Calling all cauliflower experts.

[catjac1975]

Before I begin my seedlings for the coming season, can you tell me why I can no longer grow cauliflower? I grew it for years where I had an overabundance. I have a great yield from broccoli, cabbage, kale. and brussels sprouts. What happened to my cauliflower crops????

 

[MontyJ]

What does it do?

 

[catjac1975]

I can't quite even remember. Buttonheaded some. Headed up late, though planted at the proper time, therefore just bolted. Turned a darker color never had a single good head!

 

[baymule]

I will follow this, I am growing my first cauliflower. But here, we plant it in September and it grows through the winter. I have several in the garden just starting to head. It gets so hot so quick that spring planting is not an option.

 

[Southern Gardener]

No, expert here, but I did get several heads - I picked the last three last weekend. They were not that big and I had bought started plants.

 

[lesa]

I have had terrible luck growing cauliflower. In fact, no luck at all... Be happy you once had success! At one point, I posted on here, to remind me never to try and grow it again- don't even tempt me, Cat!

 

[journey11]

I had no luck either. I did well starting from seed and got them looking good and growing big heads and then black rot set in and turned them all to a putrid ball of goo.

 

[897tgigvib]

Some things are not easy to grow! Good Cauliflower is one.

Cauliflower, like concentrated and smooth mild flavored broccoli. Timing and lots of fertility, moistness, and no aphids or caterpillers seem to be very important for it.

Another difficult crop is Cantaloupe.

Nice full Chinese Cabbage heads, another hard thing to get.

A regular list could be made, and there'd always be someone to say, no, that one's easy.

Gardeners! We grow things that have such different requirements. We'll have Beans finishing while Winter Radish is just rounding out.

Ohph! We love the challenge!

 

[curly_kate]

Sadly I've never had any luck with cauliflower either. Mine always goes to seed as soon as a head starts to form.

 

[MontyJ]

I can't quite even remember. Buttonheaded some. Headed up late, though planted at the proper time, therefore just bolted. Turned a darker color never had a single good head!

I'm no expert, but I have some success with cauliflower. It's a total pain to grow sometimes, and no matter what you do it often decides to just give up. Of everything I grow, cauliflower is the second worst. Celery is my true nemesis. Every year I try to grow celery and every year I fail. Anyway, here is what I can offer about cauliflower.
Button heads are almost always caused by something that shocked the plant. Cauliflower is a bit more sensitive than it's cousins and does not tolerate changes very well. Make sure you are planting the correct varieties for the time of year, keep it evenly watered. Even one short lapse in watering can cause button heads. Mulching can really pay off here. Some things you just can't control, like the weather. If temps go from low to mid 70's to mid 80's in a day or two, such as a sudden heat wave, you can pretty much count on some button heads. You can keep an eye on the weather and shade the plants if daytime highs are going to increase more than 5 or so degrees in just a day or two.
Bolting is usually caused by heat, or the plant got too old. Proper watering and feeding should help get the heads going at the right time provided you are using the right varieties for the time of year.
Do you grow self blanching? Even some of those varieties perform better if you help out a bit. You can break some of the leaf stalks and fold them over the head. I have also used brown paper bags folded over the heads. Don't use black plastic bags, I already made that mistake once :/ If you use paper bags, make sure they are loose and that you replace them if the get wet.