Cauliflower

Origin & history

Cauliflower reached Europe via the eastern Mediterranean: Italian gardeners bought their seed from Cyprus well into the 17th century, which is why it was long known simply as Cyprus cabbage. It came to German gardens in the 17th and 18th centuries by way of France — chou-fleur — and was for a long time a vegetable of grand kitchens. The “curd” is not a finished flower head but a bundle of arrested flower shoots; left standing, it loosens and runs up into yellow flowers.

Varieties

Varieties are sold by maturity group: early ones for spring planting, mid-late and late ones for the autumn harvest, which need more time and take cool weather better. Many newer F1 varieties are self-wrapping — their inner leaves fold over the curd by themselves. Besides white there are green, purple and orange types; romanesco with its pointed spires is the most distinct of them and usually needs a little longer.

Care

Cauliflower must never stall: cold nights after planting, a dried-out rootball, root damage from hoeing — every setback shows up later as a small, premature curd. So hoe shallowly, mulch, and in dry weeks give 15 to 20 litres per square metre at once rather than a little every day. It is a genuinely hungry crop: plenty of compost at planting and a second feed once the plant has ten to twelve large leaves.

What can go wrong

Tiny buttons on otherwise vigorous plants (“buttoning”) nearly always go back to a cold shock shortly after planting out or to young plants left too long in their pots — better to plant later and lay fleece over them at first. Brown, hollow patches in the stalk and a bitter taste point to boron deficiency on light, heavily limed soils; compost and a restrained hand with lime prevent it. And as with every brassica the four-year break applies, otherwise you bring clubroot into the bed.

Harvest, storage & kitchen

Harvest as soon as the curd is firm and closed and before the individual florets visibly separate — in warm weather only a few days lie between the two. Cut it with a ring of leaves, which protects it on the way to the kitchen. Fresh cauliflower keeps only a few days; when a whole batch comes at once, blanch it and freeze it. The tender inner leaves and the peeled stalk are good eating and need not go on the compost.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my cauliflower bolting and flowering?

Usually because harvest came too late: the curd is a flower head that has not opened yet, and once it breaks into separate yellow flowers the moment has passed — heat and drought speed that up. It stays edible, but tastes sharper and cooks to mush.

How long does cauliflower take from planting to harvest?

Around eight to twelve weeks, longer for late autumn varieties. The season as a whole runs from 20 June to the end of October. To avoid a glut, sow in batches two to three weeks apart, up to 10 June.

Is cauliflower winter hardy?

No. It takes light night frosts, but a real winter finishes it off, which is why harvest ends at the end of October. Protect autumn heads with fleece on frosty nights; a curd caught by frost turns glassy in patches and will not keep.

Can cauliflower be grown in a raised bed or a pot?

In a raised bed yes, in a pot only with effort. One plant needs 50 cm of space and evenly moist soil at all times, which a container rarely manages in high summer. Reckon on about four plants per square metre of bed.