Can Brussel Sprouts be grown in Pots?: Definitely yes! Brussel sprouts can be grown in pots and planting them is not limited to the garden alone. This article will explain all you need to know about growing Brussel sprouts in pots.
Can Brussel Sprouts be grown in Pots
Brussel sprouts perform well in containers and can thrive on patios and on balconies with ease, growing vertically in the absence of additional support. To grow your Brussel sprouts in pots:
1) Choose your pot which can be 12 inches in diameter and 12 inches deep. Proceed to fill it with good quality potting soil
2) Plant your seed or seedling and keep the soil moist without having it waterlogged. Having your first inch of soil dry? Easy, it just needs watering.
3) Apply a slow-release fertilizer such as 15-30-15. Into a gallon of water, add one tablespoon of fertilizer and use every two weeks. Due to the fact that the plant is in a pot, the water leaches the nutrients out more easily, thus, having your plants fed more often is required.
4) When you notice the development of your sprouts, pull off the bottom 6 – 8 leaves on the plant stalk. Then, cut off the top of the stalk below the growing point which is near the tip. This helps in diverting more energy to the production of the sprouts.
Read also: How Many Brussel Sprouts Do You Get From One Plant?
Common Problems with Brussels Sprouts
1) Boron
This is a trace element on which Brussel sprouts rely on to develop their sprouts. Thus, in the absence of this element, there will be low yields as well as small buds and hollow stems.
If this happens, add one teaspoon of borax to 5 quarts of water and water your bed evenly. Avoid applying if you don’t notice the symptoms listed above.
2) Fungus
Sprouts can be infected by fungus such as powdery mildew and rust. Normally, this affects plants which are being overwatered, as well as plants not receiving enough sun.
You can also make use of fungicide or neem oil to treat the fungus. Crop rotation each season also helps a lot and can help prevent this issue.
When making use of a fungicide or insecticide, take proper caution by cleaning your sprouts well when you harvest them as they are usually very toxic substances which are known to be dangerous to people and pets.
Read also: How Tall Do Brussels Sprouts Grow?
3) Insects
Insects, such as aphids, cutworms, cabbage maggots, cabbage worm, diamondback moths, harlequin bugs can infest Brussel sprouts.
In all cases listed above, you can choose to physically remove the insects by hand or you can spray with insecticide or neem oil.
However, it is not totally advisable to spray with insecticide as it is harmful to the environment and can end up killing beneficial insects too. Thus, insecticide should always be your last option.
One last option to control the insects is planting mustard plants her your sprouts. This will help in drawing the insects away from the sprouts. Destroy the mustard plant afterwards.
Related: Learn about Brussel Sprouts Growing Problems
Conclusion
Growing Brussel sprouts is not limited to the garden alone as they can also be grown in pots. Following the steps explained in this article, you will have your sprouts successfully grown in pots.
