growing cauliflowers

[lottie dolly]

HELLO PEOPLE
I am not haveing much luck growing cauliflowers again this year,they do not seem to grow much above aprox,3inch,i was looking on the packet for any info,it says,{couliflowers dislike a check in growth,it can pay to sow in peat pots instead of a seed bed},the variety is wainfleet,so this skinflint wondered if there is enough room in a loo roll to accomodate their root system,
have also sown some violet queen,this was just the usual intructions,and i had already done these,so live in hope,,i will hold of anymore sowings till see what,if any advice comes along,thanking you all in advanced.

[zazen999]

How long are you leaving them? They take ages to grow.

[JO,JO]

my first time of growing cauli as well,just going to take it as it comes thats all you can do really i think.

[Demeter]

couliflowers dislike a check in growth... peat pots... wondered if there is enough room in a loo roll to accomodate their root system.

Maybe try newspaper pots?

[momol]

I sowed mine in moduls, they germinated in 5 days but seems to be growing pretty slow after that. Last year's Igloo failed (black bird has killed them while digging for worms) and I am trying it again this year.

[lottie dolly]

How long are you leaving them? They take ages to grow.

last year i sowed all year round,2 lots at different times,the last lot stayed in the cell trays all winter and never moved,i just gave up and left them,i bought some instead,they were much bigger plants and did fine,this year i must have over watered the first lot,so the next batch sown into modules have got to the 3 inch and refuse to grow any more,i moved them from the greenhouse to the plastic jobby,tent greenhouse,so they not so warm,the cabbages i sown at the same time are great,they are planted out at the lottie and 3 times as big.

[lottie dolly]

I sowed mine in moduls, they germinated in 5 days but seems to be growing pretty slow after that. Last year's Igloo failed (black bird has killed them while digging for worms) and I am trying it again this year.

last year it was all year round,this time is,snowball a,i suppose i will have to wait and see,
do cauliflowers take longer than cabbage to grow up.

[momol]

I am growing some baby cabbage for the first time this year of Ami's seeds (sowed the same time with Igloo cauliflower), will take note of their growth as a comparison. Lets hope for the best ,Lottie Dolly and may we harvest our cauli later this year .

[lottie dolly]

hi mamol,had another look at the packet it also say sow april/may,harvest early april NEXT year,maybe thats why they so slow,perhaps i got to much sun on saturday,fryed my brain,it was very hot here.good luck with your growing.

[Snadger]

I'm growing Clapton which is a clubroot resistant variety this year. Cauli's aren't the easiest of things to grow anyway and are a Martyr to cabbage root fly and all manner of other pests and diseases without having to contend with clubroot!
I'm looking forward to seeing how they perform!

[lottie dolly]

I'm growing Clapton which is a clubroot resistant variety this year. Cauli's aren't the easiest of things to grow anyway and are a Martyr to cabbage root fly and all manner of other pests and diseases without having to contend with clubroot!
I'm looking forward to seeing how they perform!

are you trying to scare me to death,
thank you for your reply,for warned is for armed,so they say,so maybe i could dress them up with a nice little collar,and prepare the flying rat barriers,and keep a good eye over them,all will be worth it when they have grown up,and sitting on the plate,i feel determined to get at least 1 d**n couliflower good luck with yours.

[JO,JO]

might give caulis a miss next year will see how my cauli plants,that i put in on feb fair,they have 6 leaves now x

[jackie j]

I have all year caulis too and they are very small they are in celltrays now but i started them in a seed tray and moved them they are in plastic greenhouse too.

[zazen999]

Try Romanesco; green fractal caulis and so much easier and quicker to grow.

[Cutecumber]

Try to keep your brassica seedlings cool, with the compost slightly damp but not soaking. There's nothing worse than hot and wet.

Strangely, I seem to have the completely opposite experience of cauliflower growers here bceause I grow hybrid summer caulis - they grow like the clappers.

Snowball and Violet Queen should mature in autumn from a spring sowing but they are not the fastest. Wainfleet is a spring cauliflower - you're not going to see it do much very quickly as it's not due for harvest for a year!

If you want something that really moves, try Candid Charm or Freedom - sow in February and reap the rewards in June if you treat them well.