Help with cauliflowers

[allotmentlady]

The old chap I share my plot with wants to grow more cauli's this year, he says they will be fine to grow where we have just moved the manure from, is this okay? Will the cauli's grow in an area well manured? Juices from manure still have not properly drained away.

Help?

[Herbie]

The old chap I share my plot with wants to grow more cauli's this year, he says they will be fine to grow where we have just moved the manure from, is this okay? Will the cauli's grow in an area well manured? Juices from manure still have not properly drained away.

Help?

Cauli's need rich and deep soil. Adding plenty of well rotted manure in the autumn into the soil is a good start. The other thing with Cauli's is that the soil should be consolidated, so don't dig it over as this should have been done in the Autumn.

I am trying the mini cauliflowers this year no bigger than the size of your palm.

[allotmentlady]

yes i read about the soil being compacted, think i will give the small caulis a go this year, last year I grew caulis in containers!

thanks for the advice

[Snadger]

yes i read about the soil being compacted, think i will give the small caulis a go this year, last year I grew caulis in containers!

thanks for the advice

There's a difference between compacted and consolidated!

I made the mistake of just hoe'ing the weeds off a new allotment I took over and planted brassicas thinking the compacted soil would help them. What happened was the soil was so compacted the roots couldn't explore the surrounding soil and were confined to the small planting hole I dug for each plant!

[roitelet]

When you plant your caulis don't bury the lower leaves as it will make them go blind.