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Brussels Sprout Bedford - Brassica oleracea gemmifera

Brassica oleracea gemmifera Bedford
Brussels Sprout

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meets my expectations

Pierre D., 11/02/2020

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More information

A superb variety, early, productive and vigorous, that offers beautiful dark green buds from early autumn to Christmas. Sowing from March to April for a harvest from October to December.
Ease of cultivation
Beginner
Height at maturity
75 cm
Spread at maturity
50 cm
Soil moisture
Damp soil
Germination time (days)
7 days
Sowing method
Direct sowing, Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat
Sowing period March to April
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Harvest time October to December
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Description

The 'Bedford' Brussels Sprout is a superb variety, early, productive and vigorous, which offers beautiful dark green buds from early autumn to Christmas—sowing from March to April for a harvest from October to December.

The Brussels Sprout is a vegetable whose axillary buds, or "buttons", are consumed. This biennial vegetable, cultivated as an annual, belongs to the large family of Brassicaceae (formerly Cruciferae). It bears the Latin name Brassica oleracea gemmifera. Latin enthusiasts will appreciate "Gemmifera", which refers to precious stones.

Originating from Belgium, this cabbage is a hybrid developed in the 14th century by market gardeners from Saint-Gilles (a municipality in the nearby Brussels periphery) concerned with increasing their productivity. Indeed, growing vertically, Brussels Sprouts take up little space on the ground and thus allow for abundant harvests in a minimum of space.

An autumn and winter vegetable par excellence, Brussels Sprouts have a sweet, slightly sugary, and comforting flavour. Carefully cooked, their delicate taste pairs well with bacon, lard, and smoked breast but also with chestnuts. They can be cooked, sautéed, braised, or even gratin... Quickly steamed, they are also excellent cold in salads. They are vegetables rich in fibre, antioxidants, and vitamins C and B.

Brussels Sprouts are a much less demanding vegetable than the majority of cabbages. They thrive in the sun and moderately rich soil, especially in nitrogen. A too generously fertilised soil would produce too small, open, or burst sprouts.

Harvest: Brussels Sprouts are harvested by starting at the bottom of the stem and cutting the tiny sprouts with a knife.

Storage: Brussels Sprouts can be stored for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator's vegetable drawer. They can also be frozen well after being blanched in salted boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes.


The gardener's tip: The main enemy of cabbage, the Cabbage White (Pieris brassicae), is a pretty creamy white butterfly with small black spots that wakes up in April-May to wreak havoc all summer by devouring its leaves. Don't be caught off guard. Opt for prevention by installing insect-proof netting, tightly sealed on market garden hoops. These nets are easy to set up and reusable to protect, for example, your carrot and leek crops.

Harvest

Harvest time October to December
Type of vegetable Leaf vegetable
Size of vegetable Medium
Interest Flavour, Nutritional value, Productive

Plant habit

Height at maturity 75 cm
Spread at maturity 50 cm
Growth rate normal

Foliage

Foliage persistence Annual
Foliage colour medium green

Botanical data

Genus

Brassica

Species

oleracea

Cultivar

gemmifera Bedford

Family

Brassicaceae

Other common names

Brussels Sprout

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Annual / Perennial

Annual

Product reference22971

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Planting and care

Sowing:

The germination temperature of 'Bedford' Brussels Sprouts is between 7 and 20° and takes about 14 days.

It is sown from March to April for a harvest from October to December.

Plant preparation: Under heated shelter in late winter or a cold greenhouse in the garden for the rest of the year, sow the seeds at a depth of 1 cm (0in) in a good seed compost. Cover lightly with compost or vermiculite. Don't forget to keep the substrate moist but not waterlogged!

When the young plants appear strong enough to be handled, transplant them into pots if necessary and, for sowing under heated shelter, gradually acclimatise them to cooler temperatures before transplanting them to the garden when there is no longer any risk of frost.

Direct sowing: In suitably amended and finely worked soil, make furrows about one centimetre deep, spaced 65 cm (26in) apart. Sow the seeds and cover them with a thin layer of fine soil; when the seedlings are well developed, thin them out, keeping only one plant every 65 cm (26in) approximately.

Cultivation:

Brussels Sprouts are a less demanding vegetable than most cabbages, they thrive in moderately rich soil, especially in nitrogen. Soil that is too heavily manured would result in the production of small, open or burst sprouts.

They are not very tolerant regarding soil pH, which should be between 5.6 and 6.5. In acidic soil, it will be necessary to gradually raise this pH by adding calcium in the form of Dolomite or Lime.

Brussels Sprouts, like all cabbages, are quite susceptible to diseases such as Clubroot and pests (Cabbage White Butterfly, Cabbage Fly, Flea Beetle, Gall Midge...); this crop needs to practice crop rotation.

 

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Seedlings

Sowing period March to April
Sowing method Direct sowing, Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat
Germination time (days) 7 days

Care

Soil moisture Wet
Disease resistance Good
Pruning No pruning necessary

Intended location

Type of use Vegetable garden
Hardiness Hardy down to -29°C (USDA zone 5) Show map
Ease of cultivation Beginner
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Neutral
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light), 192
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