Cool-Season Vegetables: How to Grow Cauliflower
It may be fussy about growing conditions, but the taste of cauliflower fresh from your fall garden is worth the effort
Growing cauliflower can be a challenge. It needs the right climate, consistent growing conditions and even some extra work if you want those really white heads. You also need to wait for the crop to mature while fighting off pests and diseases.
On the plus side, cauliflower is not only pretty in the garden, but it’s got a mild flavor that’s great raw or cooked in the kitchen. And while you have to hand-tie the leaves of the older varieties to blanch the heads and keep them from scalding in the sun (and developing an unpleasant taste), modern varieties are self-blanching.
White is the familiar cauliflower color, but you can also find orange, green, blue and purple heads. Many of these are ornamental, but some are edible.
More: How to grow cool-season vegetables
On the plus side, cauliflower is not only pretty in the garden, but it’s got a mild flavor that’s great raw or cooked in the kitchen. And while you have to hand-tie the leaves of the older varieties to blanch the heads and keep them from scalding in the sun (and developing an unpleasant taste), modern varieties are self-blanching.
White is the familiar cauliflower color, but you can also find orange, green, blue and purple heads. Many of these are ornamental, but some are edible.
More: How to grow cool-season vegetables
Days to maturity: 55 to 100
Light requirement: Full sun; provide partial or light shade if it’s very hot
Water: Regular water; do not let soil dry out
Favorites: All Year Round, Bishop, Cheddar, Denali, Early Snowball, Fremont, Graffiti, Panther, Snowball Imperial, Snow Crown, Veronica, Violet Queen, White Corona
Planting and care: Cauliflower likes rich, well-amended, well-draining soil, consistent water and ambient temperatures in the 60s with some humidity. (California's coastal climates are ideal.) If something goes wrong, it stresses the plant, and the resulting heads are small. Plant it during the ideal growing season for your area and provide consistent care.
Sow seeds about a half inch deep and an inch apart, then thin to 1 1/2 to 2 feet apart. Set transplants at this same distance. Fertilize when you plant, then continue to fertilize regularly while growing. Weed gently so you don’t disturb the roots.
Blanch heads once they reach about 2 inches wide by folding the largest outer leaves over the head and securing them in place with ties or elastics. Try not to get the heads wet once you’ve started the blanching process.
Pests and diseases can be a problem. Rotating growing locations can help, but you may run into anything from aphids, cabbage pests, flea beetles and harlequin bugs to black rot clubfoot, damping off, downy mildew and fusarium wilt. Watch your crop carefully and take preventive measures if you see any problems.
Harvest: Harvest when heads are full size and firm but not yet separating or forming separate florets, usually about a week or two after you start blanching. Check often, as cauliflower matures quickly. Cut the stem of the plant just below the head, leaving a few leaves intact.
More: How to Grow Cool-Season Vegetables