back from vacation last summer I pretty much took everything out except for my one Brussels sprout plant. I never earthed up, never staked, never did anything but let that sucker grow. Now it is huge, but the sprouts on it still seem very small. The bottom ones are whiteish.

How do I know if they are ready for my kitchen?
BTW I am Zone 7 Long Island, NY.

If they are looking like Brussels Sprouts, even if small then you can just snap off as many as you need for supper that night. The rest will keep out there on the stalk. I am glad you got some this year. In 2010 my Brussels sprouts went gang busters and were big and fat and wonderful. 2011 season they were meh, did nothing but grow huge 3 1/2 foot tall lots of foliage and no sprouts, even after I cut the top off, nuthin'! I think this was NOT the year of the BS in the northeast. I will try again next year.

Enjoy your BS!

Take your brussel sprouts off from the bottom of the stalk and work up wards , don't damage the tops as you can eat them when the sprouts are finished .

Sometimes you can even get secondary not so tight sprouts emerging from where you took earlier ones ... they are still edible greens.

My first time to try brussel sprouts ever! I noticed today there are little tiny buds beginning to show at the bottom of the stems! Whoo hooo, maybe I will actually get some brussel sprouts!!

I also found a tiny cauliflower head, little bigger than a half dollar, that I didn't realize was there! I've got to find a rubber band or something to tie up the leaves around it! My broccoli's coming along, so I have high hopes for that, too.

I just picked my first green beans, too! It's dark when I get home from work now, so some of them managed to sneak just a bit past pencil size since I was able to check last, but I'm hoping they'll still be good enough to eat.

I have lots of lettuce and have been enjoying being able to pick a salad any time I want. I've said it before, but I just have to say it again - I love fall gardening! Mel's Mix is great when you get it right!

Thanks. Tomorrow I will start harvesting them.

I hope you'll let us know how they turn out, gingeandhales! Are you supposed to "earth up" brussel sprouts? You mean pull the earth up around the bottom?