Brussels Sprouts - Cornell Vegetable Program

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• crops
• brussels sprouts

Brussels Sprouts Brussels sprouts are grown on roughly 88 farms in New York, with 58 acres harvested for fresh production and 2 acres for processing (2007 Ag Census). They are members of the Brassicaceae family which includes cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli. Being cool season crops, they are well suited to the New York climate. Most cruciferous crops have similar cultural requirements and are susceptible to a common set of insects and diseases.Seeds of Brussels sprouts are typically sown in a greenhouse or seed bed about 5-6 weeks prior to transplanting into the field beginning around mid-June. Fields are ready for harvest between 90 to 180 days after planting, depending on the variety and weather conditions. In New York, harvest occurs from September through November.Buds or sprouts grow along the sides of long, thick stalks and mature from the base of the plant upwards. They are harvested when they are 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Individual buds may be hand harvested into baskets, with several harvests per season. Alternatively, entire stalks can be harvested and sold for processing or at the retail market. Relevant Events

African Eggplant Participatory Breeding Kick-Off

March 5, 2026

View African Eggplant Participatory Breeding Kick-Off Details

Managing the Invasive Swede Midge Webinar

March 6, 2026

View Managing the Invasive Swede Midge Webinar Details

2026 NYS Processing Vegetable Educational Meeting

March 16, 2026Batavia, NY

View 2026 NYS Processing Vegetable Educational Meeting Details

2026 NYS Dry Bean Meeting and Cutting Event

March 20, 2026Geneva, NY

View 2026 NYS Dry Bean Meeting and Cutting Event Detailsview calendar of events

Organic Production Guides

Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable SpecialistCornell Vegetable Program

Last Modified: March 27, 2025

Organic Production Guides for fruits, vegetables and dairy are available through the NYS Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. They outline general practices for growing vegetable and fruit crops using organic integrated pest management techniques.

read details

Cabbage Maggot Control in Brassicas, 2024

Christy Hoepting, Extension Vegetable SpecialistCornell Vegetable Program

Last Modified: May 6, 2024

Since the brassica industry's go-to for cheap, easy and effective control of cabbage maggot, Lorsban along with its generic products (active ingredient chlorpyrifos) was banned in 2021, Brian Nault (Cornell Entomology) and Cornell Vegetable Program Specialist Christy Hoepting have been conducting cabbage maggot trials annually from 2021 to 2023 in search of an effective and affordable alternative. Read our key findings and the 2024 Cornell "Cheat Sheet" for Insecticide Options for Cabbage Maggot in Brassicas in New York.

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New Crop Rotation Recommendations for Swede Midge

Christy Hoepting, Extension Vegetable SpecialistCornell Vegetable Program

Last Modified: January 4, 2021

New Cornell research has demonstrated that brassica crop rotations of 500 ft (down from 3000 ft) and 3 months (down from 3 years) could effectively "crash" a swede midge population when fields are secluded from each other, making crop rotation a much more feasible strategy for small farms. A new fact sheet details the new crop rotation recommendations and provides information on the pest's life cycle, biology, and crop preferences in addition to real-world examples of crop rotation. The crop rotation strategies were developed to serve the needs of small organic farmers, but have utility for conventional farmers as well.

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Growing for Wholesale: Grading and Packing Guidelines by Crop

Last Modified: August 29, 2019

Grading and packing guidelines are now available for 18 commonly grown specialty crops in NYS: romaine lettuce, acorn squash, broccoli crowns, Brussels sprouts, sweet corn, green peppers, cucumbers, green cabbage, red cabbage, savoy cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, green beans, jalapenos, poblanos, Hungarian hot peppers, summer squash, and zucchini.

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Growing for Wholesale: Vegetable Grading/Sizing Templates

Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable SpecialistCornell Vegetable Program

Last Modified: February 21, 2018

To further assist farmers looking to sell into the wholesale markets, the Cornell Vegetable Program has put together some helpful tools. The tools provided here consist of a color photo guide highlighting the grades of some of the most common vegetables grown for wholesale market in WNY. To aid in the visualization of the grading sizes, the templates are available here for you to print off. These are scaled to size and can be used to create sizing templates to be used by workers on the wash and pack lines.

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Video: Swede Midge

Last Modified: June 12, 2017Swede midge is an invasive insect pest that is threatening the viability of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi and turnip production within the Cornell Vegetable Program region and throughout the Northeastern US. This short video will provide you with some general information about this pest and how to scout for it in your Brassicas.read details

Cold Storage Chart and Reference Guide to Commercial Vegetable Storage

Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable SpecialistCornell Vegetable Program

Last Modified: December 13, 2016

Commercial vegetable growers will find a Cold Storage Chart by crop type with temperature and relative humidity recommendations. The maximum number of weeks that the crop can be held under ideal conditions is provided as well.Adapted from the USDA Bulletin #66, The Commercial Storage of Fruits, Vegetables, and Florist and Nursery Stock, growers will find information on quality, grading, sizes, and packaging, chilling and storage, and post-harvest pathology of vegetables.

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Crop Cooling and Storage

Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable SpecialistCornell Vegetable Program

Last Modified: September 29, 2016

On-Farm Cold Storage of Fall-Harvested Fruit and Vegetable Crops is an in-depth look at the planning and designing cooling for late season and winter storage but it also is useful for general cooling as well. This was written by Scott Sanford, Distinguished Outreach Specialist, UW-Extension, and John Hendrickson, Outreach Program Manager, Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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Video: Produce Washing Stations - How to Use a Germicidal Bleach

Last Modified: January 26, 2016

Good Agricultural Practices or GAPs are the steps taken in produce packing areas to reduce microbial contamination. One area where reducing micro contamination is critical is in the washing and cleaning of produce. This video shows you a set of standard operating procedures for using a germicidal bleach in a produce washing station. Learn what supplies are required and how to calculate the amount of germicidal bleach needed to sanitize the water.

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Extending the Harvest Season with Fall Production

Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable SpecialistCornell Vegetable Program

Last Modified: July 11, 2013Late season production starts in mid spring. For a successful crop, start with a detailed plan. Designate an area specific for late season production so that management can take place in one spot rather than all over the farm. This will make cultivation, pest management, using row cover, and harvesting more efficient to manage.read details

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view calendar of events Upcoming Events

African Eggplant Participatory Breeding Kick-Off

March 5, 2026

Join us to learn about the Cornell African Eggplant Research Project and learn how you can participate! African eggplant, also known as Bitterball, Garden Egg, Kittley and other names, is an important crop for many members of our community with heritage from regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Brazil. Since 2024, the Cornell African Eggplant Research Project has been collaborating with growers and community partners across New York to develop high-quality varieties adapted to the Northeast U.S. In this meeting, we will share information about growing and preparing African eggplant, highlight our research to date, and invite partners to collaborate with us in our 2026 participatory breeding and variety selection efforts.

COST: FREE! You must pre-register to receive the Zoom link.

View African Eggplant Participatory Breeding Kick-Off Details

Managing the Invasive Swede Midge Webinar

March 6, 2026

Swede midge is an invasive fly that causes serious economic losses to brassica crops. Due to its small size and hidden feeding habits, swede midge is often called an "invisible pest" and damage may be misdiagnosed. In this webinar, we will review the swede midge life cycle and crop damage symptoms, current management recommendations, new research findings, and highlights from on-farm case studies with a focus on organic management. 1.75 DEC pesticide recertification credits in categories 1a, 10, and 23.

View Managing the Invasive Swede Midge Webinar Details

Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Food Safety Training

March 10, 2026Newark, NY

Learn about food safety on the farm! This event hosted by the Cornell Vegetable Program, Cornell Lake Ontario Fruit Team, CCE Wayne County, and the NYS Department of Agriculture, will cover good agricultural practices (GAPs) to help reduce the risk of microbial contamination on the farm, keeping food and consumers safe.

View Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Food Safety Training Details

Announcements

2025 Year in Review

Our 2025 Year in Review and 2026 Preview report highlights some of the many research and educational programs led by our team in 2025. Plus, we provide a sneak peek at some of our plans for 2026!

• Integrating Laser Weeders into Muck Onion Production
• Cornell Vegetable Program Advances Cover Crop Research
• New, Interactive Pesticide Safety Programming Protects Farmer Health
• Specialty Potato Variety Trial Tests Varieties During a Hot Growing Season
• Mushroom Enthusiasm Grows
• Equipping Sweet Corn Growers for an Emerging Disease: Tar Spot
• Farm Food Safety Educational Outreach
• Sustainable Pest Management for New York Urban Farmers
• In 2026...

Cornell Crop and Pest Management Guidelines Paused

From Cornell IPM:Highlighting its commitment to quality and long-term sustainability, Cornell Integrated Pest Management's Pesticide Safety Education Program has announced a pause in production of the 2026 Cornell Crop and Pest Management Guidelines.Cornell IPM Director Alejandro Calixto said this temporary measure is the result of a comprehensive reimagining process facilitated by Illume Projects of Ithaca, which included end-user interviews, internal surveys and sales data analytics. "It became clear to us that we cannot continue producing the guidelines and fully restructure them at the same time," Calixto said. "By pausing production, we can dedicate all available resources and time to rebuilding the production process, ensuring that when we re-launch in 2027, the guidelines will reflect a modernized approach built around the grower and other user experience."A series of annually updated reference manuals produced by Cornell IPM and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), the Cornell Crop and Pest Management Guidelines are widely used by farmers, agronomists, crop consultants and extension educators in New York and throughout the Northeast. They include information about current IPM recommendations, pesticide options, cultural practices, nutrient management, disease, insect and weed identification and resistance-management strategies.Calixto and Pesticide Safety Education Program Lead Mike Helms will spearhead efforts to restructure the guideline process over the next 12 months, with a goal of launching a more streamlined, user-friendly version in 2027.Limited copies of the 2025 guidelines remain available for purchase while supplies last through The Cornell Store. The 2026-2027 Greenhouse Guidelines will be available.For more information contact Helms at [email protected]. NEWSLETTER | CURRENT PROJECTS | IMPACT IN NY | SPONSORSHIP | RESOURCES | SITE MAP Pay Invoice / Make Donation Equal Education and Employment | Working at Cornell If you have a disability and are having trouble accessing information on this website or need materials in an alternate format, contact web-accessibility contact for assistance. ©2026 by Cornell University. All Rights Reserved web design and development by DSD Web Works Cornell University

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