dirty cauliflowers

[Mrs Ava]

Why oh why are my cauliflowers dirty?  :o  And I don't mean rude before you all start, I mean, one of my white caulis is more yellow - kinda grotty looking.  It is because I have kept them covered with netting to keep the pigeons off?  Do caulis need covering once the curds start to form, or will the pigeons still attack and eat them.  I have my next winter lot germinating now so I would like to know what I did wrong. Thanks cauli growers everywhere.

[Mrs Ava]

[tim]

Truly infuriating, isn't it? But tastes the same?

If they aren't the tightly-wrapped-leafed sort, they do need a leaf over to keep the light out. I think, also,  that a poor childhood can cause discolouration.
But I'm not the expert. = Tim

[Mrs Ava]

Oh!  And I chucked it on the compost heap!!!!!  So, snap a couple of leaves and bend them over the developing curds?  Purple ones are gorgeous and clear, it is just he white ones that look dirty.  And the pigeons??

[growmore]

Hi EJ,
        I bring all my leaves up and then tie
them at the top to cover the curd..
Don't break the leaves and cover the curd .
Also cut them as soon as you think they are nearly big enough as they discolour with age.
It seems to work for me Cheers ..Jim :)

ps. They tells me the yellow ones taste ok though as long as they are not blown.

[Mrs Ava]

Right, back there on Friday - kids permitting, so will do just that.  I am cross that I binned the other one.  Ava would have liked cauli cheese for tea.  :-\

[tim]

Don't worry too much if you break the leaves! = Tim

[Lavender]

First time with cauli for me this year.  Did as Tim suggested and covered them up, which was successful up to a point.  I think the trick may be to keep an eye on them and whip them out as soon as they're more than a mouthful.  I left some 'for tomorrow' and regretted - within a very short time (couple of days) they'd gone from being beautiful to discoloured scabby articles, which the slugs seemed to have been grazing.

Or maybe they had an unhappy childhood right enough. I meant well, but I think I made a few mistakes.  Well, every mistake possible actually.  ;D  But we've ended up with a freezer (and tummies) full of cauli.

[john_miller]

The problem I have had with breaking leaves over them is that the curd may not get completely covered and I ended up with white curds with a yellow rim. Tying the leaves (it's quicker if you use a rubber band to bunch the leaves together) worked much better.

[tim]

Do agree, John - & the leaf will wilt etc. Only a makeshift method. Never heard the other way before.

Lavender - are you sure that it wasn't caterpillar damage - the most likely? Evidenced by their droppings? And, if given a decent start in life, you really shouldn't have to 'baby-snatch'. = Tim

[Lavender]

Tim it could well have been caterpillers, though I didn't see their 'gifts' (just assumed slugs as they eat everything else!)  And you're right about eating the babies - I will do better next year.  I have vowed to read the instructions BEFORE applying my 'logic'.  ;)

[tim]

Forgot - earwigs? They're a pain. = Tim