Sprouts, especially red ones

[rustylady]

Has anyone had any success with the free red sprout seeds given away with Grow Your Own earlier this year?

Mine are looking pathetic - they started off really well, then they got caterpillars that I couldn't keep up with. The weather really didn't help, cold wet spring, hot dry summer, then autumn was wet and warm.

Went to the lottie today (have been away for too long, new grandson with a few medical problems, but he's doing OK now). Sprouts now have whitefly by the million, and some really cheeky snails tucked in amongst the leaves. Plants looking better but the sprouts are no bigger than my little fingernail.

[JazzDuke]

How big should they be at this time?

[Earthbabe]

RL mine are through but looked a bit hit and miss last time I was at the lottie which was admittedly three weeks ago (lots of reasons).

[rustylady]

Thought sprouts should be about ready by now - they're winter veg after all. I just keep seeing those great big stalks of sprouts for sale on the markets and mine are nothing like that

[Earthbabe]

It depends on the variety RL, some won't be ready till December/January at the earliest. I think the ones from the mag are later ones.

[Snadger]

I have sprout plants 4'0" high with snails on the top leves! Given the speed of a snail it must have sat on a leaf near the bottom and just waited til it grew!

[rustylady]

I have sprout plants 4'0" high with snails on the top leves! Given the speed of a snail it must have sat on a leaf near the bottom and just waited til it grew!

Snails are a bit like tortoises, Snadger. It's just false publicity that says they're slow. You just sit out there in the dark with a flashlight and watch the little buggers go!

[Waffler]

I sowed the free GYO seeds and my plants look pathetic. There's no sign of any sprouts on them. To me they look like pathetic cabbages which haven't hearted up. I've left them in because I don't need the ground for anything else, and I still live in hope that we may end up getting a meal's worth one day. However, the fact that you've got sprouts - even if they are only the size of your little finger nail - makes me think I'm wasting my time, as there's no sign of any sprouts! What's gone wrong?

[SueA]

Mine are the same Waffler, I only planted out 3 of the GYO sprout plants in my mini veg. plot to see how they went, I put little cabbage collars around them & have watched them grow from tiny little stalks to slightly bigger little stalks with hats on! No sign of any sprouts, I did grow normal green sprouts o.k. once in the past so I'm not sure why these haven't worked but I think my plot is too small for them really.

[Crazy Chickie]

Mine are about the same size as yours RL, maybe a little smaller but they went in late as we had a wild windy spring with very heavy rain. They should be ready for xmas though

[Alison]

Never got around to planting mine - OH subscribes to the theory that they are the food of the devil - quite glad I didn't bother now!

[Earthbabe]

Never got around to planting mine - OH subscribes to the theory that they are the food of the devil - quite glad I didn't bother now!

How does that one run Alison?

[Alison]

Nothing sinister, he just can't stand them and claims they're evil tasting (therefore food of the devil, weak I know!) - he'll eat pretty much any other veggie so it's not too much of a hassle although as I love sprouts we end up cooking an extra veg for him - have the same thing when he eats sweetcorn, never could trust it considering it passes through your body without change!

[Earthbabe]

RL - I took a look at our red brussels last week when on the lottie. The growth of leaf and stem is good but our sprouts are still very small too. They look healthy enough and I know things went in a little late (as with everything on the lottie this year).

[Mildew]

Nothing sinister, he just can't stand them and claims they're evil tasting (therefore food of the devil, weak I know!)

Couldn't agree with your OH more, Alison. I call them the devil's nads. Nasty things they are, but I'm growing some anyway.