When to Plant Brussels Sprouts in Canberra, Cold / Highland Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Canberra), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Cold / Highland
In October the Cold / Highland zone normally runs 20°C by day and 7°C overnight, with about 58 mm of rain over 7 or 8 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -6.4°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 15 postcodes, SILO.
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This Brussels Sprouts guide is written for the Cold / Highland zone, which takes in Canberra, Cooma and Bright. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Nov to Jan
- Days to harvest
- about 21 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 60 cm apart
Brussels sprouts are a long, cold weather brassica that carry small cabbage like buds up a tall stem. They do not form tight sprouts in warm areas, where they open and go floppy.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Cold / Highland
- Jan T
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov S
- Dec S/T
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Brussels Sprouts in Cold / Highland Australia
- Soil
- Moist, fertile soil with plenty of compost (Seeds of Plenty). Firm soil helps the tall stems stand.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- Sunlight
- Full sun, with shelter from wind because tall plants topple (Yates).
- Spacing
- 60cm apart
- Watering
- Keep the water even. Dry spells stress brassicas. No exact water figure was found.
- Good companions
- Nasturtium, Dwarf Beans, Onion, Cucumber, Dill
- Keep away from
- Tomato, Climbing beans, Capsicum and chilli, Eggplant
- Grow before it
- Legumes (Beans - Dwarf, Peas, Broad Beans)
- Grow after it
- Fruiting crops (Tomato, Capsicum, Zucchini)
Give the bed 3 turns before brassicas go back in. The cabbage family is hungry for nitrogen and shares club root and other soil diseases.
Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Brussels Sprouts
Recommended Varieties
- Catskill
- Long Island Improved
Key Challenges
- Hard frost on young plants
- Wind
- A long season
Pro Tips
- Start in trays under cover
- Plant out after the worst frosts
- Stake the plants
Pests and problems for Brussels Sprouts in Cold / Highland
Harvesting Brussels Sprouts
When ready: Sprouts are firm and about 2 to 3 cm across (Yates), picked while small (Gardenate).
How to harvest: Pick from the bottom of the stem and leave the plant growing (Gardenate, Yates).
What brussels sprouts costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Brussels Sprouts
When do you plant brussels sprouts in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): not recommended
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Feb to Jun
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to Feb, Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan, Nov to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan, Nov to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan to Mar
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan to Mar
Can you grow brussels sprouts all year round in Canberra?
No. In the Cold / Highland zone the planting months are Jan, Nov to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Brussels Sprouts in Canberra?
Gardenate gives one calendar for cool and mountain areas. Organic Gardener says to sow as early as November in the coldest areas. Start seed in trays in November and December and plant out to January. Treat the dates as a starting point.
What soil temperature do Brussels Sprouts need?
Brussels Sprouts germinate best when soil temperature is between 7°C and 30°C.
How do I know when Brussels Sprouts are ready to harvest?
Sprouts are firm and about 2 to 3 cm across (Yates), picked while small (Gardenate).
What are the best Brussels Sprouts varieties for Canberra?
Recommended varieties for the Cold / Highland zone include: Catskill, Long Island Improved.
What grows well with Brussels Sprouts?
Good companion plants for Brussels Sprouts include: Nasturtium, Dwarf Beans, Onion, Cucumber, Dill.
Are brussels sprouts salt tolerant?
Only a little. Brussels sprouts are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cold / Highland zone, Canberra is its reference city.