So what is the secret to larger sprouts????? Mine are 2-3 feet tall, and forming sprouts in the leaf axil, This year has been a great year for broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower so I am really jonesing to add real Brussels sprouts to my list.

This year I will try the leaf removal above to see how well that goes. Any thoughts on a foliar feeding now, September?

I've never removed a leaf before it yellows, but do top 1/2 the plants to get larger sprouts for thanksgiving. I also don't add any nutrients other than a good composting before planting.

I think that everyone has said it already, good fertility, good varieties and proper timing for that variety. I prefer the longer maturing varieties (120 days), so that I can get the plants up and growing before the hot summer months starts. The variety in the photo is "Cumulus".
-Mark

I usually plant out 6-8 week transplants in late May or early June, depending on weather... This year I planted Churchill F1, Johnny's, supposed to be 90 days. My garden has more shade than optimal, about 6-7 hours a day in best locations. So I usually look for shorter DTM and plan on 20% longer time to yield, so an October timeframe seemed reasonable for these plants. They are making sprouts, but MUCH smaller than yours. The cabbage planted in bed nearest Brussels are heading up nicely, and they were planted in July. Do they have significantly different soil fertility needs?

That being said, my other cole crops that we eat the flowers of: broccoli, and cauliflower, are doing splendidly, so I seem to have enough sun, and cool enough temps. Brocolli has almost gotten tiresome!!

We have only eaten 2 cauliflower, but I have minimal experience with whiteflowered crop so I am thrilled with any success. Picture following...

My sprouts seed the first week of May, transplant a month later. I'd think if you have good cabbage then your soil is fine for sprouts.
I hope they size up more.

-Mark

I have gorwn sprouts many times in SE WI. I transplant the
seedlings into the garden in May. They are very slow to
take off. I fertilize heavily and still they grow little.

I find they usually do much of nothing until August then they really start pushing the growth. I like to slowly trim off
the bottom leaves a few at a time each week. I do feel this
forces them to grow taller.

Once Sept 15-20th comes, I cut off the terminal bud of the plant. This stops any new growth for height and really makes those baby sprouts grow big in size.

They are best left til November to pick as a few frosts really sweeten them up. Some around here leave them in the ground and pick for their thanksgiving dinner if we have a
warm enough fall.

Any issues on bugs are best controlled with Bt. I spray weekly to control moth and looper as needed.

Mark: I am rolling in cabbage immediately next to the Brussels, and they are just starting to head up nicely. Which is good, cause we just started eating second planting of Caraflex from another bed. I parked them there, on a lasagna compost system, sans carpet, from last year. I didn't expect much, soil was very young, but they are great.
Our summer was cooler than usual, nights in low 60's, and hi 50's. Most days 70-80, with a week or so higher in August. Basically perfect broccoli weather. A local vegetable gardening friend told me to look at calcium in the soil. Does low calcium affect Brussels, but not cabbage, broccoli, or cauliflower? My memory says it is a trace nutrient... Off to check.
KateQ