The Complete Guide to Growing Cauliflower
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- Learn to grow cauliflower with the complete guide to growing cauliflower at home!
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Cauliflower are typically started indoors from seed, about 4- 6 weeks before your desired transplant date. This can be as early as 2-6 weeks before your last spring frost date or 6-8 weeks before your first fall frost date. Cauliflower grows best with consistently cool temperatures of the spring & fall in most growing regions. Optimal growing temperatures are in the 60s, no higher than 75F. Temperatures which are too hot or too cold may cause bolting or premature heading. Cauliflower is the most easily stressed member of the brassica family- drastic changes in temperature, moisture and nutrients can cause plants to develop premature heads or bolt. Cauliflower is also easily stressed by insect pressure. If growing in areas where temperature frequently and drastically fluctuates, protect plants with frost cloth or cloches. Extreme cold can halt growth or kill plants.
To start cauliflower indoors, sow seeds ¼” deep in seed-starting media, moisten media and keep evenly moist as seedlings are growing. Seeds should germinate in 5-7 days at temps of around 70-75F.
Begin fertilizing seedlings once they have their second set of true leaves. Seedlings can be transplanted after they are about 4-6” tall with 2-4 sets of leaves.
Harden off your seedlings before transplanting- hardening off is a process of slowly acclimating tender seedlings to outdoor conditions. Bring seedling flats outdoors and place in a protected spot, gradually increasing the time seedlings spend outdoors over the course of several days to a week.
When transplanting seedlings, space them 18-24” and space rows 30” apart
Cauliflower grows best in full sun and in fertile, well-drained soil. Cauliflower is a heavy feeder-- for best results, work compost or aged manure into the soil before planting. Feed with a balanced, slow release fertilizer when transplanting and then again when small heads begin to form.
Once planted, give your seedlings a generous drink of water and provide with consistent, plentiful moisture as they grow- 2” of water per week is ideal.
Some varieties of cauliflower will require blanching to maintain head quality and color. Blanching is tying the outer leaves together with a rubber band or twine to keep the heads protected from sunlight. You can also choose self-blanching types which have leaves that curl up around the heads naturally.
Cauliflower is ready to harvest 50-100 days after transplanting, depending on the variety you are growing. Harvest when heads are compact and firm before curds start to open up. Heads will typically be 6-8” in diameter. Cut heads from the base of the plant with a sharp knife and enjoy!
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First year trying to grow califlower. Thank you for your tips.
That "I'm a bit of a diva" meme with the cauliflower was hilarious 😂
😆
I grew cauliflower for the first time this year. I grow lots of other brassicas but this has to be the prettiest vegetable. I thought it would bolt before harvest but my last one I will harvest today. We have been getting high's in the mid 80's the last couple days.
Glad to hear it!
I've never grown cauliflower but am hoping to add it to the garden next year. Thanks for this.
Bree Henson oh good! I hope you try it and let me know how it goes!
When we lived in Georgia, we had zero luck with cauliflower. You make me wanna try it again.
I hope you do! I see you're in Arkansas now- you'll probably do best with an early maturing variety that will mature before your heat sets in. The University of Arkansas Extension recommends varieties like Snowball, Snow Crown and Cheddar. You might also find this helpful: www.uaex.edu/publications/PDF/FSA-6007.pdf I'd love to hear how it goes for you if you decide to try cauliflower again! Thanks for watching & have a wonderful week!
@@GrowfullywithJenna I've got that research down pat. I have some Snowball seeds. They're just looking at me, like, "Uh oh." Lol!
Ernie Hatmaker. you’ve got this! Go for it & plant those cauliflower next spring!!
Awesome information as always Mrs. Jenna. Congrats on the 1K mark. Stay safe my friend and have a wonderful weekend!
CB's Greenhouse and Garden thank you so much CB. I hope you realize how much I appreciate your support and encouragement! Take care!
This helped so much more than I originally expected!
I'm so glad to hear that! Thank you for letting me know and I hope you have a wonderful evening!
This is the first year I’ve successfully grown cauliflowers - not huge like yours but I don’t mind. I’m not sure what I did right this time- definitely will be growing these every year.
Hooray! I'm so glad to hear you've had success with cauliflower, Gail- that's awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Excellent information and presentation Jenna! 👍
Jules Small Gardening thank you!
Thank you for sharing this info.it’s really cool
Thanks for sharing your vedio madam 😊
I’ve struggled a few times growing cauliflower... I’m confident this year though 😁
I'm glad to hear you're confident this year, Kris! Best wishes for a wonderful cauliflower harvest!
The cauliflower I planted in May is finally starting to grow a head. It was in part shade (5 hours or so), so maybe that helped prevent bolting (although here in suburban Toronto it's also not super hot in summer). The head is about 2 inches across now, although the plant itself is not very big so I'm not sure how big the plant will get - it's Early Snowball cauliflower. Looks like just one more heat wave in a few days to get through and then temperatures should be in the preferred range. The much larger romanesco plant (also transplanted in May) has no visible head yet.
That's pretty cool! I'm glad to hear it's forming a head-- hopefully that Romanesco does too.
, the leaves on my caulies are huge but 3 months later no head is forming, do i pull them out and start again😢
Very useful guide
Thank you! I'm glad you found it useful.
Hi Jenna, thanks so much for this video. Do you know if the leaves of the plant are edible too?
Hello, you are welcome! Great question-- yes, the leaves are edible, they remind me a bit of collards. Take care!
Hi Jenna - thanks for the helpful video. I've not had success yet with cauliflower on my terrace garden in NYC where I grow many other vegetables. Hoping this year is the charm. What fertilizer did you use in the video, or do you recommend when planting seedlings about the age of yours?
Hi Karen- I used this fertilizer: www.gardensalive.com/product/vegetables-alive-fertilizer
Dang! The cauliflower heads I have are about 4" is it to late to cover/blanch?
Will it grow again from the same plant once you cut the head?
Cauliflower does not typically produce another head or side-shoots once the main head is harvested. However, there is a brand new variety called 'Multi-head' which supposedly will put on smaller side-shoots, but it won't do so in every growing climate and it is not widely available yet.
What could be the cause after 4 months with nice leafy growth there is no bearing ? I would be happy for an answer.
There are quite a few reasons this could happen, some of the more common include:
Stress (this could be from a whole range of things- temps which are too cold or too hot, insect pressure, not enough water, waiting too long to transplant seedlings)
Nutrient deficiencies or imbalances. Cauliflower is a heavy feeder, but too much nitrogen can cause lush foliage growth at the expense of putting on heads
Overcrowding- plants which are too close together sometimes won't put on heads
@@GrowfullywithJenna Thank you for your answer. Will it never put on head or is it worthwhile still taking care and waiting for it?
@@jeanettavaughan9169 It does depend on where you are growing, but I know that here in Ohio, it would not be likely that the plants would put on a head at this point. I'd just eat the leaves.
Can we eat the Cauliflower leaves?
Yes, absolutely! Keep in mind that the younger leaves are going to have a more tender texture, they will start to get tough as they get older.
Can they regrow its head?
Typical varieties of cauliflower do not regrow heads once the first head is cut. I do know that vegetable breeders are working on new varieties that will put on secondary growth- but am not sure when these will be available to the home gardener!
And the leaves are edible and have twice s much as vitamin A than the head.
Thanks for sharing
My broccoli made heads, but my cauliflower didn’t any ideas