Grow Bigger and Better Brussels Sprouts!

[@HollisNancysHomestead]

Thanks for the shout out Travis. I really appreciate it. FYI, I usually shuck my Brussels Sprouts when I see marble size sprouts. I leave at least 3 rows of leaves on the top. I don’t use any Nitrogen to fertilize them or all I will get is leaves and no sprouts. When the video you watched was recorded we were still living in Virginia in Zone 8A. It got pretty cold there. I haven’t tried to grow them here at our new homestead in Florida but many folks do. I plan on giving them a try next fall. Looking forward to seeing how yours turn out. Peace to you and your family this Christmas and a Happy New Year. Your pal, Hollis

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks for the tips Hollis!

[@matthewmcclendon5308]

Thanks for the info from the both of you. I enjoy both channels.

[@teresathomley3703]

And Hollis and Nancy are seriously cool people.

[@LazyDogFarm]

They certainly are! Very knowledgable too!

[@justhappy2behurr]

Travis, So glad to hear you say you watch Hollis and Nancy's channel, I watch every one of their videos and they're wonderful people just like you and Brooklyn. That trick with cutting off the Brussels sprouts leaves works great in my experience, just takes a little patience. Best of luck and a very Happy Holidays to you and your family.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks! I don't see all their videos, but they're a great resource to watch for vegetables that I'm not that great at growing.

[@imaprepper1866]

Travis , Hollis and Nancy has a great channel. They grow everything and a great harvest. I watch all there videos like I do your. Both your channels amaze me and I learn a lot from you two.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks Ima!

[@teresathomley3703]

You all right, dude. Thanks you for the sage advice, brother.👍

[@LazyDogFarm]

Our pleasure!

[@heathermoore2152]

I trimmed mine this year too....but we ate the leaves...they were delicious! So good that I even canned some for later.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Nice!

[@PaffordHomestead]

I'm growing onions for the first time this year praying it all grows well..... I will be following you....

[@LazyDogFarm]

Hope they do well for you. They take a little patience, but they'll get there.

[@chadstrutzenberg9171]

What do you call a kid from Belgium? A brussels sprout! What kind of socks do you need to plant brussels sprouts? Garden hose!

[@LazyDogFarm]

Good ones!

[@DaxPallotta]

This is my first year growing brussel sprouts. I break the leaves off at the stock with my hands and I am seeing tons of them forming. My BS are over 2ft high and growing crazy each week.

[@LazyDogFarm]

I'd be super pumped if mine got 2' tall.

[@Mrbfgray]

My only thought was to leave some of the brussel sprouts *uncut* as experimental control, one row maybe. (never grown them myself)

[@markware7748]

Spring for the Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition. Pick up some extra 3/4" x 12" 800 and 1200 grit belts on Amazon. You'll be a knife sharpening hero. I'm too careless to keep a high dollar Benchmade in the field so I'm using a Craftsman folding box cutter ($12) these days. Just swap out blades as they wear out. Yes, trim your leeks in the flats about once a week for about a month until they gain some diameter. Nice little show. Thank you.

[@LazyDogFarm]

I concur!

[@WhatWeDoChannel]

Thanks for that! I sure love those Bench made knives, I have a couple but I still need a 940, sounds like a good birthday present! I would love to see a comparison bed that receives as much compost as the No till bed but the compost gets tilled in. I have a gut feeling it would be your most productive, the best of both worlds! I like the Brussels sprout experiment! Klaus

[@LazyDogFarm]

If you watch our most recent garden tour video, you'll see the plot where the carrots and beets are planted. That plot has compost that was tilled into the soil. Compare that to the onion or brassica plot which was not tilled.

[@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14]

First year growing Brussels sprouts here, but unsure how they will turn out, as there are some maple roots invading the bed. All the raised beds will be dug out and sifted, then lined, have a raised floor installed, and another tier added on top. Hopefully, I'll get a decent crop, but not counting on it. Thank God I solved the problem with the tree roots though!

[@LazyDogFarm]

That sounds like quite the battle with the tree roots. Hopefully the plan you described will solve it though!

[@gerhardbraatz6305]

We are growing brussels sprouts for the first time this year. Ours are looking about like yours and I was fixin to put some more nitrogen to them. Glad I caught your video. Thanks for the great tips y'all.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks for joining us!

[@mommajscountrygardening]

I have big respect for Hollis and Nancy. Thank you for sharing 😀 Happy holidays

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks for joining us Momma J!

[@BARBSCOUNTRYHOME999]

Everything looks amazing! 🌱 We are growing brussel sprouts for the first time this year!

[@LazyDogFarm]

I hope they produce well for you!

[@CattywampusAcres]

We're inspired...we are going to try it too!

[@LazyDogFarm]

Go for it! It's kinda of fun actually!

[@joewilson1457]

I have heard you talk about it not getting cold enough to grow brussel sprouts but when I drove a truck I would stop in Hastings FL and buy them straight out of the field, I have seen it cold there but most of the time it's warm year around. Another good show I'm still planting cabbage kale cauliflower and broccoli in zone 8 b

[@LazyDogFarm]

Interesting. I'd like to know what variety they're growing down there.

[@DonnaLorenzen2009]

Hey Travis, some of us ladies are the tool people of the household 😉

[@LazyDogFarm]

My apologies. Of course you are!

[@michellemilner3380]

Great video as always, Travis. Gonna have to try the pruning on the brussels sprouts!

[@LazyDogFarm]

Go for it!

[@clinthutcheson2640]

You got the spinach figured out! Looks great. I have had the same problems with my onions. Real dry around Vidalia

[@LazyDogFarm]

Just couldn't give them enough water for a few weeks there. But it looks like they're doing better now.

[@ShaggyDogg0128]

With that spinach. I make that olive garden gnocchi soup!!

[@LazyDogFarm]

I can get down with that!

[@stevefromthegarden1135]

That is a big harvest of spinach. For topping the onions, do you think you would have left them in the greenhouse for an additional 2 weeks before transplanting them? Maybe 3 to 4 weeks total from topping to transplant?

[@LazyDogFarm]

I think trimming a few weeks before transplanting would be best.

[@paulreiche2746]

Thanks for your onion discussion. We trim ours as they grow under lights.

[@LazyDogFarm]

That seems to work much better.

[@jonlewis6630]

I am grows brussel Sprouts for the first time. I think they are looking good.. I trimmed the lower leaves with my Kenshaw, but I left more on the top than you did. I have sprouts just bigger than a marble right now.

[@LazyDogFarm]

I may have taken too many ... who knows. We'll learn from this attempt to see how we can do better next time.

[@maryt8184]

Youe spinach looks great. That is a crop I have never had success with. I do find that I can significantly improve moisture holding capacity of compost by adding cheap plain clay cat litter to it. For something on your scale you might get by with just sprinkling it along side the row on top when you are planting. Rain will wash it into the compost.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks for the tip Mary!

[@melissakingery4393]

Travis that's a lot of spinach I sure hope the kids like it! If you find out more about Brussels Sprouts let us know, I'm going to trim mine like you did!!

[@LazyDogFarm]

We'll be sure to keep everyone updated on how the BS pruning works.

[@rickthelian2215]

Merry Christmas 🎄 Travis and whole family

[@LazyDogFarm]

Merry Christmas Rick!

[@danagreen9264]

So far I failed growing them ( how funny im roasting some rt now lol) but I haven't given up I just love brussel sprouts 👍😉😁

[@LazyDogFarm]

They are so good that they're worth a try every year, even if they don't always make it.

[@leahness3588]

Spinach salad sounds good!!👍👍

[@LazyDogFarm]

It is!

[@carolavant3778]

Very interesting! I've not tried brussel sprouts yet, but maybe next year. My spinach isn't as far along as yours yet, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it does as well. There weather has been weird here, too. Contrails one day - Then days of foggy mornings and clouds, and very little rain. Like I said - Weird.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Weird indeed. 80 degrees today here.

[@melissakingery4393]

Travis I also am growing 2 Long Island Brussel Sprouts and I tried planting Pompei Onions but I direct sowed and nothing has happened. 3 bunching onions transplanted are doing well. I think I will try transplants on my Pompei Onions

[@LazyDogFarm]

I think you'll have much better success transplanting the onions.

[@Wilk853]

Think ur lil to far south to have much luck. Ol Hollis was up around zone 5or 6 I think. I have never had any luck here in zone 8 in Tx heat and bugs do them in before they are ready

[@LazyDogFarm]

We get lucky every few years, so it's always worth a shot!

[@sandrawallace1001]

I grow onions from sets, mostly in pots but sometimes I also put some in the ground. Would it be beneficial to top them and if so when and how much?

[@LazyDogFarm]

Probably wouldn't benefit the sets much. With the seedlings we grow, it helps toughen up the plants a bit so they're a little more hardy when we put them in the ground.

[@kl-br6bh]

Those Brussels Sprouts leaves make pretty good cooked greens, so don't waste them! 😊

[@LazyDogFarm]

I bet they do. Might eat some once they form more leaves.

[@takeitslowhomestead5218]

We have a couple of inches of snow in the garden. 😕 But, thanks for the good instructions!

[@LazyDogFarm]

Y'all stay warm! Spring will be here before you know it!

[@DavidBrown-vx6fb]

I have tried for years to grow Brussels sprouts and have given up! Thanks for the tip of cutting the leaves off! makes me want to try again! What type of spinach are you growing? Looks better than mine!

[@LazyDogFarm]

We planted a variety called Sunangel this year. It's supposed to be especially heat tolerant so it can handle these 80 degree days in December like we're having today.

[@MimsysGarden]

Love the knife sharpener! Don’t think I’d double fist sharp blades either 😂😂😂

[@LazyDogFarm]

Only if you were doing acres at the time ...

[@amilynnstapay796]

Do you also use the leaves as greens?

[@LazyDogFarm]

You can!

[@matthewmcclendon5308]

Funny story. I may or may not have had a little to much to drink one night and planted some seeds. Capture cabbage and gladius brussel sprouts. Didn’t label them. Been wondering why I had two so called cabbage plants not making heads and growing taller than the rest. I noticed the lower leafs kinda rolling up on the edges. All in buckets I noticed that both of these two had soil that was much dryer than the rest. Then I seen the sprouts. The leaves for both of these plants look identical. Good news is I got two brussel sprout plants. Bad news is I new I planted them, I just thought I was crazy cause they all looked the same. Lesson learned. Label everything. I repeat. Label everything.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Great story! Shows that you have some pretty good plant identification skills though!

[@mutantryeff]

We are going to get a huge week of rain. The estimates here are 0.12" on Monday, 1.03" on Tuesday, 0.75" on Wednesday, 0.98" on Thursday, 0.57" on Friday, 0.55" on Saturday and 0.54" on Sunday. Hopefully the Sierra Nevada gets a load of snow to full up the dams.

[@LazyDogFarm]

That is a lot of rain for you guys! I'm sure the ground will enjoy it!

[@mutantryeff]

@@LazyDogFarm Except where all the fires were - mudslides are going to be bad.

[@nancyburkle7887]

What is the name of that spinach you are trimming? I can't find the video plz I need a good spinach

[@LazyDogFarm]

That variety is called Sunangel. We got the seeds from Johnny's.

[@nancyburkle7887]

@@LazyDogFarm thank you so much. I love your videos. My gift to myself this Christmas is a new drip system I'm so excited.

[@katheringardening7093]

Thanks for Sharing

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks for watching!

[@pamstout]

If cutting the leaves off of the Brussel sprouts works I will have to try it. This is the first time I've grown sprouts.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Might not hurt to try it on a few plants and leave a few plants to see the difference.

[@jeffmartin693]

Last year my b sprout stalks were 4 foot tall but never developed any thing to eat, any ideas? it was my first attempt at them.

[@LazyDogFarm]

The word on the street is that they need a good shot of cold weather to trigger the sprout production.

[@saltlifess6226]

I'm interested in seeing how those sprouts do cause I'm thinking you've cut a lot of leaves that would of supplied a lot of energy to the plant.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Think about it like collards. You cut the bottom leaves and they keep growing.

[@heavenlyhillshomestead9465]

Travis you like those Texas legends pretty good don’t you? Them brussel sprouts look great!! I still got the benchmade knives I got in the army they will last forever and I love our worx knife sharpener! I was getting them 83.1lbs butternut seeds ready to send to you, got a couple of other questions I sent to you on FB.

[@LazyDogFarm]

I do like the Texas Legends. They always perform well in my trials. I'll check the FB message regarding the seeds. Thanks!

[@heavenlyhillshomestead9465]

@@LazyDogFarm wish the Texas legends would grow up here!! I got some winter onions that produce the new bulbs on top the leaf/scallion.

[@lauras5312]

Great video. 😃

[@LazyDogFarm]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jeaniepartridge6701]

We just got 3.5 - 5 inches in about 8 hours rivers are flooded standing water in my chicken pen.

[@LazyDogFarm]

That's a lot of rain in a short amount of time!

[@apiecemaker1163]

That spinach is going to be so good. There’s just nothing like picking greens and eating them fresh from the garden. I’ve given up on Brussels sprouts I’m afraid. I just never have any luck with those or broccoli. 👩‍🌾😕

[@LazyDogFarm]

Brussels sprouts are definitely more difficult than broccoli IMO.

[@backwoodsbaby9729]

Apparently if u have a nice piece of mdf laying around you can put sharpening compound on it and use it as a strop! No leather needed. My carving knife is the scary sharp, its sharper than shaving sharp, maybe sharper than a scapel. It is terrifying actually. But cuts through wood beautifully! (I wear cut proof gloves) On wranglerstar (from YEARS ago, i dont watch him anymore) he had a video about this sharpener from russia that you could set multiple angles & everything on it and it was really nice. Ive wanted on since but dont have an extra $400. If i do id buy a lathe... Anyway your little tool was pretty interesting.

[@LazyDogFarm]

I have a miniature version of a similar sharpener where you can set the angles. I think it's made by Lansky. It works well, but a little time consuming. The belt sharpener is a good quick fix.

[@eroggero]

Just was curious if you left any of the brussels sprouts on trend to do a comparison trimming versus on trimming side-by-side? Would like to try them but they will definitely not grow down here in South Florida lol

[@LazyDogFarm]

I didn't leave any for comparison sake this year. But I have many years of memories of lackluster production to compare. lol

[@eroggero]

@@LazyDogFarm 😂🤭 well wish you all the best

[@dannymitchell1799]

i was wondering if you've ever had a problem out of what we call lice on turnip greens in south alabama they appear on the back of the leaves and look like sesame seeds,they come off washing them with salty water do you know the real name for them,love your show.

[@LazyDogFarm]

I have. I always thought they were flea beetles. They'll get on my Napa cabbage too. The Azera organic pesticide I've been using this year has really worked well on those boogers. I haven't had to spray but a couple times with very little damage.

[@danagreen9264]

Can you cook em like collards ???they look good but tough like a collard cook for good while???

[@LazyDogFarm]

I don't see why you couldn't. Many folks cook broccoli leaves like you would collards.

[@mattingly1217]

How did these Brussels sprouts do?

[@LazyDogFarm]

Really well. We ate some a couple nights ago and they were delish!

[@mortglickman3217]

Hi Travis, i'm with you on the knife, i like it sharp, but i dont want sutures.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Correct!

[@tpen891]

Have the Hoss Fertilizer Injector on my wish list.

[@LazyDogFarm]

It's a good tool to have!

[@rickthelian2215]

Loving the look of The Onions, a few duds, normal, if you have any spares in the greenhouse you could pop them in the spaces.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Doing that today!

[@sharonjennings1282]

Are you doing market gardening again ? Otherwise that’s a lot of spinach!yum

[@LazyDogFarm]

We stopped selling veggies a few years ago. But yeah, we still plant too much of some stuff.

[@pawpaw4911]

Enjoy your HIGHLY informative content here, I`m here on the Ga./Fla. line (Valdosta) -- I`ve just got one tiny little question for ya; Sun Angle Spinach - I WANT to grow THAT same one you are growing but the "Big Box" seed guys don`t show it with that same name, and who is "Johnny" you mentioned in your video?, and how can " I " order these seed from HIM?

[@LazyDogFarm]

Johnny's Seed is a seed company located in Maine. Here's a link to the Sun Angel spinach on their site: www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/spinach/savoyed-leaf-spinach/sunangel-f1-spinach-seed-4542.html

[@pawpaw4911]

@@LazyDogFarm FYI, your "Comment" section will not allow me to make ANY comments unless my VPN has been turned off. You are an Excellent Neighbor but honestly?, I don`t see HOW you manage to have the time to do all that you DO!, all I know?, is that God in Heaven HAS! Blessed you with the "Gardening" skill which is fixing to become a VERY valued skill in the very NEAR future if you know what I mean. I`m an old guy of 68 and has gardened off and on throughout the years but nothing close to what you have been Blessed with nor have I got the financial resources you appear to have for the job. I Pray that you and your Family stay safe & healthy through all this *Mess going on and @IF you do not have a close relationship with God through his Son Jesus Christ?, it just MAY be a good time to work on THAT too. Thank You and God Bless and keep up the GOOD work. I`m also on FaceBook and you may send me a "Friend" request if you feel the need to converse with a Brother in Christ. Here is my page link: facebook.com/me/ or just search David Randolph, my Profile pic shows a few Rocking Horses I`ve made with God`s help.

[@michaelmorris1802]

I notice you don't have the filter and flow reducer on your drip system... that AgroThrive stuff clogs my up for sure... I've completely stopped trying to run it thru the drip system. thought about doing what you did... but wasn't sure if it would then just clog up the emitters? I've also noticed that stuff seems to fall out of solution and just sit in the bottom on my tank after it clogs up the filter... I'm only feeding 6 35 ft rows this fall, so I just stopped trying to use it that way, and just putting it out with a watering can. Is that why you aren't running the filter... clogging problems?

[@LazyDogFarm]

I do have the filter and regulator at the beginning of each plot where drip is used. I put it at the beginning of each plot as opposed to at the spigot or between hoses.

[@markb3129]

That's some good looking spinach!!! I enjoy hollis KZbin channel but he hasn't been putting out any new videos lately 🤔. ✌

[@LazyDogFarm]

Maybe they're just taking a much needed break.

[@markb3129]

@@LazyDogFarm probably so, they were hard at it for a while there, when he does a project or gardening it's always top notch!!! ✌

[@lisareis8117]

A lady I know trims her onion tops when they start to bulb real good. She chops the tops up and puts them in the freezer for her green onions. She swears she gets bigger onions by doing that. I grew 5 BS plants last year using Mr Hollis’ method. I got actual sprouts on 2. The other 3 just leafed out. It’s not an easy one for us southern folk.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Definitely not easy, but so worth it when you actually get some sprouts.

[@Angela_Alaimo]

I'm still laughing at you not wanting your knife shave sharp. I keep my knives pretty sharp and have the numerous cuts to prove it. I even cut myself 2 times in a matter of minutes with the knife I keep in my pocket😄 But didn't feel a thing!

[@LazyDogFarm]

Before I had this Benchmade knife, I had a Kershaw that was shaving sharp and I almost stuck it all the way through my hand. Still can't feel my pinky finger on my left hand very well. That was all the lesson I needed.

[@Titus-as-the-Roman]

Bigger, Better Brussels Sprouts......UH.. Isn't that called a Cabbage ? 😉

[@LazyDogFarm]

Haha! They taste quite different than cabbage to me.

[@Titus-as-the-Roman]

@@LazyDogFarm exactly my point, not a fan of Brussels sprouts.

[@kl-br6bh]

😂

[@graceholland4853]

Now Travis i love your channel I watch all the time even when you where with Hoss Tools but, I really need to comment on how you are talking about you taking advice from Hollis even though when you where with Hoss tools you talked so bad about Mr Hollis putting fish in his planting holes. As I said I have followed you for awhile

[@LazyDogFarm]

I'm still not convinced that a fish in a hole will break down fast enough to feed a tomato plant in the same year. I think if you plant tomatoes in the same place every year and put a fish in the hole each year, then you would see some residual benefit from the prior year's fish. But I don't recall mentioning Mr. Hollis' name specifically when discussing that topic. I've never seen a video of him putting a fish in a hole, but I have seen other KZbinrs doing it. I don't think I mentioned any channels by name when talking about the whole fish in a hole thing. But if I did, my apologies. Thanks for keeping me straight! lol

[@graceholland4853]

@@LazyDogFarm Fair enough Travis and I still Love your channel ❤