How to Grow Cauliflower From Seeds. Cauliflowers sold in stores are typically creamy white, but if you cultivate your own, you can enjoy excellent and enticing yellow, green, or purple varieties. They can be cultivated all year round, but they do take up a fair amount of space, require rich, deep soil, and require a lot of water, especially in the summer.
Sow:
Thinly sow seeds 2 cm (34 in) deep in a seedbed. For small caulis, the final rows should be spaced 15 cm (6 in) or 60 cm (24 in) apart, respectively. For mini caulis, thin the seedlings to a final spacing of 6 inches (15 cm), or 60 inches (24 cm), for larger varieties. However, planting in cell trays with any good all-purpose potting compost yields the best results.
Avoid growing too many plants at once since cauliflowers mature quickly. Although early crops can be produced by planting under glass in January or February or by sowing cultivars in the fall in a glasshouse or cold frame, the major sowing season is from March through May.
Grow:
Cauliflowers grow best in extremely fertile soil, so before planting, work in a bucket of well-rotted manure or organic matter. Vitax Q4 is a high-potassium general fertiliser that should be used at a rate of three handfuls per square metre or yard to promote plant growth. Before planting, work the soil by treading.
If growth is slowed down at any point, they develop tiny, malformed heads. Make a hole deep enough to support the plant with the lowest leaves at ground level and water plants thoroughly the day before transplanting to prevent issues. Several times pour water into this hole. This will ensure that the plant is sitting in a sizable area of moist soil and fill the hole with soil. The roots are very firmly pressed against the soil.
Winter cultivars should be spaced at about 75 cm (2 ft) apart, whereas winter cropping kinds should be spaced at around 60 cm (2 ft). This spacing of 30-45 cm (12-18 in) apart produces small, “one person” curds. In dry conditions, water well, applying enough water to completely moisten the root zone every ten days. When the plants are flourishing, add 30g (1oz) of high-nitrogen fertiliser per square meter, such as sulphate of ammonia, to promote growth and curd formation.
Harvesting:
Cauliflowers can be harvested at any time of the year, depending on when you sow them. From sowing to maturity, they typically require three to five months, however, growth rates vary according to the variety and weather. Check the seed packet and harvest at the recommended size because different varieties mature at various sizes.
When the head begins to split, it is past its prime and will taste bitter. The head should be solid and compact. Harvest white types as soon as they start to turn yellow. Take the head and a few of the leaves beneath the stem that has been cut with a knife.
Recommended Types:
Cauliflowers (Spring)
- Galleon AGM
- Jerome’ AGM
- ‘Triomphant’ AGM
(Summer)
- Candid Charm AGM
- ‘Nautilus’ AGM
- ‘Nessie’ AGM
(Autumn & Winter)
- ‘Moby Dick’ AGM
- ‘Raleigh’ AGM
- ‘Clapton’ AGM
(Coloured & Romanesco)
- ‘Sunset’
- ‘Veronica’ AGM
- ‘Graffiti’ AGM
