Compact Variety
Franklin Brussels Sprouts are compact, nutrient-dense vegetables that belong to the cabbage family, producing small, tight button-like heads along a single stalk. These mini cabbages reach harvestable maturity in about 125 days, making them a mid-to-late-season crop that actually improves in flavor after a light frost. Each sprout is packed with vitamin K, dietary fiber, and immune-supporting compounds, delivering exceptional nutritional value from a relatively small plant that thrives in full sun and consistently moist soil.
Full Sun
High
3-9
?in H x ?in W
Biennial
High
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What makes Franklin Brussels Sprouts compelling is their remarkable nutrient density, just over a cup of these flavorful buttons delivers nearly 150% of your daily vitamin K requirement along with powerful immune-regulating compounds like indole-3-carbinol. They're also loaded with dietary fiber and develop superior sweetness once exposed to cold temperatures, making them one of fall's most rewarding crops for health-conscious gardeners. The staggered harvesting window means you can pick individual sprouts from the bottom as they mature while upper ones continue to develop, extending your harvest over weeks.
Franklin Brussels Sprouts are primarily used as a cooked vegetable, either roasted, steamed, or sautéed to bring out their natural sweetness and tender texture. They're excellent halved and caramelized in a hot pan with olive oil and garlic, or shredded raw into slaws for their crisp, slightly cabbage-like bite. The small, uniform size of individual sprouts makes them ideal for presentation-focused dishes where appearance matters as much as flavor.
Start Franklin Brussels Sprouts indoors 4-6 weeks before your anticipated transplant date. This gives seedlings sufficient time to develop sturdy growth before moving outdoors.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after they've been hardened off and soil has warmed sufficiently. Space transplants 4 inches apart with rows 18 inches apart in full-sun locations with rich, well-draining soil.
Direct sowing is not recommended for Franklin Brussels Sprouts; indoor seed starting is the preferred method.
Begin harvesting Franklin Brussels Sprouts once they've reached full maturity at approximately 125 days from transplanting. Pick individual sprouts from the bottom of the stalk first, they should be firm, well-formed, and measure 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. As you remove lower sprouts, upper ones continue maturing, extending your harvest window over several weeks. Alternatively, for simultaneous maturity across the entire stalk, cut off the growing tip at the top when sprouts are present throughout the plant and bottom sprouts measure about 1/2 inch in diameter; remaining sprouts will fully mature within a couple of weeks. Always harvest before temperatures drop below 20°F, though the sprouts do improve in flavor after a light frost.
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