Brussels sprouts

When the days grow darker in autumn, Brussels sprouts are a spot of bright green on the field and the plate. This dainty and tender member of the cabbage family provides us with an extra portion of vitamin C and minerals in winter.

Sativa maintains a Brussels sprout breeding program. Among them is the ProSpecieRara variety RUBINE, which is being revitalized in our fields. The aim is to increase the yield, which is generally lower for red varieties than for green varieties.

Brussels sprouts are a slow-growing type of cabbage with high nutritional requirements and are in season from October to January. In contrast to many other types of cabbage, Brussels sprouts develop their sweet, nutty taste only after a short period of frost, during which starch is converted into sugar. Modern varieties can already be harvested in autumn. If the floret don’t develop sufficiently in September/October, remove the central head. This promotes the growth of florets. For later harvest dates, topping is not recommended, as this makes the plants more sensitive to frost.