How to Grow Good Cauliflowers properly!

A well grown and cared-for cauliflower head.

Newcomers to vegetable gardening often have problems with growing good cauliflowers. this need not be the case. However, there are a few things to get right when trying to grow good cauliflowers.

Firstly, make sure that you sow the right variety at the right time for your particular area: Check on this in a good seed catalogue. Secondly, you should grow your cauliflowers very steadily - don't try to rush them, and give them plent of attention to make sure that they grow without undue stress: They do not like any kind of check to their growth.

Raise them in soil blocks - or peat pots , if possible, and transplant them when they are still small - about 6 weeks old.

They need plenty of moisture throughout their growing period. This is especially in the early stages. They need less nitrogen than most other brassicas. Too much feeding makes them produces masses of leaves rather than curds.

Cauliflower seedlings can be attacked by the cabbage-root fly. To deter these, you can protect the stem with a disc of foam carpet underlay. Slip this collar around the stem at soil level after planting. It should be about 150 mm (6 in) in diameter, with a slit from the outside to a small central hole as wide as the stem. You can also but special brassica rings for this job. Alternatively, dip the transplants in calomel dust before planting. this deters the cabbage fly.