Why aren't my Brussels sprout plants producing heads?

Whenever Brussels sprouts do not form heads, it usually corresponds with mistakes made as a novice gardener or mistakes that I have made myself. My first crop of Brussels sprouts were towers of leafy greens and I didn't manage to get a single sprout because I added nitrogen from chicken manure to the soil. Now, I test the soil exceptionally well each year before planting. Three primary reasons can be resolved immediately.

Soil testing eliminates the guesswork. My habit is to send soil samples to my state's extension service every 30 days of growth. When I received the results for August of last year, it was clear that my plants were experiencing a crippling deficiency of phosphorus levels, which I remedied by applying rock phosphate that I dug down about 8 inches deep. Within three weeks, the number of sprouts my plants produced tripled.

Watering practices can create crops or destroy them. My clay soil requires 1 gallon of water per plant every 3 days. Sandy plots? ½ gallon per day. But I still check my water in the soil two times per day: 7 AM moisture test and again 5 PM wilt check. Digital meters got me to stop overwatering.

It is more important to consider when to apply fertilizer rather than what to apply. I use fish emulsion when I plant, followed by bone meal at 4 weeks, and apply a kelp spray at 8 weeks. This is important because it stages the feeding of the roots first, and then the buds. Last fall, the harvest was double the previous season without any all-in-one fertilizer!

Read the full article: How to Grow Brussels Sprouts: Pro Tips for Big Harvests