Cauliflower Growing and Harvest Information
| Temperature | |
| Germination | 45-85 F |
| For growth - 60-70F (daytime), 50-60F (nighttime) | |
| Soil and Water | |
| Fertilizer -Heavy feeder; needs high N and K | |
| Side-dressing - every 3-4 weeks | |
| pH | 6.0-7.5 |
| Water - average. Critical early in season, and during warm weather | |
| Measurements | |
| Planting depth | 1/4 - 1/2" |
| Root depth | 18-48" |
| Height | 18-24" |
| Width | 24-30" |
| Space between plants | |
| In beds | 12-15" |
| In rows | 18" |
| Space between rows | 24-46" |
| Average plants per person | 3-5 |
| Harvest | |
| When heads are 8-10" in diameter, harvest by pulling the entire plant from the soil. Cauliflower heads deteriorate quickly, so check periodically and harvest when ready. | |
| First Seed starting Date: 25-45 days(uncovered), 53-73 (covered) before last frost date | |
| Last Seed Starting Date: 89-140 Days before first frost date | |
| Companions | |
| Companions: Aromatic plants, artichoke, beet, bush beans, garlic, lettuce, peas, potato, spinach | |
| Incompatibles: Pole beans, strawberry, tomato, Kohlrabi | |
Cauliflower is an annual cool-season crop, half-hardy to frost and light freezes. To prevent spreading clubroot and other soil-borne diseases, don't compost any brassica roots. Pull and destroy all infected plants. Also rotate brassica plants on at least a 3 year basis, preferably on a 7 year basis.
Where to Grow Cauliflower
Wherever there are steady, cool growing seasons, frost free.
Reccomended Varieties of Cauliflower
Early Snowball; Snowball Imperial; Self-Blanch (fall); and Early Purple-Head (fall, not blanched).
Soil for Cauliflower
Fertile, enriched loam is ideal with pH from 6 to 7. Cauliflower is sensitive to boron deficiency in the soil.
Planting Cauliflower
Germination 3-10 days.
When - Cauliflower can be difficult to grow as a spring
crop because it tends to bolt in the heat, it is generally easier to
grow as a fall crop. It is the most sensitive of the brassicas to frost. Cauliflower should not be transplanted outdoors
until all danger of frost is past, unless covered. It also
needs to mature before hot summer weather arrives. A
compromise might be to choose an intermediate starting date and
cover the plants when set out to protect them from the cold.
For fall crop, start seed in mid-June to set out transplants in late
July. Allow 2 to 3 months growing time before first frost.
How - In rows 2 1/2 to 3 feet apart, with 2 feet between
plants. Plant transplants 1" deeper than they were grown in
starting pots, and cover with netting to protect from pests.
How Cauliflower grows
The plant has broad green-blue foliage that develops a central flower head. This increases in size to a large, cabbage-sized head of condensed flowers. By tradition the head is blanched (covered from the sun) to bleach it white. Spacing between plants determines head size: the closer together, the smaller the head. When heads start forming, prevent yellowing by tying several upright leaves loosely together with string, covering the rest of the head from direct exposure to sunlight.
Cultivating Cauliflower
The trick to cauliflower is to keep it growing steadily once the seedlings are planted outdoors. So much, however, depends on proper growing weather - ideally, a cool, long, sunny season with ample moisture or irrigation. When the center begins to develop a tight flower head about the size of a McIntosh apple, loosely tie the outer leaves with twine. Do not tie too tightly, as there must be some air circulation. This will cause the flower head to bleach white in about 1 to 2 weeks.
| Storage Requirements | ||
| Wrap individual plants, head and roots, in plastic. Store in a root cellar or cool place | ||
| Fresh | ||
| Temperature | Humidity | Storage Life |
| 32F | 95-98% | 3-4 weeks |
| Preserved | ||
| Method | Taste | Shelf Life |
| Canned | poor | |
| Frozen | good | 12 months |
| Dried | good | 12 months |
Harvesting Cauliflower
60-80 Days, from plants. As soon as the compact head is formed and blanched, it should be cut off with a sharp knife, along with several of the leaves for protection. If too many heads ripen at once, cut them anyway and store in a cool, dark place for several weeks. Ripened heads left on the plant will rot and deteriorate rapidly.
Cauliflower Pests
Diseases for Cauliflower
