I'm in Missouri, z6 and we have very similar seasons. I've grown for 2 years now, only from starter plants. The starts were available 1st week of August. I find the heat of summer is difficult to start seeds. This year was ok production. Even though the cooler fall and early freezes happened this year, the sprouts stayed good. They just quit growing vegetatively.They were ready on Thanksgiving. I believe they were like 85 days. Also, a must is irrigation.
You may need more sunlight
My problem was loose heads from too much fertilizer

My pr

I did not have any luck finding Brussels sprouts seedlings.... if I plant transplants I will have to do them myself... but perhaps I should... idk.

Brussels Sprouts require cold exposure once the sprouts develop for their flavor development. Frost exposure, at least a couple of times, prior to harvest insures the best flavor. It also insures the best texture and storage time. That's why they are normally a late summer/early fall planting.

Some crops dictate their proper planting time regardless of when we may want to plant them. Brussels Sprouts is one of them. The search of this forum will pull up many discussions about them for more information.

Dave

PS: and you can easily start them from seed indoors out of the summer heat.

I have good results starting brussels sprouts seed in February, moving seedlings out into the coldframe late in March and planting them once they're acclimated to outdoor conditions. The first harvest is generally in late summer and plants continue to produce until well after frost. I also have the benefit of local nurseries that sell packs of brussels sprouts seedlings in summer so I plant those for later harvest (most of my current crop awaits picking, a pleasant chore I plant to do some of later today).

I'm dubious of that claim that you need to wait until after frost to get good flavor from brussels sprouts. The ones I harvest in late summer and early fall taste just fine.

What I'd really like to do is try it both ways... seems like I probably can in the same bed...

I think I will try planting a very early variety like Octia, start indoors in February, plant out in March, should get some edible Brussels by early June if the weather cooperates. Harvest and plant another round for Fall... how's that sound?

I haven't grown brussels sprouts as I'm not a fan of them. But I think you should focus on trying to get one good crop first or at least plant your spring and mid-summer plantings in different areas. If you try to plant in the same area, if the spring planting is delayed and/or if the development/harvest of the sprouts from the spring planting is late then it's going to delay the mid-summer planting which might result in not getting to harvest any sprouts in fall.

Rodney

Yes that's true, but I could always find somewhere else to plant them, I'm not concerned about that as there will be plenty coming out of the ground in June..... I am not planning to devote a huge amount of time and space to the sprouts, just a few plants...

Peter, you will get only one harvest season from the plants. I start seeds the first week of June for harvest in Oct and Nov.

Spring seedlings "blast" in midsummer due to hot weather and there is nothing to harvest -- waste of time and space.

As I said, the idea was to try and get to harvest before the midsummer heat, by using an 80 day variety and starting indoors well ahead of time. We'll see if I will try, only if I have the extra space.