Cauliflower spacing

[Demeter]

Hi

I'm growing All The Year Round caulis and the packet suggests 10" spacing for "baby" heads and 24" spacing for standard heads. I've planted them at roughly 10" intervals (block planting in beds not rows, if that makes a difference?) but now I'm having second thoughts. Anyone know how small a "baby" head would be? I wouldn't mind having smaller than standard heads as there is only me and the little one, but I don't want them to be tiny!

I could lift and move the middle ones to increase spacing, but don't want to do so if it isn't necessary. I don't want to give them any more space than they need, but equally I don't want to waste time growing them in too small a space and end up with rubbish! Brain going round in circles, so I need someone sensible to put me back on the right course lol.

Thanks in advance!
xx

[Jillyreeves]

Sorry I cant give you any advice on the spacing, but I too am growing All Year Round, first time Cauli grower too.

I watch this tread with interest, but at present mine are in seed tray and haven't broken the surface yet.

[Alice]

I think I'm sensible, Demeter, so if you have planted your All the Year Caulies 10 x 10 and want heads for 2 people you can calm down. They will be just fine for 2 people. Here's mine.

[Demeter]

Perfect - thanks Alice
I will leave them as they are and go to bed now with an easy mind

[Demeter]

Out of interest, does the size of the head increase incrementally with the size of the spacing?
e.g. If I put them out at, say, 15"-18" spacing would I get medium sized heads?
And do the smaller-head caulis mature quicker or is it not as simple as that?

Also - can I reduce spacing for smaller heads with other varieties too or does it only work with certain varieties (I've got some other types to sow later in the year but they do not suggest closer spacing for smaller heads.)

Fanks.

[Snadger]

Out of interest, does the size of the head increase incrementally with the size of the spacing?
e.g. If I put them out at, say, 15"-18" spacing would I get medium sized heads?
And do the smaller-head caulis mature quicker or is it not as simple as that?

Also - can I reduce spacing for smaller heads with other varieties too or does it only work with certain varieties (I've got some other types to sow later in the year but they do not suggest closer spacing for smaller heads.)

Fanks.

I think what you are doing should give you heads about tennis ball size! I think the size of the head will increase incrimentally with spacing, although I grew another variety (Clapton F1) at 15 inch spacing last year and got normal size heads the size of a CD!

PS Any crop grown at a closer spacing than recommended will give lower yields.......it's a case of experimenting with the cultivars and spacing that suit your needs!

[Demeter]

Perhaps I will plant the next sowing out at wider spacing so I can compare. I will leave the current lot - tennis balls would be on the small side but better than the golf balls I had started picturing when I tried to guess how big "babies" might be!

Will try and remember to update this thread with the results in a few months time...

[Snadger]

Perhaps I will plant the next sowing out at wider spacing so I can compare. I will leave the current lot - tennis balls would be on the small side but better than the golf balls I had started picturing when I tried to guess how big "babies" might be!

Will try and remember to update this thread with the results in a few months time...

Once caulis start growing they grow very quickly.........one day there's nothing................ next day there's 20 caulis waiting to be picked.......yours should crop over a longer period though as they aren't F1's!

[PAULW]

[QUOTE=Snadger;416648.......yours should crop over a longer period though as they aren't F1's![/QUOTE]
Therefore it doesn't really matter to much about the spacing as you take out a mature cauli it will give a bit more elbow room to its neighbours

[Snadger]

Therefore it doesn't really matter to much about the spacing as you take out a mature cauli it will give a bit more elbow room to its neighbours

Theoretically YES, but by the time it comes to harvesting they've made most of there growth anyway and may still have small curds?

I grow spring cabbage in that way, close spaced, I take every second one as spring greens and allow the others to heart up!

[Farmer_Gyles]

last year i grew all year round caulis spaced about 18-20" apart, heads were up to 8" wide
this year i'll grow some at 10" to pick every other one and give others space, and another row at 20-24" spacing
i'm also going to grow oregano (and another herb, cant remember which one?) in between all the brassicas as they're supposed to deter cabbage whites and things, so still won't have true 24" spacing for each plant

[Demeter]

I'm only planting 6 to 8 caulis at a time so fortunately I won't ever have 20 all at once lol. The plan is that I will have a crop of no more than 8 heads (slugs and caterpillars and weather and everything-else permitting, so probably half that if I'm lucky! ) every three or four weeks and I reckon that will be about right - as long as they aren't king-sized heads, in which case it will be excessive!!