Caulis, would you bother?

[cupcake]

This will be my first full season at growing veg, and whilst I am fairly confident of growing most things, I seem to get the idea that caulis are a bit temperamental?Anyone got tips please?

[Alison]

How much do you like caulis? I've grown them a couple of times and not found them too bad although they do take a long time. I'd say that if you've got the space and like them then give them a go.

[scarey55]

I will most certainly be growing cauli's next year and romanescu too.

I have grown cauli's for the past two years and the only thing I will be doing differently next year is better successional sowing - a person can have only so much cauliflower cheese

As for tips, I don't really have any. I started mine off in small pots 1 seed per pot and I planted them out into soil that had home made compost dug in about 6 weeks before planting out. I don't find them at all difficult but, then again, I might have just been lucky

[carlseawolf]

I do the same as scary but put 3 seeds to a pot and thin down to one and then plant this in the ground by first making a crater 6" deep in the soil surface and then dig the hole in the bottom of that to plant the cauli .
The reason for planting into the crater is so they are protected from wind in the early stage and also you can fill this crater with soil at a later stage to prevent rocking of the plant as this can cause bolting or going to seed.

I find caulies need these four things to grow.
space - to get good caulies they need room so go with the recommended spacing.

water - the cauli head is mainly water so don't let the plant dry out as it will cause it to bolt

food - caulies are high nitrogen feeders and need other chemicals in smaller amounts that should be present in good compost.

wind rocking - A big problem on windy sities where every other think you did was right but the wind rocks the plant to the point it thinks it's in danger so goes into seed production , this can be solved by planting in craters or moving soil around the stem up to the bottom leaves'

One other thing is sunburn ( turn pink) or frost (turn black or brown ) , i had both this year and it can be cured by bending leaves over the heads

[Nicos]

Are you on a lottie? How successful are your neighbours?

We have problems because of club root. Also what we have produced in the past were small and when left for a weekend all blew

So no, I won't try again on the lottie, but I may well give it a go over here cos it's a completely different soil..and my kale looks superb so....no harm in you trying I'd say!

[Geordie]

Ok if you suffer from clubroot in the soil and you still want to grow brassicas give this a try,

grow seedlings on untill they are in 10cm pots, they need a good rootball to get ahead. Dig a large planting hole, fill it with a handful of eggshells, a dusting of lime, a lot of homemade compost and a sprinking of seaweed meal.

You may, just may get some cracking brassicas after all!

[kitchengardner]

This will be my first full season at growing veg, and whilst I am fairly confident of growing most things, I seem to get the idea that caulis are a bit temperamental?Anyone got tips please?

Caulis are not that hard to grow,but remember is is a brassica so heel in well, put a felt collar round the stem and keep under Environmesh. If the weather is cold and/or wet it is worth tying a couple of outers leaves round the developing curd (head)to protect it, but make sure you leave a gap so the curd can continue to grow.

I generally find caulis grow best in spring-autumn, the winter heading ones never seem to work well for me. Also they do take up a lot of room for a very long time and as I do not have an allotment this is a big issue for me. However the rewards are well worth it

Regards

Kitchen Gardener

[Snadger]

Ok if you suffer from clubroot in the soil and you still want to grow brassicas give this a try,

grow seedlings on untill they are in 10cm pots, they need a good rootball to get ahead. Dig a large planting hole, fill it with a handful of eggshells, a dusting of lime, a lot of homemade compost and a sprinking of seaweed meal.

You may, just may get some cracking brassicas after all!

Good advice Geordie............. I have to admit I didn't know about the eggshells.........I suppose they are for supplying extra phosphate for root growth?
I tried Kilaxy clubroot resitant cabbage last year and Kilaton cabbage plus Klapton cauli's this year........all clubroot resistant and I got a decent crop off all. Needs to be remembered these are F1 hybrids and all mature on the same day though........consecutive sowing next year methinks!

[di]

The big problem we had this year,(other than all being ready at same time),was caterpillar poop!!....I'm guessing the easiest solution to this would be enviromesh??

[moggssue]

I will definitely be growing caulis again next year, I just love them! Despite half of them being eaten by caterpillars I still had a decent crop, and this year will try starting them off even earlier in a cold frame. But then, I do have a lottie so can afford to have the space taken up for months.

If you want some caulis but are short on space, why dont you try some of the smaller ones that are around now, each one just large enough for a meal for two? A very kind grape donated me some of these (Igloo among others) when I just had a small patch in the garden, they were quicker growing and didnt take up so much space. Worth a thought maybe?

[cupcake]

Thanks chaps, I'll give them a try!

[Two_Sheds]

I grow Romanesco instead of cauli ... really, really easy. I picked a huge one y'day that I'd forgotten about; it'd had no care or attention, and was superb stir-fried.

[kernowyon]

Good advice Geordie............. I have to admit I didn't know about the eggshells.........I suppose they are for supplying extra phosphate for root growth?
I tried Kilaxy clubroot resitant cabbage last year and Kilaton cabbage plus Klapton cauli's this year........all clubroot resistant and I got a decent crop off all. Needs to be remembered these are F1 hybrids and all mature on the same day though........consecutive sowing next year methinks!

I agree with you Snadger on growing the clubroot resistant varieties, we suffer on our plot and i tried these last year, and the cauli's I grew were fantastic. I fact one of them won in the virtual veg show

[moggssue]

Do the club root resistant varieties taste as good? Apparently, sometimes breeding disease resistance can lead to a bland flavour - anyone any thoughts on caulis?

[Snadger]

Do the club root resistant varieties taste as good? Apparently, sometimes breeding disease resistance can lead to a bland flavour - anyone any thoughts on caulis?

I don't think I've ever had a tasteful cauli...........it's the nature of the beast for it to be bland aint it? It's the sauce that makes it!

My Clapton caulis tasted no different to any others as far as I recall.........only problem was, because they are F1's they are all ready for harvest at the same time (no problem if you have a freezer spose!)

I'll be sowing in fortnightly batches this year!