How to Grow Brussels Sprouts Canada

On this page
  1. Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group)
  2. Regional Planting Calendar
  3. Quick Facts
  4. At a Glance
  5. Soil & Growing Conditions
  6. Growth Stages
  7. Harvest & Storage
  8. Diseases
  9. Pests
  10. Companion Planting
  11. Recommended Varieties
  12. Plan your Brussels Sprouts planting
  13. Growing Brussels sprouts in another region
  14. Sources
  15. Frequently Asked Questions

In Canada, brussels sprouts planted out mid June to early July, and are ready to harvest 108–142 days after sowing.

Timing is the decision that matters most in Canada: there are 6 separate regional planting out windows, ranging from early May in Far North & Alpine to late July in Pacific Coastal Mild.

The short answer

Plant out
Mid June to early July
Ready in
108–142 days
Site
6+ hours of sun, soil pH 6.5–7
Biggest risk
Club root

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural sources — see References.

Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group)

A row of Brussels sprout plants with sprouts visible up the stems. Photo: Schlaghecken Josef, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Also known as: Sprouts · 9 sources cited · Verified

Regional Planting Calendar

Region Plant out
Central Continental derived mid June to early July
Prairies & Short-Season Continental derived late May to mid June
Pacific Coastal Mild derived late July to mid August
Far North & Alpine derived early May to late May
Atlantic Maritime derived late June to mid July
Inland Valleys & Southern Lakes derived late June to mid July

Rows marked derived are interpolated between regions our sources do state, because no source we consulted gives a figure for that region specifically. They are deliberately wider to reflect that uncertainty.

Central Continental - detail & sources

DERIVED from this region's own frost normal, not quoted for the region. Plant in early summer for a fall crop; 90-110 days to maturity, and frost improves flavour rather than ending the crop - the plant is not seriously damaged by temperatures below freezing. Count back from your first fall frost. Applied to a mean last frost of 30 April (NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 for the USA; Environment and Climate Change Canada normals for Canada), that gives 19 June to 9 July. Your own local frost date is what matters — a region spans a range, and this figure comes from one representative station within it.

Prairies & Short-Season Continental - detail & sources

DERIVED from this region's own frost normal, not quoted for the region. Plant in early summer for a fall crop; 90-110 days to maturity, and frost improves flavour rather than ending the crop - the plant is not seriously damaged by temperatures below freezing. Count back from your first fall frost. Applied to a mean last frost of 21 May (NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 for the USA; Environment and Climate Change Canada normals for Canada), that gives 28 May to 17 June. Your own local frost date is what matters — a region spans a range, and this figure comes from one representative station within it.

Pacific Coastal Mild - detail & sources

DERIVED from this region's own frost normal, not quoted for the region. Plant in early summer for a fall crop; 90-110 days to maturity, and frost improves flavour rather than ending the crop - the plant is not seriously damaged by temperatures below freezing. Count back from your first fall frost. Applied to a mean last frost of 18 March (NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 for the USA; Environment and Climate Change Canada normals for Canada), that gives 23 July to 12 August. Your own local frost date is what matters — a region spans a range, and this figure comes from one representative station within it.

Far North & Alpine - detail & sources

DERIVED from this region's own frost normal, not quoted for the region. Plant in early summer for a fall crop; 90-110 days to maturity, and frost improves flavour rather than ending the crop - the plant is not seriously damaged by temperatures below freezing. Count back from your first fall frost. Applied to a mean last frost of 5 June (NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 for the USA; Environment and Climate Change Canada normals for Canada), that gives 7 May to 27 May. Your own local frost date is what matters — a region spans a range, and this figure comes from one representative station within it.

Atlantic Maritime - detail & sources

DERIVED from this region's own frost normal, not quoted for the region. Plant in early summer for a fall crop; 90-110 days to maturity, and frost improves flavour rather than ending the crop - the plant is not seriously damaged by temperatures below freezing. Count back from your first fall frost. Applied to a mean last frost of 7 May (NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 for the USA; Environment and Climate Change Canada normals for Canada), that gives 30 June to 20 July. Your own local frost date is what matters — a region spans a range, and this figure comes from one representative station within it.

Inland Valleys & Southern Lakes - detail & sources

DERIVED from this region's own frost normal, not quoted for the region. Plant in early summer for a fall crop; 90-110 days to maturity, and frost improves flavour rather than ending the crop - the plant is not seriously damaged by temperatures below freezing. Count back from your first fall frost. Applied to a mean last frost of 30 April (NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 for the USA; Environment and Climate Change Canada normals for Canada), that gives 28 June to 18 July. Your own local frost date is what matters — a region spans a range, and this figure comes from one representative station within it.

Quick Facts

Factor Value
Soil pH 6.5 - 7
Sunlight 6-10 hours direct sun
Optimal growing temp 12-20°C
Minimum survivable temp -5°C
Time to harvest 108-142 days
Soil texture RHS: "fertile, well-drained, firm soil". Firmness matters because the plants are top-heavy.
Drainage RHS: well-drained; a "sunny location".
Lifecycle biennial (requires two growing seasons, but treated as an annual)
Edible parts sprouts, young leaves (sprout tops)

At a Glance

Brassica oleracea Gemmi… Brussels sprouts Club root Damping-off (seedling c… Alternaria leaf blight Downy mildew (general) Black rot of brassicas Cabbage root fly (US: c… Cabbage caterpillars Mealy cabbage aphid Cabbage looper Imported cabbageworm Harlequin bug Cabbage webworm Diamondback moth caterp… Cross-striped cabbagewo… DISEASES PESTS

Soil & Growing Conditions

Young Brussels sprouts on the stem covered in frost — “Rosenkohl bei minus 5°C” by Schlaghecken Josef is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Rosenkohl bei minus 5°C” by Schlaghecken Josef is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Water: RHS: "Water young plants regularly, never letting the soil dry out"; apply a nitrogen-rich fertiliser in June or July on poor soil. Univ. of Maryland: "Keep watered during the heat of summer; needs ample soil moisture".

Soil pH range

6.5 7

Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.

Growth Stages

Stage BBCH Notes
Germination & seedling 0 Sprouts are raised from seed sown about 1–2cm deep in spring, usually in a seedbed or modules rather than sown where they crop (RHS: sow March–April). Seed germinates in about a week in warm soil; grow plants on to sturdy young transplants of roughly 10–15cm with several true leaves before moving them. Harden off module-raised plants first.
Vegetative growth (transplanting & leafing) 3 Transplant from late spring into very firm, fertile soil, spacing plants about 60cm apart each way (RHS) — roughly 24–30in (Univ. of Maryland) — to give these big plants room. Firm the soil hard around each plant: loose ground produces loose, 'blown' sprouts. Water in well, keep weed-free, feed for strong leafy growth, and net against pigeons and cabbage white caterpillars.
Sprout formation (buttoning up the stem) 4 Small sprouts begin to form in the leaf axils and swell up the stem from the base towards the top. Keep plants firmly anchored and evenly watered; earth up the stems or stake plants on windy sites to stop them rocking, which loosens the sprouts. Removing a few yellowing lower leaves improves airflow.
Harvest (bottom-up over winter) 8 Start picking from the bottom of the stem upwards once the lowest sprouts are firm, tightly closed and about walnut-sized (RHS), usually from autumn onward. Flavour improves after the first frosts (Univ. of Maryland). Snap or cut sprouts a few at a time; a single stem crops over many weeks, and whole stems can also be cut for storage.

Harvest & Storage

Firm, tightly closed Brussels sprouts packed along cut stalks, ready to harvest — “Brussels sprouts on the stalk closeup” by Jeffery Martin is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Brussels sprouts on the stalk closeup” by Jeffery Martin is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

When to pick: RHS: pick sprouts at the "size of a walnut, firm and still tightly closed" and "bright green", before "sprouts start to open or turn yellow". Univ. of Maryland: harvest when "hard, compact, deep green, and about 1 to 1½ inches in diameter", adding "Harvest sprouts after frosty weather for best flavor".

Storage

Univ. of Maryland: "Very cold (32 degrees F), moist (95% RH) conditions. For best flavor, refrigerator storage should not exceed a day or two, but they will keep 3 to 5 weeks. Can be blanched and frozen to keep up to one year". RHS: stand the stem in water for a few days, or hang it in a cool, frost-free garage or shed.

Diseases

Plasmodiophora brassicae

RHS names Brussels sprouts explicitly among club root hosts.

Damping-off (seedling collapse)
medium

Rhizoctonia solani

Damping-off (seedling collapse at soil line); Wilting with chlorotic, dropping leaves

Seed that rots before emergence, or seedlings collapsing at the soil line. A transplant-raising problem more than a bed problem: use fresh commercial mix, containers cleaned with a 10% bleach solution, and…

Alternaria leaf blight
medium

Alternaria dauci

Brown circular spots with concentric target rings, and small dark stem lesions on seedlings. Active between 60 and 90°F in moist conditions and overwinters on crop residue, so clearing the bed at season end plus a…

Downy mildew (general)
medium

Grey mould on the underside of the leaf with yellowing, later browning, on the upper surface directly above it. A moisture problem rather than a heat one: space widely so leaves dry, and water at soil level.

Black rot of brassicas
high

Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris

Yellow V-shaped lesions cutting in from the leaf margin, with the point of the V aimed at a vein; the veins blacken and the rot can reach the stem. Seed- and transplant-borne, so it usually arrives on bought plants…

Pests

Cabbage root fly (US: cabbage maggot)

Delia radicum

RHS names Brussels sprout explicitly; maggots occasionally tunnel into individual sprout buttons.

Cabbage caterpillars

Pieris brassicae; Pieris rapae; Pieris napi; Mamestra brassicae; Plutella xylostella

RHS: affects "All edible brassicas, including cabbage, broccoli and sprouts".

Mealy cabbage aphid
medium

Brevicoryne brassicae

Piercing, sucking feeding causing yellowing, stunted growth and wrinkled or curled leaves, with sooty mould growing on the honeydew. Clemson notes they are commoner in autumn as the weather cools -- the opposite of…

Cabbage looper
high

Trichoplusia ni

Up to 1.5 inches, moving in the distinctive looping gait, and it makes far bigger holes than diamondback moth -- Clemson puts one looper at roughly the damage of five diamondback larvae, so finding one matters more.…

Imported cabbageworm
medium

Pieris rapae

About an inch long and recognisable by its fuzzy appearance; Clemson rates it at about two-thirds the damage of a looper. It pupates in a chrysalis on the host plant, so it can be removed with the plant.

Harlequin bug
medium

Murgantia histrionica

A shield bug with a striking reddish-orange and black pattern; the eggs look like tiny black-and-white striped barrels laid in rows, which makes them easy to find and destroy. Piercing-sucking feeding leaves distinct…

Cabbage webworm
medium

Hellula rogatalis

Small, tan and brown striped with a dark head. It webs itself into the new growth for protection and attacks the buds and growing point, which causes lateral budding and can ruin a plant that would otherwise have made…

Diamondback moth caterpillar
high

Plutella xylostella

Clemson calls it "the most serious insect pest of brassica crops in South Carolina" despite being small, up to half an inch. The tell is a window-pane effect: the caterpillar eats the underside and leaves the upper…

Cross-striped cabbageworm
medium

Evergestis rimosalis

Alternating black and white stripes across the back with a yellow stripe along the side, reaching about three-quarters of an inch. It hatches in masses and can rapidly skeletonise a plant, then drops to pupate just…

Companion Planting

avoid shared disease

Brassica rapa Rapifera Group

Both crops are documented hosts of Club root. These pathogens persist in soil for many years -- RHS gives up to 20 years for club root resting spores, at least 15 years for allium white rot sclerotia, and advises a five-year gap before replanting onions or shallots after downy mildew -- so the two…

avoid shared disease

Brassica napus Napobrassica Group

Both crops are documented hosts of Club root. These pathogens persist in soil for many years -- RHS gives up to 20 years for club root resting spores, at least 15 years for allium white rot sclerotia, and advises a five-year gap before replanting onions or shallots after downy mildew -- so the two…

avoid shared disease

Brassica oleracea Capitata Group

Both crops are documented hosts of Club root. These pathogens persist in soil for many years -- RHS gives up to 20 years for club root resting spores, at least 15 years for allium white rot sclerotia, and advises a five-year gap before replanting onions or shallots after downy mildew -- so the two…

avoid shared disease

Raphanus sativus

Both crops are documented hosts of Club root. These pathogens persist in soil for many years -- RHS gives up to 20 years for club root resting spores, at least 15 years for allium white rot sclerotia, and advises a five-year gap before replanting onions or shallots after downy mildew -- so the two…

avoid shared disease

Brassica oleracea Acephala Group

Plasmodiophora brassicae produces resting spores that contaminate the soil and remain viable for many years, so any brassica following an infected crop is re-infected from the ground itself. Keep every brassica -- including radish, swede and turnip, which gardeners often forget are brassicas --…

avoid shared disease

Brassica oleracea Italica Group

Plasmodiophora brassicae produces resting spores that contaminate the soil and remain viable for many years, so any brassica following an infected crop is re-infected from the ground itself. Keep every brassica -- including radish, swede and turnip, which gardeners often forget are brassicas --…

avoid shared disease

Brassica oleracea Botrytis Group

Plasmodiophora brassicae produces resting spores that contaminate the soil and remain viable for many years, so any brassica following an infected crop is re-infected from the ground itself. Keep every brassica -- including radish, swede and turnip, which gardeners often forget are brassicas --…

  • Peer Gynt — a classic early variety with tight, round sprouts from October; a compact, reliable choice across all UK regions.
  • Trafalgar F1 — an AGM winner with heavy yields of firm, well-flavoured sprouts from November to January, and good disease resistance.
  • Revenge F1 — a late-season variety harvesting January-March; very hardy, with excellent flavour after frost, useful for filling the "hungry gap".
  • Evesham Special — a traditional tall variety producing large numbers of small, sweet sprouts from November to January.

Plan your Brussels Sprouts planting

When to sow and plant Brussels Sprouts depends on your own frost dates. Check the Canada vegetable planting calendar, or the month-by-month guides that cover Brussels Sprouts: October, November. To work out where it fits in your beds, sketch your plot in the free Garden Layout Planner.

Growing Brussels sprouts in another region

Sowing dates, frost timing and local advice differ by country. Use the guide for where you garden.

Sources

The full list of 9 sources behind this guide (Clemson Cooperative Extension, FAO EcoCrop, Royal Horticultural Society and others) is in the references of our UK guide to brussels sprouts; they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I plant brussels sprouts out in Canada?

In Far North & Alpine, from early May. In Pacific Coastal Mild, wait until late July. Treat these as a guide rather than a fixed date — the governing rule is to plant out only once frost risk has passed and temperatures are reliably warm enough.

How long do brussels sprouts take to grow?

Typically 108–142 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.

What soil pH do brussels sprouts need?

A pH of about 6.5–7. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.

What problems affect brussels sprouts?

Our data links 5 diseases and 9 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.

Plan next season before the problems start

Short-season growing is arithmetic before it is technique: days to maturity against frost-free days decides what will finish at all. The Canada Garden Planner does that subtraction for your region before you sow.

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Instant PDF download · Written for Canadian growing conditions

SoilCommander Editorial Team — under the direction of Nitin Sharma, Co-Founder

Every growing guide is checked against RHS, USDA Cooperative Extension, and other named horticultural authorities before publishing.

How this guide is put together

The growing data on this page — sowing windows, pests, diseases, soil and site requirements — comes from named horticultural sources, listed in References below, checked against Canadian hardiness-zone and frost-date data, with provincial agriculture and university extension sources cited directly where one exists for a crop. An automated pipeline assembles that verified data into the page you're reading: it selects which facts to lead with and builds the surrounding prose and layout. It does not invent a date, a source or a number — where a verified value for a field isn't available, the page leaves it out rather than guessing. A person reviews and publishes each page; nothing goes live unverified.

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Last verified 2026-07-30

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