Buy red brussels sprout or Brassica oleracea (Gemmifera Group) 'Red Bull' brussels sprout 'Red Bull'

brussels sprout 'Red Bull'

Position: full sun
Soil: rich, firm soil with added lime if necessary

This wonderful heirloom variety not only tastes great, but looks good too. Too handsome to be confined just to the vegetable garden or allotment, it will make an unusual addition to the flower border. The purplish-red sprouts have a rich, nutty taste, and they will keep their colour quite well after being cooked, especially if lightly steamed or sauteed. An early cropping sprout, it is perfect for adding colour (and flavour) to the Christmas table.
Growing instructions: Sow seeds sparingly under cover into pots or seed trays of well-drained seed compost in spring. Pot on seedlings individually as they grow and gradually accustom to cooler temperatures before planting outside in May, spacing plants 60cm apart and firming in well. Keep well-watered, protect from slugs and net against pigeons. Growing plants under horticultural mesh or fleece prevents butterflies laying their eggs and so avoids caterpillar damage.
Sow: March-April
Harvest: September-December

Approximate quantity: 100 seeds