Cauliflower has its plus points. It is a favorite of most people since it can be cooked in so many ways. The rich, nutty flavor is excellent roasted or mashed. Try not to worry about the process of growing cauliflower though, because this hearty journey will guide you from the soil all the way up into some sturdy, beautiful cauliflower heads. In short how to grow cauliflower at home – successfully.
If you treat it right, cauliflower can be in your kitchen all year-round. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get into it.
1. Understanding Cauliflower: A Cool-Season Crop
Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) is related to the Brassica family and combines common vegetables including broccoli, cabbage, and kale, etc. This cool season plant likes temperatures between 60 to 70°F (15 to 21°C). Cauliflower prefers spring or fall planting when temperatures are lower, so that the sun will not overheat on top of the plant while growing.
Cauliflower has also a dense head called the “curd” which is the feature that makes it distinguishable. This portion of the plant forms the edible part, while the leaves and stems of cauliflower can be incorporated in the preparation of some other meals as well.
The fact that cauliflower is naturally white should not cause any wonder, as there are also purple, green, or even orange varieties available, which equally enhance the beauty of your garden as well as dinner plate.
2. Choosing the Right Variety
The variety of cauliflower you grow matters if you want to have a bountiful harvest. They range from tiny, skinless ones to huge monstrous things and every size in between, but all with their distinct rules for where/how they are best grown or ripened.
Here are some varieties by group:
- Early Varieties: These are those that grow very fast and can be transplanted when the growing season is short; Snowball Cauliflower is one of the oldest cultivated varieties, and it suits colder regions too.
- Mid-Season Varieties: These varieties for example ‘Graffiti’ which is a purple cauliflower, are kind of on the latter side needing slightly more maturity period to grow best in a middle climate environment.
- Winter Varieties: For those in relatively mild climates ‘Triomphant’ is particularly recommended as the plant can be grown in winter and produces mature stems at that time.
3. Preparing the Soil: The Foundation of Success
As with most plants, preparation of the soil is central to the growth of cauliflower. These plants grow best in nutrient-rich media with good drainage and a pH ranging from slight to weakly alkaline between 6.5 and 7.5.
Ideally, the year before planting, compost that is well-aged, manure, or well-rotted organic matter should be added to the soil so that good growth is experienced. The addition of these improves the structure and nutrient density of the soil in a way that allows the cauliflower to gain strong heads and roots in the process.
4. When and How to Grow Cauliflower
Starting Indoors
To have greater control over the growing conditions, most growers recommend starting the cauliflower seeds indoors. They also mean that you have additional control over the growth conditions facilitating the sprouting of seeds in the most favorable conditions.
In nurturing your seeds, they have to be set in small pots or seed trays filled with seed-starting mix between 6 – 8 weeks in advance to the last frost date. Subsequently, it is important that the seedlings are watered frequently and the germination temperature should be 60-70%F (15-21% C).
When the seedlings have two pairs of real leaves, that is, at a stage between the four to six-leaf stage (about 4 weeks after sowing), it is time to transfer the plants to the outdoor conditions. Ensure that before you transfer your seedlings to open ground, you expose them to conditions in the garden for at least a week up to two weeks.
Direct Sowing Outdoors
If you prefer not to transplant your little plants, you have to sow your seeds outdoors when the soil is 50°F (10°C) in the spring. Space the rows 1-2 feet apart and allow 18-24 inches between each plant in the row. This spacing facilitates large head production of cauliflower.
To have consistent yields, implement succession planting by seeding every two to three weeks intervals. In this way, many of your cauliflowers will not mature at the same time, hence ensuring you’ll always have cauliflowers ready to harvest and consume.
5. Watering and Feeding Your Cauliflower
Cauliflower does not perform well during the dry season; this explains the need to irrigate the plants consistently. This type of plant prefers moderately moist soils and therefore, they should be planted in an area where no form of overwatering is observable since this leads to root rot. The area around the plant base should be mulched to retain the water in the soil, and it also reduces the heat on the soil during summer.
This vegetable is a greedy feeder and therefore, it’s necessary to feed frequently. Vitax Q4 (aff link) containing potassium can be used before sowing the seeds and then when the plant begins to flower. This makes development healthy and prevents nutrient shortage due to a lack of nutrients that in turn causes small curds to form.
6. Blanching Cauliflower Heads
For white cauliflower, it is a method which you will have to employ to retain the tenderness and whiteness of the curds. As soon as the head begins to develop, place its leaves over it to shield it from heat.
This helps to reduce instances whereby the curds may turn yellow, or develop a bitter note to them. To blanch, it’s best to fold the leaves over the head with a string or a rubber band gently.
Meanwhile, purple or orange cauliflowers which are some of the newer cultivars do not need blanching; these varieties give a great burst of color on your dishes.
7. Protecting Cauliflower from Pests and Diseases
Cauliflower is part of the Brassica family, which usually is at a higher risk of parasites and the onslaught of disease. In this regard, the following are common issues affecting cauliflower, although there are many more pests that love cauliflower:
- Cabbage Worms and Aphids: Compared to other pests that may have a mere minor impact on your cauliflower plants, these pests should be a worry to you. It is good to take these measures: Insect-proof mesh or floating row covers for pest control. Occasionally check your plants and remove the pests by hand. You can also try organic insecticidal soap on aphids, although there´s not much else that works.
- Clubroot: It is a disease that is transmitted through the soil and in combination with this; it retards the growth of the cauliflower plants, and results in the production of small and malformed heads. Measures used to prevent the occurrence of clubroot include; the planting soil should have a pH level of 6.5-7.5. Avoid cultivating cauliflowers and other Brassicas in the same plot for over two years consecutively – Leave a gap of at least 3 years before replanting back (crop rotation).
- Bolting: Bolting is often the consequence of early flowering, which can be explained by either extremely high or low temperatures or irregular watering. In order to do this the soil must at all times be kept moist and also added along the borders of plants so that it regulates temperature in the soil.
8. Harvesting Your Cauliflower
Cauliflower is normally harvested after 7-12 weeks (depending on cultivar). The trick to harvesting is in the timing: The heads should feel firm to touch, they should be shaped well (preferably nice and tight), and their diameter should measure 6 to 8 inches.
For harvesting, cut the leaves surrounding the head and with a sharp knife sever it from the plant, also leaving some outer layers.
Make sure you harvest the heads before they start ripening because then they begin to feel slightly gross and pasty inside. In case you find that the head is starting to be ricey – i.e., where the curds start clumping together, then it’s time to get your harvest.
9. Storing and Using Cauliflower
Cauliflower should be eaten fresh though it can be stored in the refrigerator for about two weeks after being harvested. They can be kept in plastic bags with holes which can minimize the chances of its freshness deteriorating.
For those that grow cauliflower in large quantities, freezing is an option as long as boiling the florets for a few minutes and allowing them to cool in ice water before freezing is done.
In the kitchen, cauliflower is very useful due to its versatile properties. Most people love it and it can be baked, boiled, fried, grated or even substituted for rice or pizza crust in a Paleo diet.
10. Tips for Growing Cauliflower Successfully
- Succession Planting: To prolong your harvest, plant seeds in portions, at intervals of two to three weeks. This will avoid the situation whereby all your cauliflowers mature at once thereby providing you with continuous production through the entire farming season.
- Companion Planting: There are plants that when grown along with cauliflower will deter pests from interfering. For instance, placing it close to onions or herbs such as dill and mint helps in repelling pests. When deciding where to place cauliflower, do it in an area away from other demanding feeders such as beans.
Conclusion
Although cauliflower may be a bit challenging to grow at home compared to other vegetables, the benefits you can derive from the process are worth the effort.
If you follow the guidelines provided here; selecting proper variety, improving the soil, and caring for crops, you will get fresh tasty cauliflower on your table.
Being new to gardening or a veteran gardener, it is possible to find cauliflower to be both exciting and very rewarding when grown in your garden. Happy gardening!