Best Brussels Sprout Varieties for Scotland

Brussels sprouts stand in the ground from autumn into winter, and they taste sweetest after a frost. In Scotland that makes two things matter: whether a variety resists clubrootA soil-borne fungal disease of the brassica family that swells and distorts roots, and survives in soil for years. Full definition →, which thrives on acidic ground, and how much winter cold it takes. No single variety has both.

What Scotland means for the choice

Much of Scotland's soil is naturally acidic, and clubroot thrives in acidic, poorly drained ground. Crispus and Maximus resist it, but both are rated H4The RHS's H1a–H7 scale for how much cold a plant can survive outdoors, H1a being tender indoor-only and H7 hardy anywhere in the UK. Full definition →: hardy to between -10°C and -5°C, and not reliably in inland valleys, at altitude or in central and northerly locations. Igor and Cascade are H5, hardy in most places even in severe winters, but neither resists clubroot. So on a cold plot, decide which risk is bigger for you, and lime acidic ground whichever you grow. The Brussels sprout growing guide covers sowing, liming, staking and picking.

All except Red Bull hold the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGMThe RHS's Award of Garden Merit: a UK-wide trials award for reliable performance, not a Scotland-specific recommendation. Full definition →), a UK-wide award rather than a Scottish one.

Crispus and Maximus, for clubroot-prone ground

Crispus is resistant to clubroot and grows well, with smooth, dark green, sweet and crunchy sprouts that stay in good condition for several weeks on tall, sturdy stalks, from autumn into winter. Maximus shows "excellent disease resistance to club root and downy mildew", with a high yield of smooth, sweet sprouts from September to February. Resistance lowers the risk rather than removing it, so keep liming and rotating. On a cold or exposed plot, both need shelter: at H4 they're less hardy than Igor or Cascade.

Igor and Cascade, for cold plots

Igor is a mid to late season variety with smooth, dark green sprouts, uniform in size, on a sturdy stem about 80cm tall. Cascade gives firm, dark green sprouts with good flavour on tall stems, from November to February. Both are rated H5, the better choice where winters are hard, but both can get clubroot, so grow them on ground that's been limed or hasn't had the disease.

Red Bull

Red Bull is a purple sprout with a nutty flavour, growing to about 1m and cropping well over a long season. It's rated H7, the hardiest rating there is, but it has no clubroot resistance and doesn't hold the AGM. Grow it for colour, alongside a green variety.

Which one for your situation

• Acidic or untested soil, or clubroot before: Crispus, or Maximus for picking through to February.
• A cold, exposed or upland plot, on clean or limed ground: Igor or Cascade.
• Sprouts for Christmas and beyond: Maximus or Cascade, both cropping into February.
• Something different: Red Bull.

Choose a sheltered spot whichever you grow: tall sprout plants suffer in strong wind. Variety makes no difference to caterpillars, aphids, flea beetle, cabbage root fly or pigeons, so net standing sprouts through the winter.

Common questions

Sources