Help with brussels please?

Hi everyone,

I am looking for some advice about growing brussels.  My first attempt at growing Brussels was a disaster.  I was looking forward to picking them for my Christmas dinner but hardly any brussels formed and the ones that did all blew.  I firmed them well on planting and covered them with netting but they were attacked badly by aphids. Was this the problem?

They were 'Bedford-Fillbasket' from Suttons seeds.  I haven,t pulled any up so not sure about club root. My soil is clay, I didn't dig it over as I thought this would make the soil too loose.  I sprinkled some growmore around the plants which I planted about 2ft apart.

I started them off in pots and transplanted them into the site. I firmed them in well but didn't stake them.  I used some netting but the cabbage whites still got to them so there were quite a few caterpillars which I sprayed off with the hose.  Later on in the season they were badly attacked by aphids.