Calling all cauliflower experts.

[baymule]

Sometimes I don't get to my broccoli right away and little yellow blooms pop up in the broccoli heads. I eat them. I pick off the blooms and eat them, then cook the rest of the broccoli. My 5 year old grand daughter likes to graze on the leaves.

 

[catjac1975]

So far this year my cauliflower seems like it may be successful. The plants look great along with the broccoli and all the related plants. I am getting little starts of heads. It is already better than I have had in years. I think the difference is we had had a cooler June. When the heat comes in fast the caulis are usually shot. How long should they be blanched to make them white. It has been so long since I have had any success I have forgotten.

 

[curly_kate]

You are so lucky! I LOVE love love cauliflower, but I think the springs here are too up and down for it to be successful. I just yesterday pulled the cauliflower I'd planted. I thought I would have better luck here this spring because it's been cooler than usual, but I guess there were just too many warm days. I'm going to try it once more next spring, when we get our hoop house put up. Maybe if I do it wayyy early, I'll FINALLY get my cauliflower!

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

I have some just now started in the house. I am planning on planting cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and kale for a fall garden. I have never tried this. I thought I was a cabbage expert. The first few years I planted cabbage they were huge. They would have heads and hardly any damage. I really don't think I started them any earlier than I do now. The first time I planted broccoli was like a dream. They were tall and formed heads. I had bad luck with cauliflower and gave up. Last year and this year I have had bad luck with cabbage. They seem to take FOREVER to form a head and I finally just get tired of fighting the bugs and pull them up. I had a lot of broccoli last year that got tall, but did not get that much from them and wondered if it was worth the space. This year I started less broccoli and they are still out in the garden. I bought a 6 pack of cauliflower and cut worms cut 2 off even with nails next to them and the other 4 are far from doing anything. I pulled up the oldest cabbage the other day. I have some more that look so so. I have kale started in the garden from seed that are growing slow, but will be okay. The other day I started several different kinds of kale, several kinds of cabbage, green sprouting broccoli, early purple sprouting and some other kind of purple broccoli. I decided to try cauliflower again and bought Snowball self-blanching and Violetta Italia. I bought the seed from Baker Creek. I am not sure I am even going to have room in the garden to plant all this. I thought peas would be done at some point, but now I wonder.

 

[catjac1975]

If mine continue to progress-what about the blanching?

 

[MontyJ]

If it's a self blanching variety, all you have to do is help it out some if you notice the head exposed. Most varieties will have some leaves covering the head. Start covering any exposed portions as you see it. Leave the leaves loose though to allow the head to grow.

 

[Jared77]

How deep a root system does cauliflower have? I ask because I saw a set up where they'd done portable Rubbermaid tubs of greens that they could move around even inside if necessary. Few holes for drainage in the bottom, thought it was a pretty slick set up. I've never had any luck with it either but after seeing the idea I thought "hey that might work for cauliflower". Just thinking out loud here......thoughts?

 

[catjac1975]

Were you thinking of growing them indoors, Jared? They are heavy feeders and I cannot imagine them doing well in any kind of pot. But, only one way to find out. Give it a try.

How deep a root system does cauliflower have? I ask because I saw a set up where they'd done portable Rubbermaid tubs of greens that they could move around even inside if necessary. Few holes for drainage in the bottom, thought it was a pretty slick set up. I've never had any luck with it either but after seeing the idea I thought "hey that might work for cauliflower". Just thinking out loud here......thoughts?

 

[Jared77]

No it would be an outdoor set up, more like a portable raised bed. I thought it would be nice to move in under threat of frost or a sudden heat wave. A day in or 2 in the basement might not hurt to keep the temperature swings.

Their set up was with a mix of cool weather crops and they'd move their plants around into the shade as they needed to depending on the time of year and overall temperature. I don't know how effective it is either just saw the set up and thought "Huh I wonder....".

 

[MontyJ]

I don't think my cauliflower is going to produce this year. We went from mid 70's to upper 80's low 90's in just a couple of days. That's enough change to cause poor production Even shading the plants won't help with temps that high.