[azubah]

My sprouts have always been disappointingly small but I heard on a radio programme from Bob Flowerdew that if you take the tops off, the sprouts do get bigger. I tried it and it really does work. The sprouts get bigger starting at the top, which did surprise me. The sprout tops are very good to eat just treated as cabbage.

[sunshineband]

I know you can eat sprout tops... they are very tasty too 

[sonnycbr]

Ive never heard of removing the tops to increase the size of the sprouts but I'll certainly give it a try.Thanks for the tip.

[lacewing]

Sprout plants need to be firm in the ground, supported if need be to prevent them forom rocking about in strong winds.  The buttons will not develope properly if the plants are loose. They also need a rich well manured bed and a dressing of BFB at planting time, to support their long growing season.

[Benandbill]

I haven't pinched the tops off any of mine and the large majority have a stalk no taller than about a foot and a half while the sprouts themselves are timy or non existant.  They've definately grown though as the leaves are big.  I just put it down to the fact birds ate the middles and if this is the case, I'm not sure if taking the tops off would make a difference in my case?

Do you mean if you take the tops of the sprout plants the plants should grow taller, or the sprouts themselves should get bigger? 

[azubah]

My sprouts are around a metre high, but the buttons themselves are small. The leaves are big and healthy. Others on the plot have plants nearer half a metre high, but their sprouts are the size you would buy at the shops.
I don't know why this happens.
I take off the top few inches of the plants.
What do you mean by the middles? The leaves on the central part of the stalk, or the buttons?

[Goosegirl]

Does this mean that as my sprout leaves that were decimated by caterpillars, I will get bigger sprouts?  Having said that, a lot of buttons were eaten too. 

[Salmo]

Sprout varieties vary greatly in their size and time of maturity so do not take too much notice of neighbours crops.

Sprouts need a long season and getting them planted out too late is a common reason for small or non-existant sprouts.

[stompy]

Well due to neglect and lack of water all my sprouts have blown 

We'll be buying in this Christmas 

[azubah]

Sprout varieties vary greatly in their size and time of maturity so do not take too much notice of neighbours crops.

Sprouts need a long season and getting them planted out too late is a common reason for small or non-existant sprouts.

My neighbour's sprout plants are always smaller and less healthy looking than mine, but his sprouts are always superior in every way. He plants his later than mine, does not look after them, does not remove any leaves, and we grow the same variety within feet of each other. It's so infuriating!! but removing the tops is the only thing that helps me a little. At least I can eat the tops...

[strangerachael]

I dared to remove the netting for a good look at mine the other day, I had been trying to ignore the fact that they were covered in aphids, sooty mould and whitefly  . Anyway I have given them a bit of TLC, a feed, weed and water, cut the tops off and now I just have to wait and see what happens... 

[Babstreefern]

I tried one type of sprout this year, and planted three rows (about 30) plants.  Some of them have grown to about 2ft, but the others are only small.  So I will definitely try the trick of taking the tops off.  I have, from the larger plants, have already harvested some sprouts, but just enough to make a meal, not freeze. 

I'm on the allotment on Friday (thank God, I've got a day off from work), and will nip off the heads and see how they grow and will come back and let you know

[azubah]

We are usually advised to take the sprouts off starting at the bottom, but since taking the tops off the sprouts nearest the top are the largest so I have had to start picking at the top.

I've just seen your question, benandbill. the sprout plants do not get taller, but the sprouts growing along the stalks get bigger.

[sclarke624]

I expected to be able to snap off my sprouts when harvesting, maybe I'm just a weakling but I can't get them off without taking a knife to them LOL.  The pigeons sorted out the tops of my brussels nothing left there.

[Benandbill]

Thank you Azubah.  I've twisted the tops off.  Not a lot to lose to be honest, fingers crossed anyway!