I'd like to try growing cauliflowers, but get told it's difficult and only for advanced gardeners.
Any tips from succesful cauliflower growers would be great. Type, how to start, when to start, whatever has worked for you.
The biggest problem with cauliflower so that sometimes they curd very early and only get very small curds. This is often because they have suffered a check in growth. I find the best way to grow cauliflowers is to sow just a couple of seeds in small Cacti pots in the greenhouse or frame, you reduce to one if both germinate , you can pot these onto 3 " pots and then plant them out when ready. This avoids any check that they usually get when sown in seed rows and transplanted. You only want a few at any one time and this way you can repeat sowings as needed. A good variety is "all the year".
Three essentials for cauli.
1. Unchecked growth - if you grow in modules do not let the seedlings get too big. a good rule of thumb is to plant them no later than six weeks after they germinate.
2. Good soil preperation. They need a hearty soil that has lots of guts in it and has had time to consolidate. Even more so than the rest of the brassicas they must have firm soil.
3. Feed and water throughout the growing time. Swift growth without check needs regular water never let the soil dry and give a couple of feeds during thier growth. I tend to use growmore in initial bed then a regular feed of comfry tea.
I tend to grow three types of cauli cos my family love them. Caulis will not stand once they are ready they have to be used or they will blow. So as well as successional sowing try an early, mid summer and or autumn cauli and its possible to have caulis throught the year. I do!. They dont need an expert - but they do require a bit more care than other brassicas.. You cannot sow and just let them grow it dont work with caulis.
Good luck
sorry sam but we disprove the compacted soil for cauliflower theory last week.
Sam is right, as he says cauliflowers need well-consolidated soil which is not the same as being compacted!
flighty close enough for goverment work.
the farmer down road says cauliflower likes loose well amended soil.
His go 7-12 lbs per head.
Here in the UK compacted and consolidated have very different meanings!
A friend who does exactly the same as Sam has been growing good, and often prize-winning, cauliflowers for over 40 years.
Candid Charm F1 is good for successional sowing Mar-Jun for harvest Jul-Nov. Caulis almost the size of footballs. When the leaves are about 8-10" tall, put down some Calcified seaweed around the general area. It is an excellent soil additive feed for caulis. I grow 4 varieties to see me through different seasons but these are by far the biggest and best.
flighty then maybe you can find an alternative word instead of consolidated.
Quote from: mrestofus on November 29, 2009, 02:10:02
[flighty then maybe you can find an alternative word instead of consolidated.]
now now,hope your not getting angry with my (mate) flighty.
may be next time flighty please say FIRM ;D ;D ;D ;D
Great! Thanks for all the tips....last question. When? I mean...six weeks after they germinate. Start in modules around April 1st? Or earlier. How long does it take a cauliflower to cauli?
Quote from: gardentg44 on November 29, 2009, 07:34:26
Quote from: mrestofus on November 29, 2009, 02:10:02
[flighty then maybe you can find an alternative word instead of consolidated.]
now now,hope your not getting angry with my (mate) flighty.
may be next time flighty please say FIRM ;D ;D ;D ;D
Do you FIRM yours in, Kes?
Quote from: RobinOfTheHood on November 29, 2009, 08:12:21
Quote from: gardentg44 on November 29, 2009, 07:34:26
Quote from: mrestofus on November 29, 2009, 02:10:02
[flighty then maybe you can find an alternative word instead of consolidated.]
now now,hope your not getting angry with my (mate) flighty.
may be next time flighty please say FIRM ;D ;D ;D ;D
[Do you FIRM yours in, Kes? ]
mine always go in firm paul ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: mormor on November 29, 2009, 07:55:05
Great! Thanks for all the tips....last question. When? I mean...six weeks after they germinate. Start in modules around April 1st? Or earlier. How long does it take a cauliflower to cauli?
it depends on the variety that is being sown. I sow one type as early as January, others as late as June and July.
even some in September thats how I get successional caulis.
Just a quck note on 'compaction/consolidated'. To me compacted soil has had heavy traffic, a lot of walking on, such as paths,etc. What I meant by consolidated is soil that has been dug and prepared for cultivation and then given time to settle ( in its own time not by any other means). Sorry for any confusion.
Sam as far as I'm concerned there's no need to be sorry as your comment was quite clear.
By the way welcome to A4A!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consolidation_%28soil%29
Consolidation is a process by which soils decrease in volume. It occurs when stress is applied to a soil that causes the soil particles to pack together more tightly, therefore reducing its bulk volume. When this occurs in a soil that is saturated with water, water will be squeezed out of the soil. The magnitude of consolidation can be predicted by many different methods. In the Classical Method, developed by Karl von Terzaghi, soils are tested with an oedometer test to determine their compression index. This can be used to predict the amount of consolidation.
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,56220.msg573122.html#msg573122
even teegee is against firm soil for brassicas.
Quote from: mrestofus on December 02, 2009, 07:05:16
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consolidation_%28soil%29
Consolidation is a process by which soils decrease in volume. It occurs when stress is applied to a soil that causes the soil particles to pack together more tightly, therefore reducing its bulk volume. When this occurs in a soil that is saturated with water, water will be squeezed out of the soil. The magnitude of consolidation can be predicted by many different methods. In the Classical Method, developed by Karl von Terzaghi, soils are tested with an oedometer test to determine their compression index. This can be used to predict the amount of consolidation.
Anyone cutting and pasting stuff like this is only fit for the ignore button. Doubtless another incarnation of TTG.
Robert I agree and you're right!