How to grow brussels sprouts
Brassica oleracea (Gemmifera) · Brassicaceae · Vegetable
When to plant brussels sprouts: the short answer
Start seeds indoors about 6 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out about 2 weeks before it; for a fall crop, sow about 16 weeks before your first fall frost. Seeds germinate in soil from 45 to 85°F, fastest near 75°F.
Cold winters (zone 5): plant out Apr 9 – Apr 26, or sow Jun 5 – Jun 22 for a fall crop. Mild winters (zone 9): sow Jul 31 – Aug 17 for fall and winter harvests; the spring window (Jan 30 – Feb 16) closes before the summer heat. Skip the hottest months for brussels sprouts. See every zone.
Brussels Sprouts is a cool-season vegetable in the Brassicaceae family, usually started indoors and set out as transplants. It wants full sun (six or more hours of direct light) and consistent moisture — it resents drying out. From sowing to first pick is about 90–120 days. It is one of the toughest crops here, standing through hard frost and often improving for it.
Grower’s note: A long-season fall crop - flavour sweetens after hard frost, so plant so it matures in cold weather, not summer. Pinching out the growing tip about 3 weeks before harvest evens up sprout size.
Sowing
Sow about 0.5″ deep, into soil between 45–85°F — germination is quickest near 75°F. It comes up fast (5–10 days). For an early crop, start seed indoors about 6 weeks before your last spring frost and grow it under bright light.
Spacing & layout
Give each plant about 24″ along the row with roughly 30″ between rows. On a square-foot grid that is one plant per 2 square feet. Allow at least 24″ of loose, workable soil for the roots. It grows well in containers at least 16″ deep.
Fitting it to your season
As a cool-season crop, brussels sprouts does its best growing in the mild weather of spring and fall and tends to bolt or turn bitter in summer heat. A second sowing in late summer, timed to mature as the weather cools, is usually the better crop of the year — and light frost only sweetens it.
Quick facts
Growth stages: how long brussels sprouts take to grow
From seed to first harvest takes roughly 17-21 weeks: about 4 weeks as a seedling indoors, then 90-120 days in the garden.
When to plant brussels sprouts
When to plant brussels sprouts by USDA zone
Dates worked out from each zone’s typical frost dates for 2026. Find your zone on the zone map, or pick your state below for dates from its own frost dates. Zones 11 and above are frost-free, so timing there depends on heat and rain instead.
| Zone | Last / first frost | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Fall or second sowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 15 / Sep 15 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Apr 24 – May 11 | May 16 – Jun 2 |
| Zone 4 | May 10 / Sep 25 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | Apr 19 – May 6 | May 26 – Jun 12 |
| Zone 5 | Apr 30 / Oct 5 | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | Apr 9 – Apr 26 | Jun 5 – Jun 22 |
| Zone 6 | Apr 15 / Oct 15 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Mar 25 – Apr 11 | Jun 15 – Jul 2 |
| Zone 7 | Apr 5 / Oct 25 | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Mar 15 – Apr 1 | Jun 25 – Jul 12 |
| Zone 8 | Mar 20 / Nov 5 | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Feb 27 – Mar 16 | Jul 6 – Jul 23 |
| Zone 9 | Feb 20 / Nov 30 | Jan 2 – Jan 16 | Jan 30 – Feb 16 | Jul 31 – Aug 17 |
| Zone 10 | Jan 30 / Dec 15 | Dec 12 – Dec 26 | Jan 9 – Jan 26 | Aug 15 – Sep 1 |
Companions
Beet, Onion, Potato, Dill, Carrot
Tomato, Pole Bean, strawberry
Common problems
Pests: cabbage worm, cabbage aphid, cabbage looper, harlequin bug.
Diseases & disorders: black rot, clubroot, downy mildew.
Same family (Brassicaceae)
Rotate these so they don’t follow each other in the same bed year to year.
Questions gardeners ask
When should I plant brussels sprouts?
Start seeds indoors about 6 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out about 2 weeks before it; for a fall crop, sow about 16 weeks before your first fall frost. Seeds germinate in soil from 45 to 85°F. The table on this page gives dates for each USDA zone, and the planting calendar gives dates for your own state or ZIP code.
How long do brussels sprouts take to grow?
About 90-120 days from transplanting to the first harvest, or roughly 17-21 weeks from sowing the seed indoors. Seeds germinate in 5-10 days.
How much sun do brussels sprouts need?
They need at least six to eight hours of direct sun a day.
What soil pH do brussels sprouts need?
A soil pH between 6.0 and 7.5. Test before adding lime or sulfur - see the soil pH and testing guide.
How far apart should I plant brussels sprouts?
Space plants about 24 inches apart in rows 30 inches apart, or one plant per 2 square feet in a square-foot bed. Sow seeds about ½ inch deep.
Can I grow brussels sprouts in a container?
Yes. Use a container at least 16 inches deep with drainage holes and a good potting mix, and water more often than you would in the ground.
Figures are typical home-garden ranges from Cooperative Extension planting guides, cross-checked against multiple state sources. Your variety and conditions will vary.