Cauliflower, everything there is to know about growing it

Behind broad leaves that need two to three feet of room apiece, cauliflower (Brassica botrytis) swells a single firm head, low in calories and high in fibre, calcium and magnesium. It asks for cool, deep, moist, rich soil and steady watering; meet that and heads can be cut almost all year round.

Cauliflower at a glance

Name	Brassica botrytis
Family	Brassicaceae
Type	biennial vegetable
Exposure	full sun
Soil	cool, deep, moist and rich
Harvest	Early summer to late autumn

Special care, from sowing and planting up to harvest, will help you get magnificent cabbage.

• Health: Therapeutic properties of cauliflower

Sowing, planting cauliflower

Cauliflower comes in different varieties. Each requires specific growing conditions and planting times.

Sowing cauliflower

Growing from seed takes much longer, since it needs nearly 7 months from sowing to harvest.

• Sow in Early spring and mid-spring in a sheltered place to harvest in fall.
• It’s also possible to start sowing as early as late winter in a heated shelter.
• Sow from Late spring to midsummer directly in the ground to harvest in winter, but protect your cauliflower plants from late autumn onwards.

Planting cauliflower purchased in nursery pots

The ideal time to plant is just after the last frost spells, towards late spring. However, you can keep sowing or planting new ones all the way up to early autumn. This will enable you to harvest during winter, too.

• Plant your cauliflower in good garden soil, preferably enriched with nitrogen-rich manure.

Spacing for cauliflower seedlings

• Space plants at least 24 to 32 inches (60 to 80 cm) apart.

This planting distance of at least two to three feet gives the plant the space it needs to unfurl its large leaves. Moreover, it’s important not to crowd plants together, or you’ll increase the risk of getting overrun with the cabbage moth caterpillar.

• Indeed, touching leaves let caterpillars travel easily from one plant to the next.
• You have to be able to circle around each plant to check for its eggs to remove them.

Sowing and planting times, and when they crop

Cauliflower can be started at several points in the year, and each start decides when the heads are ready. Use the table to pick the slot that matches the season you want to harvest in.

Staggering the starts is what makes heads available practically all year round.

After sowing, how to care for cauliflower

As soon as seedlings have sprouted at least 3 to 4 leaves, transplant them to their target location. Protect the seedlings if you need to plant them before late spring.

• Space plants 16 inches (40 cm) apart when transplanting.
  This space is needed to give the plants room to grow.
• The soil must have been well tilled beforehand.

Watering

Cauliflower requires a lot of water and must be watered, especially during heat waves.

• Water regularly but in smaller amounts to keep moisture at a sufficient level.
• Avoid wetting leaves to keep fungus from appearing.
• Good mulch retains moisture in the soil.
• Hoeing greatly helps reduce watering…

Parasites and diseases that attack cauliflower

The main enemy of cauliflower is downy mildew. Moisture is the primary factor that enables the spread of downy mildew.

• Avoid watering the leaves of your broccoli cauliflower plants.
• Don’t overcrowd plants so that air circulates well among the leaves.
• Read our advice on how to treat downy mildew.

Note that cauliflower is also the target of aphids and, of course, caterpillars. The most voracious of these is large white.

For these two pests, avoid chemicals at any cost, because your vegetables and soil could be contaminated. Try an organic solution like BT instead.

Harvesting cauliflower

Best season to harvest cauliflower

Heads can be harvested practically all year round, depending on when they were sown.

Harvesting takes place around 3 months after planting, but this may depend on the climate.

How to harvest cauliflower

Wait for the head to be well-formed, and slice it or tear it off at ground level, since the stem can’t produce any other head for harvest.

Protect your plants from the cold from late autumn onwards and you will be able to harvest them in winter.

Read also:

• Find all our advice and tips on growing savoy cabbage
• All the tips on how to grow Brussels sprouts
• Health: health benefits of cauliflower

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