Growing Cauliflower

brassica oleracea var. botrytus botrytus : Brassicaceae / the mustard or cabbage family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
  S S                  
      T                
      P                

(Best months for growing Cauliflower in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 50°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 24 - 39 inches apart
  • Harvest in 15-22 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Dwarf (bush) beans, beets, celery, cucumber, onions, marigold, nasturtium, rhubarb, aromatic herbs (sage, dill, chamomile)
  • Avoid growing close to: Climbing (pole) beans, tomato, peppers (chili, capsicum), eggplant (aubergine), strawberry, mustard

Your comments and tips

09 May 10, Lucy (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I thought I had the same problem. The plants were large but no cauliflowers. I thought maybe the catapillars that ravaged them as babies had eaten their buds or something. However, 5 months later I have flowers on almost all of them and have eaten so much I'm pretty much sick of them. I'd say leave the plants in, keep watering them and see if they develop into flowers in a few months time.
09 May 10, Doug (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Have you tried slicing cauli's thinly, toss in a little olive oil and salt, and roast until quite brown and shrivelled? I _never_ get tired of eating them that way - delicious!
16 Oct 09, Evelyn (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Same problem as blinky and tina -not a sign of heads never had it happen before -cabbages have done well alongside
17 Oct 09, shell (Australia - temperate climate)
Im in Melb. I havested my cauliflower today. Very proud. they were perfect. Had a virgin vegie pathc and not everything has been such a success? Some of my crop has gone to flower, and some things just didnt yeild much or produce tiny vegies, ie: beetroot. Whereas the radishes were woody and giant? still learning. Love reading this site from fellow farmers. ha
03 Nov 09, Jason (Australia - temperate climate)
After some recent rain I inspected my caullies and found them covered in what look like green caviar, are these butterfly eggs? I washed them off and although I have found lots of caterpillars on my brocolli leaves so far the cauly seems ok. Any ideas on what these could be?
12 Nov 09, (Australia - temperate climate)
Help please first time cauli grower in NW Tasmania. Lots of huge leaves each plant seems to have a least five small heads on them but one had quite a large head so we cut it and only then noticed that the curds werent compact. it has a green tinge to it. The centre of the head about the size of a 20cent piece is compact. any ideas?
22 Nov 09, Drasjic (Australia - temperate climate)
Kathryn...i had the same problem, so after looking on the net i found this, would certainly explain my case, days of high 30's then low 20's even down to 15 or so...It can be due to poor leaf growth and the exposed head can discolor. It can also happen due to weather fluctuations. Cauliflower is sensitive to variations in heat and cold, so it begs the question, how has your weather been? As to whether you want to eat the pink part or not, It would be like eating the sunscalded portion of a tomato. It's not going to kill you, but you're eating dead tissue, so just cut it off and eat the rest.
22 Nov 09, Teashy B (Australia - temperate climate)
Here is a tip that I was given and have had no problems with, when the head of your cauli has began to form, gather the outer leaves into your hand, get a rubber band and tie the top together on so that it acts as a sheild for the cauli. This gives me white cauli's all the time.. goodluck
27 Jan 10, K Stevenson (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have one particular capsicum bush that just seems to keep going I have had it for over 12 months, I nearly threw it out I have had well over a dozen capsicums from it and it has started fruiting again with about 24 on it this is the third time for fruiting, is this normal all I do is put some liquid fertilizer and some epsom salts when the leaves get a bit droopy but only about every couple of months
20 May 10, jim.byrne (Australia - temperate climate)
a friend of mind told me that if the cauli plant made a flower i should pull it out of the bed and transplant all the other cauli from around it to a separate bed. could someone please advise me about this issue ?
Showing 31 - 40 of 204 comments

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