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Growing Guide
GROWING NOTES
Can tolerate light shade but will slow maturity. Light shade can be beneficial in warm weather.
Prefers well-drained, fertile soil high in organic matter, pH 6.0 to 7.5. Can tolerate slightly alkaline soil. Needs plentiful, consistent moisture.
Biennial grown as an annual.
In addition to tying heads to blanch white-headed varieties, cauliflower requires good soil, timely planting and protection from pests.
Some varieties have white stems and veins.
MAINTAINING
Most finicky of the cole (cabbage family) crops. Heads will not develop properly in hot or dry weather, so timing is crucial. Will tolerate cold as well as other cole crops in spring, but mature heads are not resistant to hard freezes.
Sow seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before average last spring frost. Keep soil warm (about 75 F), until germination. Then keep plants around 60 F. Provide direct sun so plants don't get leggy. When plants are 4 to 6 weeks old, transplant into garden 15 to 24 inches apart in rows 24 to 36 inches apart. Wait until soil temperature is 50 F or above and danger of frost is past before transplanting.
Larger, older transplants are more likely to bolt when exposed to cool temperatures in the garden. Transplant when plants have four or five true leaves.
Some cultivars will form small "button" heads when the weather turns warm following a 10-day stretch when high temperatures only reach the 40s F.
Direct seeding is more difficult than with other cole crops, especially in spring. For fall crops, plant seed in late-spring early summer ½ to ¾ inch deep, about 3 inches apart. Thin to final spacings. Or start transplants in late May and transplant in late June or early July.
Plants have shallow root systems. Avoid even shallow cultivation. Mulch to protect roots, reduce weed competition and conserve moisture.
To preserve the white color of the curd, use string or rubber bands to secure outside leaves over the head when it is about 2 to 3 inches in diameter. From tying to harvest may take less than a week in summer or as long as a month in fall.
Too much sun, heat or nitrogen fertilizer can cause "ricey" heads where the curd separates into small, rice-like grains.
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