whats the best way to grow cauilflower

[MURFE 18]

Hi, can any one tell me how to grow cauilflower, and keep the heads nice and tight, plus is it time to plant the seed now in greenhouse with no heat,
i have only just started to grow veg and this is my first year on the lotte,thanks

[rustylady]

Cauliflower like the same sort of conditions as other brassicas (cabbages). You can sow seed in 3 and a half inch pots now in cold greenhouse, prick out into cells and then transplant onto the lottie when big enough. You can also sow direct into the ground, then thin out or transplant. I would personally go for the pot/cells/lottie method. When you do plant into the open ground you need to make sure they are really firmly planted (ground dug over much earlier and left to settle, tread over to firm, plant seedlings and firm in really well).

[Alison]

Have never really had any luck with sowing directly into the groud but do very well getting the plants to a reasonable size and then planting out. Somebody told me to break the leaves over the curds when they start to form to shade them, don't know if it's necessary but I always do in it case!

[nick the grief]

Greenside up

If you want to stop the curds yellowing bend the leaves ofer to keep out the light.

[roitelet]

Don't plant them too deep just with the cotelydon leaves above the ground or they won't form curds.

[stigoftheplot]

They are in soil for some time so give a good dose of manure/compost before planting, to keep em going in the months ahead.

[newgardengirl]

I have another question about cauliflower.

I've got some plants going strong indoors and it'll probably be time to transplant them outside onto the vegetable patch, in a couple of weeks.

However, a few people have said that theirs got decimated by caterpillars and things. So, what is the best precaution to take against this? Do I need to buy something?

[Flummery]

Like a caterpillar gun? I'd be interested in the answer to this. I grow my veg in the garden and even with frequent 'picking off' expeditions I still end up with lace on brassicas some years!

[Lesley Jay]

You need to net over all cauliflowers and cabbages to prevent the eggs being laid by the cabbage white butterflies. The net mustn't touch the leaves otherwise the butterflies can still land on them.

So you need either cane sticks with empty mineral water bottles on them or tennis balls or nail two pieces of wood together to make a 'T' shape. All these ideas will hold the net above the plants. Make sure the net reaches the ground all around.

[newgardengirl]

Thanks Lesley - presumably it needs to be a fairly fine/tight kind of netting?

[Lesley Jay]

Oh! I don't know what size the holes are!!

It's just the standard netting that the garden centres sell. You can buy anti aphid netting, which I think is needed for sprouts (stops all the little black flies), but it is expensive and normal netting is fine for cauliflowers and cabbages.

[TPeers]

The fine stuff is called envormesh and the holes are about 3mm or there abouts, lottie shops sell it on the roll by the metre.

Your best bet would probably be your lottie shop if you have one as quite apart from the products they stock, it tends to be run by the experienced lottie holders and you can pick their brains for what works best in your area.

... and they brew a leathal version of tea.....


Terry

[HeyWayne]

So you need either cane sticks with empty mineral water bottles on them or tennis balls...

D'you know, I have always wondered why people have empty bottles on sticks! Nobody's ever been able to tell me.

Every day is a school day...

[Lesley Jay]

Hey! Wayne! (do like your name!) If you have short canes with an empty mineral water bottle on them it stops you poking your eye out if you fall on them!

[Wendy]

Hey! Wayne! (do like your name!) If you have short canes with an empty mineral water bottle on them it stops you poking your eye out if you fall on them!

LJ did you know you are a poet???