The secret of Brussels EVERY NE will like
Can’t stand those bitter green balls? Just try growing them yourself
MY IN- LAWS will rise early tomorrow and walk to t heir allotment to gather vegetables for our Christmas l unch. They will return with parsnips, leeks and best of all, a freshly cut stalk of Brussels sprouts, laden with scores of bright green buttons.
These home- grown sprouts are far superior to those large, spongy, slightly bitter ones sold in shops. In fact, I reckon their sweet, nutty flavour could convert even a diehard sprout hater.
To experience them at their best, parboil, then halve them and sauté in butter with diced chorizo and chopped chestnuts.
Sprouts take up to eight months to reach maturity, so if you want to grow your own for next Christmas, place an order for seeds once the festive period is over and prepare t he ground for planting in spring.
Sprouts belong to the brassica family and they are something of a superfood. They are a great source of Vitamins K and A, and, gram for gram, contain nearly 50 per cent more Vitamin C than oranges.
They are low in calories, high in fibre and packed full of antioxidants and minerals.
In my opinion, these plants aren’t just edibles suitable for the allotment. Their tall stems clothed with sprouts arranged in a tight, spiral-like pattern are highly attractive and look great towering above ornamentals in a bed or border.
Although sprouts are synonymous with Christmas, you can enjoy them for seven months by growing a mixture of early, midseason and late varieties which provide pickings from August until spring.
For those who can’t wait until Christmas, early varieties such as ‘ Brigitte’ and ‘Evesham’ are a must. If you want festive sprouts, go for ‘ Trafalgar’, ‘ Brenden’, ‘Bosworth’ or ‘Rubine’, a cracking heirloom type with purplish stems and leaves. The best late varieties include ‘ Napoleon’, ‘ Camelot’, ‘ Braemar’ and ‘ Attwood’, an RHS award of garden merit holder. Sow seeds indoors from February to May, depending on variety. Use a modular tray divided into cells and fill it with multi- purpose compost. Sow three seeds per cell, cover with a thin layer of vermiculite and pop in a label. Water and place t he tray in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. After germination, pull out the weakest seedlings, leaving one strong one in each cell. They are ready for planting out once roots appear through the drainage holes in the base. Set plants 2ft apart if you are growing in rows, water well, and give them a drink in dry spells. Like all brassicas, sprouts do best in neutral to alkaline ground. If you have acidic soil, sprinkle garden lime over the surface two months or so before planting. This will reduce the risk of club root, a fungal disease that is more prevalent in acidic soil, causing stunted growth and wilting.
For a selection of seeds, visit Suttons Seeds (suttons.co.uk), Thompson & Morgan (thompson-morgan.com) or Mr Fothergills (mr-fothergills.co.uk).