Brussels Sprouts Tops - Bonus Food!

My veg garden is looking miserable. Apart from some spinach that bolted a long time ago, the only usable vegetables I have available are two Brussels sprouts plants, which in fairness to them are producing a fine amount of sprouts.

Like last year, the first sprout will be sampled on Christmas Day BUT to my delight it recently dawned on me that the sprouts are not the only part of the plant that can benefit my plate. The plant tops look like cabbage and taste like cabbage. I can't believe I wasted these fine leafy tops last year and today I sampled them for the first time in a stir fry. They are sweet and tasty, and even if you find the sprout to be bitter (although those of us in the know appreciate that if cooked properly, sprouts are delicate and sweet tasting and not in the slightest way bitter), you are sure to enjoy the bonus treat of the plant top.

Tips on growing Brussels Sprouts

Like other leafy green vegetables, sprouts like a lot of Nitrogen so plant them out in the same soil that you have grown your peas or beans, whose crops should be finished when the sprouts are ready to be planted out. The reason for this perfect partnership is that legumes have the ability to take Nitrogen from the atmosphere and fix it into the soil. This year, I planted my sprouts where Broad Beans had previously stood.

They require very little attention but it is worth picking off any yellowing leaves to encourage air circulation and prevent sprouts from rotting.