How to Grow Brussels Sprouts
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Learning how to grow brussels sprouts starts with the calendar. The plants need a long, cool season, so the goal is to have sprouts forming as the weather turns cool in fall. The University of Illinois Extension, Iowa State University Extension and the University of Arkansas all publish home-garden guidance for this crop. Their advice agrees on the big points, but their spacing, leaf-removal and storage advice differs, and this guide notes each difference.
Quick answer
- Start seed indoors 4 to 5 weeks before planting out, then set transplants out from late spring to midsummer, depending on your region.
- Aim for sprouts that mature in cool weather, since the Arkansas sheet says the crop produces best when daytime temperatures average about 65°F or less.
- Keep the soil evenly moist, water with soaker hoses or drip lines where you can, and mulch with 2 to 3 inches of straw or shredded leaves.
- Pick firm sprouts 1 to 1½ inches across, starting from the bottom of the stalk, since Illinois links hot or dry growing conditions to bitterness.
Brussels sprouts need a long, cool season
Brussels sprouts are a hardy, slow-growing vegetable in the cabbage family, and all three sources stress timing. Illinois says the crop is long-season, although newer hybrids have reduced that requirement. It also notes that summers in most of the country are usually too warm for satisfactory spring plantings. Iowa State makes the same point from another angle: “Brussels sprouts are best started by seed indoors, and transplants are planted in the garden in late spring for a fall harvest.” Iowa adds that there is not enough time to fit both a spring and a fall crop into one growing season.
The Arkansas sheet supports fall planting as the usual choice. It says that the cool weather of fall and early winter suits these plants, and that fall planting is generally the best. For a late spring harvest in Arkansas, it suggests transplanting in late winter. Illinois agrees that fall production is the most practical and rewarding choice in most parts of the country. Timing also depends on frost. Illinois advises transplanting at least 90 to 100 days before the first frost date for your area, and the Iowa schedule of early to mid-May planting applies only to central Iowa.
A side-by-side look at the figures
The table lines up the figures from the three sources. A cell that says not stated means that publication does not give that figure.
| Figure | Iowa State | Illinois | Arkansas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spacing within the row | 18 to 24 inches | 24 to 36 inches; 24 inches in all directions in beds | 12 to 18 inches in the summary line; 24 inches in the planting section |
| Spacing between rows | 24 to 30 inches | Not stated | 24 to 30 inches |
| Seed depth | Not stated | 1/4 to 1/2 inch | 1/4 to 1/2 inch |
| Soil pH | 6 to 7 | Not stated | 5.8 to 6.8 |
| Days to harvest | 85 to 110 days after transplanting | Not stated | 90 to 95 days for the listed cultivars |
| Refrigerator storage | Perforated bag, up to 3 to 5 weeks | A day or two | 32°F and 95 percent humidity, 4 to 6 weeks |
In-row spacing runs from 12 inches to 36 inches across the three publications, and the Arkansas sheet gives two different in-row numbers. Storage advice ranges from a day or two to six weeks.
Choose the site and the soil
Iowa State describes the site as fertile, moist and well drained, with a soil pH between 6 and 7, and it says the planting site should receive at least 6 hours of direct sun each day. Arkansas gives a similar picture: a sunny spot, well-drained loam, rich fertility, a pH of 5.8 to 6.8, and a cool setting with soil that is kept moist. Arkansas lists the crop as a heavy feeder.
Iowa State also advises rotation: plant cole crops in a given area only once every three or four years. For layout ideas that fit several crops in one bed, see our guide to raised bed companion planting and garden layout, and for other crops that suit a bed of this kind, see vegetables to plant in raised beds.
Start seed or buy transplants
Illinois says to sow seed in a protected location in seed flats four to five weeks before transplanting. Iowa State gives the same four to five week window, and adds that you can buy young, stocky transplants instead. The Arkansas sheet also suggests sowing in a protected spot in the garden, four or five weeks before transplanting.
Whichever route you take, harden the young plants before they go into the bed. Iowa State says to acclimate transplants outdoors for several days before planting. Start them in a shady, protected place and move them gradually into longer periods of sun. Illinois adds that transplants should not become stunted in the flats before planting, and it suggests transplanting when the seedlings are about 3 inches tall.
Set the spacing and depth
For seed, cover it only 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, as both Illinois and Arkansas advise. The spacing advice differs, so start with the range that suits your bed and check it against the variety you chose. Iowa State gives 18 to 24 inches apart within the row, with rows about 24 to 30 inches apart. Illinois gives 24 to 36 inches apart in the row, or 24 inches in all directions in a bed. The Arkansas sheet gives 12 to 18 inches in its summary line and 24 inches in its planting section.
The sources do not say which spacing gives the highest yield in a home garden, so the choice is yours within their ranges.
Water, mulch and weed steadily
Water is where the sources sound most urgent. The Arkansas sheet puts it plainly: “Without ample soil moisture, the crop will fail.” Iowa State says most cole crops have shallow root systems and need weekly irrigation if rain does not supply one inch of water per week. It recommends soaker hoses or drip irrigation, because those systems keep water off the foliage. Watering only the root zone also limits the weeds that can germinate in the open soil between plants.
Mulch helps the same goal. Iowa State recommends a 2 to 3 inch layer of straw, dry grass clippings or shredded leaves, which controls weeds and conserves soil moisture. Arkansas recommends shallow cultivation and mulch for weed control, and says to cultivate shallowly around the plants to avoid root damage. Illinois pairs one nitrogen side-dress at 12 inches tall with watering to keep the crop growing vigorously in summer heat.
Feed the plants on a schedule
Arkansas calls Brussels sprouts a heavy feeder, and the three sources give different starting points. Iowa State says that without a soil test, you should apply one to two pounds of an all-purpose garden fertilizer such as 10-10-10 per 100 square feet, worked into the top 4 to 6 inches of soil before planting. About three to four weeks after planting, it suggests a small amount of the same fertilizer broadcast in a band along one side of each row. Iowa State also recommends a soil test for more precise figures.
Arkansas and Illinois both focus on nitrogen as a side-dress. Arkansas says to apply one side-dress of nitrogen when the plants are 12 inches tall, then every three to four weeks, and it notes that sandy soils or periods of heavy rain call for feeding every three weeks. Illinois gives one side-dress of nitrogen when the plants reach 12 inches. The schedules are close enough to combine: a starter application at planting, then nitrogen once the plants reach a foot tall.
Top the plants and handle the leaves
Topping, which means removing the growing point at the top of the stalk, is the one step where the sources give a clear schedule. Iowa State says to remove the top growing point when the lower sprouts are about 1/2 to 3/4 inch across, and to do it less than 60 days before harvest. Illinois says the plants may be topped about three weeks before harvest, to finish the sprouts on the lower stem. The Arkansas sheet adds a warning for spring crops: pinching the growing point hastens sprout development and earlier harvest, but it reduces the yield by about one-third.
Leaf removal is where the sources disagree most. Iowa State says not to strip the lower leaves, because they are needed for further growth. Illinois says commercial growers remove leaves to speed the harvest, but that this is not essential in a home garden, and it notes that some gardeners remove the lowest six to eight leaves on the sides of the stalk so the sprouts develop better. Arkansas says removing the lower leaves speeds harvest but is not necessary at home. Your choice here depends on how much you want to hurry the harvest.
Watch for common pests and diseases
Brussels sprouts share the common cabbage-family pests. Iowa State describes cabbageworms as greenish caterpillars that chew large, irregular holes in leaves, and it describes flea beetles as small, shiny black beetles that leave small, round holes called shothole damage. Iowa notes that minor flea beetle damage has little effect on yield. Aphids can gather among the small heads, according to Iowa State. Arkansas lists three cabbageworm species, including the imported cabbage worm, cabbage looper and diamondback worm, and it names the cabbage looper as a severe pest of this crop.
Arkansas also names two bacterial diseases, blackleg and blackrot, which it says spread through seed, transplants and insects. Blackrot shows up as large, V-shaped yellow-to-brown areas on the leaves that start at the leaf edge. For yellows, the sheet notes that yellowing and browning of the lower leaves is the first sign of the disease, and it advises growing varieties resistant to yellows. This guide does not give treatment steps for any of these problems, and the sources do not give a home-garden spray schedule.
Harvest the sprouts from the bottom up
Iowa State says to harvest individual sprouts or buds from the base of the plant as they become solid. Buds should be 1 to 1½ inches across, tender and green. Illinois agrees on the size and adds that sprouts can be picked or cut when they are firm, and that the lower sprouts mature first.
Light frost helps the flavor. Iowa State says that one or more light frosts improve the flavor of Brussels sprouts, and Illinois says the sprouts grow best in cool or lightly frosty weather. Hot or dry weather works the other way: Illinois warns that sprouts maturing in hot weather or under dry conditions are more likely to develop bitterness. Arkansas adds that hot weather can keep the sprouts from forming compact heads. Yield estimates also differ. Iowa State gives 7 to 10 pounds per 10-foot row with good management, and Arkansas gives 10 to 18 pounds per 10 feet of row.
Store the sprouts with care
Storage advice conflicts across the three sources. Iowa State says sprouts can be placed in a perforated plastic bag and kept in the refrigerator for up to three to five weeks. Illinois says refrigerator storage should not go beyond a day or two, and it recommends storing fresh, unwashed sprouts in plastic bags in the vegetable bin. Arkansas gives a longer figure under cold, humid conditions: 32°F and 95 percent relative humidity, for four to six weeks. The sources do not agree on one storage time.
How we chose
We chose three university or extension publications that cover Brussels sprouts as a home-garden crop, and that we opened and read on 2026-10-23 with an HTTP 200 response. Iowa State’s guidance is written for Iowa, Illinois’s for Illinois, and the Arkansas sheet for Arkansas, so each figure in the table is tied to its own publication. We left out retail, general article and seed-catalog pages. We also skipped one university page that returned an error when we opened it.
What we could not verify
The sources we opened do not give one set of figures for every region, and the table above shows where they differ. This guide names no cultivar and recommends no product.
What the sources do not say
The sources do not give a planting date for a specific city, county or frost zone, and Iowa’s schedule applies only to central Iowa. The sources do not say which spacing gives the best yield in a home bed. They do not give a home-garden fertilizer rate for a bed that already has a soil test, and they do not give a spray schedule for insect or disease problems. The Arkansas sheet’s in-row spacing is given two ways, and the sources do not say which one is correct for a specific cultivar.
Frequently asked questions
When should Brussels sprouts be planted?
Plant so the sprouts mature in cool weather. Arkansas says fall planting is generally best, and Illinois says to transplant at least 90 to 100 days before the first frost date in your area.
How far apart do Brussels sprouts need to be?
The sources give different ranges. Iowa State says 18 to 24 inches apart in the row, Illinois says 24 to 36 inches, and the Arkansas sheet gives 12 to 18 inches in its summary and 24 inches in its planting section.
Do Brussels sprouts need a light frost?
Iowa State says one or more light frosts improve the flavor, and Illinois says the sprouts grow best during cool or lightly frosty weather. Illinois treats hot weather as the problem to avoid.
Should the lower leaves be removed?
The sources disagree. Iowa State says not to strip the lower leaves, while Illinois and Arkansas say removing them speeds harvest but is not essential in a home garden.
How long do Brussels sprouts keep in the refrigerator?
The answer depends on the source. Iowa State says up to three to five weeks in a perforated bag, Illinois says no more than a day or two, and Arkansas gives four to six weeks under cold, humid conditions.
Sources
- https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/growing-brussels-sprouts-home-garden (opened 2026-10-23)
- https://extension.illinois.edu/gardening-site/brussels-sprouts (opened 2026-10-23)
- https://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/PDF/FSA-6005.pdf (opened 2026-10-23)
