Brussels sprouts are a popular veggie choice, and many gardeners wonder how to grow Brussels sprouts indoors. With the increasing popularity of container gardening, many growers with limited space or a short growing season are interested in growing Brussel sprouts indoors.
Those who don’t have a garden, such as apartment dwellers or city livers, may still harvest fresh sprouts and grow Brussel sprouts at home in containers. A full sun location and a suitable growing container are the necessary supplies to grow your own Brussels sprouts plants.
Brussel sprouts grow on tall plants with large stalks, growing up and down the stems like miniature cabbages. Depending on your location’s environment, Brussel sprouts are a cool weather crop thriving when planted in the early spring or early fall for a late summer or early winter in a location with mild winters.
Can You Grow Brussel Sprouts Indoors – Yes
Brussels sprouts are a part of the cabbage family, Brassica oleracea, known as Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera. The veggies are delicious and versatile, like cabbage, kale, and collards. Growing Brussel sprouts in pots is easy and rewarding.
Brussels sprouts have a long maturation period, usually 90-100 days after planting seedlings. If you’ve been wondering, can you grow Brussel sprouts indoors, the answer is, absolutely. Fortunately, Brussel sprouts are relatively straightforward to produce and appropriate for all levels of grower.
Note that you can also grow bell peppers indoors, as well as tomatoes and a variety of other veggies as long as you care for them properly.
Types of Brussels Sprouts to Grow Inside
The first step in growing Brussel sprouts indoors is selecting the variety.
Whether you choose a colorful heirloom like the Red Rubine or a classic like the Catskill, select the variety most appropriate for the taste and look you hope to achieve.
Growing Brussel Sprouts Indoors – Planting Seeds
In colder climates, start Brussels sprouts seeds inside in early spring for transplanting to the garden at least four months before the first fall frost. Only plant after the last frost date has passed if you decide to grow your seeds outside. Row covers help protect crops in unexpected weather.
When growing seeds inside in controlled conditions, whether they are herbs to grow indoors or Brussels sprouts, any time of year is an excellent time to start growing Brussel sprouts indoors. Plant the seeds in high-quality potting soil or seed starter mix in a seed tray or peat pots. Cover the seed tray or peat pots with a plastic bag and put it in a warm, sunny location until the seeds germinate.
When seedlings grow their second set of small leaves, they are ready for transplanting into their final container home. Each Brussel sprout seedling requires a five-gallon container or larger with suitable drainage holes.
Fill the container with moist soil rich in organic matter and make a hole for your peat pot or seedling. For these best indoor vegetables, place the seedling in the earth and cover with the potting mix from the bottom up.
How to Grow Brussel Sprouts Indoors – Care
Place your container in a sunny area like a windowsill, and ensure it receives at least six hours of full sun each day. Brussel sprouts plants without adequate sunlight mature even more slowly and require a longer growing season than those receiving full sun.
As a cool season crop, well-draining moist soil is the key to an impressive yield when you harvest Brussels sprouts. Plan to provide 1-1 1/2 inches of water per week. A layer of mulch helps with water retention.
Harvest Brussels Sprouts
Harvesting Brussels sprouts take three or four months after transplanting them into their final containers. They grow in height first and don’t start sprouting until they’re nearly full grown.
Each sprout emerges from the axil or joint of the leaf. They mature from the bottom up, with sprouts forming low down first and working upward. When the lowest sprouts approach the size of large marbles, begin harvesting.
Brussel sprouts harvest time is the best part of the growing process. Pick your sprouts before they become too big and break and taste bitter. Prune the lower leaves on your plant as you harvest the sprouts to encourage the development of more sprouts up the stem.
If you have extras after picking Brussel sprouts, freezing or pressure canning Brussel sprouts are ways to preserve them.
Brussels Sprouts Pests
When considering, can you grow Brussel sprouts indoors, know that pests are a concern. Fortunately, growing Brussel sprouts indoors means less trouble with insects like cutworms, cabbage loopers, aphids, and cabbage worms.
Though less common, insect pests and fungal infections like clubroot and powdery mildew may still affect your plants inside. Check your plants often and treat them as soon as you observe pests to minimize the effect on your harvest.
Learning how to grow Brussel sprouts indoors is worthwhile, and growing Brussel sprouts indoors gives you access to fresh produce without worrying about changing climates or pests to enjoy tasty veggies any time of year.
If you’ve ever pondered, can you grow Brussel sprouts indoors, the answer is yes, and by following a few simple tips, you can have a large harvest from your Brussels sprout plants.
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