'Icarus' - an Excellent F1 Brussels Sprout

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Icarus - Brussels Sprouts

I first grew the Brussels sprout 'Icarus' in 1994-5 (from a packet bought cheaply for 50p). I set them out with two other cultivars and they grew well producing good sized sprouts with no bitterness

I was very impressed and bought another packet in the spring, but when the time came to plant them out the garden was a dust bowl.

However, they were in Sin (7cm) pots with their own root ball and I think this kept them alive. I had planted two other cultivars as well and all three just stood there not moving.

Eventually, when the rain came the transformation was unbelievable. They just shot up! About the third week of October I started picking beautiful large sprouts and there was no need to wait for a frost before eating. I picked so many that I did not think there would be enough for Christmas - but no, we had a large bowl for Christmas and it was early March before I picked the last small sprouts. On 22nd March we had a feed of greens. The other two cultivars grew, but to no great height and produced sprouts only of finger nail size.

This year I bought three packets, some 40-45 seeds per packet, and planted them all to get what seemed to be 100% germination. I had promised to grow some for two very senior citizens, both over 80, who boast that they grow a hundred sprouts every year using old fashioned cultivars. I tried to tell them that if all went well a mere twenty would suffice.

However, when I took some plants round they had already planted out a number of plants of their own. I live in hope that my plants of 'Icarus' are successful - or I will never hear the last of it!

As I write this note it is 25th August and we have eaten today a cabbage like head that formed on one sprout plant. The plant started to develop quite normally and went up to seven leaf axils, which have sprouts forming, then stopped and threw this lovely cabbage, Sin (20cm) across like a cannon ball.

When cooked it tasted just like any other summer cabbage. I contacted Thompson and Morgan who supplied the seed and their view was that this was a freak case (it was the first they had heard of) and suggested that it was caused by the weather.

I am still looking forward to my mild Brussels sprouts this coming winter!

This article originally appeared in the Members Bulletin, the journal of the National Vegetable Society, which is sent quarterly to members. You can Join the National Vegetable Society here

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