Organic Brussels Sprout Marte F1 plugs - Brassica oleracea gemmifera

The Marte F1 Brussels Sprout is an excellent hybrid variety, both early, disease-resistant, high-yielding and with very good garden performance. The plant, which can become spectacular, produces particularly large, round and tight Brussels sprout, of a bright green colour. The plug plants of this variety are certified organic. They are planted in May and June, for a harvest in November-December.

The Brussel Sprout is a vegetable whose axillary buds are consumed, forming small heads.  The Brussel Sprout belongs to the large Brassicaceae family (formerly Cruciferae), like other Cabbages: Cauliflower, Broccoli, Smooth-leafed Cabbage (or Dutch Cabbage), Savoy Cabbage, Green Cabbage or Curly Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Chinese Cabbage... The Brussel Sprout has the Latin name Brassica oleracea gemmifera. Latin enthusiasts will appreciate the name 'Gemmifera' which refers to gemstones.

Originating, unsurprisingly, from Belgium, this cabbage is a hybrid developed in the 14th century by market gardeners from Saint-Gilles (a municipality in the near outskirts of Brussels), concerned with increasing their productivity. Indeed, growing vertically, the Brussel Sprout takes up little space on the ground and allows for abundant harvests in a minimum of space.

An autumn and winter vegetable par excellence, the Brussel Sprout has a mild, slightly sweet, and very comforting flavour. Carefully cooked, its delicate taste pairs well with bacon, smoked bacon, and chestnuts. It can be consumed cooked, sautéed, braised or even gratinized... Quickly steamed, it is also excellent cold in salads. It is a vegetable rich in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins C and B.

The Brussel Sprout is a much less demanding vegetable than the majority of cabbages, it likes the sun and moderately rich soil, especially without excess nitrogen. Soil that is too generously fertilized would result in the production of too small, open, or burst heads.

Harvest: Brussel Sprouts are harvested by starting from the bottom of the stem and cutting the small heads with a knife. The harvest extends from September to December depending on the varieties.

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

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