Cauliflower - Preferred Cool Weather Crop That Can Be Grown in Your Home Vegetable Garden
 (Read 100+ times)
By John Yazo
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There is no better tasting cauliflower than the sweet, mild taste of one that is grown in your own vegetable garden. It is not a difficult crop to grow. Being a primarily cool weather crop it is sensitive to extreme temperatures, they won't produce heads in hot weather. In warm climates it is best planted in the fall or winter for a early spring crop.
Cauliflower is a member of the cabbage family. It grows best in a soil that is rich in nitrogen and potassium. The soil needs to have a good healthy structure, one that is full of organic matter, drains well and retains moisture.
It is a crop that can either be sown directly into the garden or as a transplant, depending on the length of your growing season and climate. When starting from seed directly in the garden you will need to sow the crop about 2 to 3 months before the first expected frost for a fall crop. It is best to plant them in hills or raised beds to avoid seeds from rotting in soggy soil conditions, spacing the hills about 2 feet apart and 4 to 5 seeds per hill or plant directly in the garden 18 inches to 2 feet apart.
Cauliflower needs about 1 inch of water per week, soaking the soil deep. The moisture in the soil needs to be consistent for them to produce a large, tender head. Dry spell ill cause the heads to open and become ricey in texture. Mulching heavily will help to keep the soil moist and slow the evaporation of moisture along with helping to suppress weeds. When weeding it should be done by hand around the plant to avoid damage to the root system.
Once the curds, or flower head, are about the size of an egg they will need to be blanched, this is done by covering to protect them from the sunlight. To blanch them you can simply cover the curds with the plants leaves by bending them over the head and tucking them in on the opposite side or tie them with a piece of soft twine. While you are in this blanching process only water the root system of the plant and and unwrap the heads occasionally to check for pest and to give them some time to dry out from any rain water that may have gotten in.
The mature heads of a cauliflower can range in sizes from 6 to 12 inches and the buds should still be tight and unopened. When ready just cut the heads from the plant stem just below the head leaving a few leaves attached to help protect the curd.
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Author Bio Box: John Yazo
A environment friendly and healthy way of gardening. Organic Gardening is away of gardening in harmony with nature. Growing a healthy and productive crop in a way that is healthier for both you and the environment.
John Yazo
http://www.organicheirloomgardening.com
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