How early can I harvest brussel tops

Question

Last year the tops of my brussels sprout plants were eaten (I don’t know if it was by caterpillars or whitefly, as they had flies on them). This year I want to harvest them to eat (myself) before the pests get them but I don’t know how early I can pick them. Currently, the sprouts are just forming and are about the size of a small pea.
THANKS, KIM

Answer 1

It is possible to harvest the "baby" brussels sprouts to eat when they are still quite small. If you want to wait to harvest when they are larger, you could try protecting the plants with netting and/or collars as described in this article:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/brussels-sprouts/brussels-sprouts-problems.htm

This article will help you identify the culprit:

https://www.insectid.ento.vt.edu/insect-id/vegetable-pests/cabbage-broccoli-brussels-sprouts.html