LATIN NAME: Brassica oleracea (Botrytis Group)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Like others in the cabbage family, cauliflower is a cool-season crop. The edible head, or curd, is a collection of unopened flower buds. Besides the usual creamy white types, you can grow green or purple cauliflower. Cauliflower is finicky, dislikes bad weather, and requires pampering. It may grow in spring, but warm temperatures make the curd ricey, so it does best as a fall crop. To increase success, try planting several cultivars with different maturity dates. In zones 8 through 10, plant over wintering types by August 1 for an early spring harvest.
GERM. DATE: July 5, 2009
GERM. TIME: 8-10 days
TRANSPLANT DATE:
TYPE OF PLANT: Vegetable
BLOOM CYCLE:
pH LEVEL: 6.5 to 7.5
SEED DEPTH: ½ inch
HEIGHT OF PLANT:
WIDTH OF PLANT:
PLANT SPACING: 2 feet
ROW SPACING: 3 feet
DAYS TO HARVEST: 55 days
ZONE REQUIREMENTS: Needs 2 months of temperatures between 55° and 80°F
FERTILIZER REQUIREMENTS: Mix ¼ to ½ cup of complete organic fertilizer in hole at planting time or apply a high-nitrogen fertilizer at planting, then once a month until harvest. Fertilize annual types monthly with liquid fertilizer. Fertilize over wintering types after late January only, using high-nitrogen fertilizer such as blood meal.
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Full sun or part shade
WATER REQUIREMENTS: Moist
SOIL REQUIREMENTS: Well-drained soil, high in organic matter
DISEASE PROBLEMS:
PEST/INSECT PROBLEMS: Cabbage worms, root maggots, cabbage loopers
SOLUTIONS: Prevent cabbage worms, root maggots, and cabbage loopers by covering transplants with a floating row cover; treat an infestation with BT.
HOW TO GROW: In regions without hot summers, direct-seed cauliflower outdoors. Plant about 10 seeds ½ inch deep in a clump, spacing clumps 2 feet apart. When seedlings come up, remove all but strongest one from each clump. Elsewhere use transplants. If starting indoors, sow seeds 6 weeks before you plan to set out transplants. In the North, set out transplants in spring 4 to 6 weeks before average date of last frost. For fall harvest, plant in midsummer in the North (60 to 90 days before average date of first hard fall frost) and late summer in the South. Mix ¼ to ½ cup of complete organic fertilizer in hole at planting time or apply a high-nitrogen fertilizer at planting, then once a month until harvest. Space plants 18 inches apart in rows 24 to 36 inches apart. If transplants are leggy, plant deeply - up to base of lowest leaves.
Mulch to keep soil cool and moist. Fertilize annual types monthly with liquid fertilizer. Fertilize over wintering types after late January only, using high-nitrogen fertilizer such as blood meal. Protect early plantings from frost.
HARVEST NOTES: When small heads are visible on white cultivars, blanch them (for 2 weeks before harvesting) to prevent brown spots and keep them sweet (pull outer leaves over head and fasten with twisty, rubber band, or clothes pin). Or, grow self-blanching types with leaves that cover heads, or colored cultivars. Cut off head when it’s full and still compact, usually 1 or 2 weeks after head first appears. The head loosens up as it passes its prime.
SPECIAL CARE/NOTES: Cultivar is an early variety with large, firm pure white heads full of delicate flavor. A cool weather vegetable - needs 2 months of temperatures between 55° and 80°F. Performs poorly in extreme heat, cold, or dryness.
STORE BY: Refrigerate in plastic for up to 1 week.
PRESERVE BY: Leave on stalk and place stalk end into pot of soil, and store in root cellar for up to 1 month.
USES FOR PLANT: Can be eaten fresh or cooked.
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