Crop lessons · Brassicas (cabbage family)
Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera · Brassicaceae (cabbage family)
Brussels sprouts are not a commercial crop in Florida, but home gardeners can grow them in the cool season. They are slow, and they need truly cool weather while the sprouts form; without it the sprouts stay loose and open instead of firm.1, 2
| Region | Months on the UF/IFAS calendar |
|---|---|
| North Florida | January transplant · February transplant · September transplant · October transplant · November transplant · December transplant |
| Central Florida | January transplant · February transplant · October transplant · November transplant · December transplant |
| South Florida | October transplant · November transplant · December transplant |
Months follow UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, "What to plant by month"; "transplant with care" is their wording for crops that resent root disturbance. Not sure of your region? Find your county.
| How to start | transplant (easily transplanted) |
|---|---|
| Seed depth (inches) | ¼ to ½ |
| Spacing in the row (inches) | 18 to 24 |
| Between rows (inches) | 24 |
| Days to harvest | 90 to 120 from seed; 70 to 90 from transplant (SP 103) |
SP 103 planting dates: north Sept to Nov, central Sept to Feb, south Oct to Jan. Gardening Solutions advises planting in late fall so sprouts mature in cool weather.
| Sun | Full sun. SP 103 advises a garden spot with at least six hours of direct sun a day (general advice, not specific to this crop). |
|---|---|
| Soil pH | 5.8 to 6.3 (SP 103's general target for vegetable gardens on sandy soil; no change is needed anywhere from 5.5 to 7.0). No crop-specific figure was found. |
Cool weather (58°F to 60°F) is needed for solid sprouts. Like other cool-season crops, Brussels sprouts can bolt (flower) as spring warms, which turns them bitter.
Pick sprouts when they are firm and about the size of a walnut, starting with the lowest ones, which ripen first. Strip the leaves below the ripe sprouts and twist the sprouts off the stem. Pick about every two weeks and refrigerate.
suited with care
The only aquaponic mention found is in SRAC 454, which says water temperature can drop slightly below the mid-60s °F for winter crops such as Brussels sprouts (about 75 °F is best for most crops). The FAO manual has no Brussels sprouts guidance; its cabbage and broccoli pages, which recommend media beds for these large, nutrient-demanding plants, are the nearest guide.
Your county extension office and its Master Gardener volunteers can fill these in for your garden.
Every fact above is restated in our own words from these documents, written 2026-11-02. Independent of the University of Florida.