Cauliflower white head
Cauliflower, yellow apple
Purple head cauliflower
Romanesco cabbage
Cauliflower sowing
Contents
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
Cauliflower, a year-round vegetable
Contents
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
Scientific classification
Family
Brassicaceae
Type
Brassica
Species
Brassica oleracea
With its head that endlessly reproduces complex patterns to perfection, cauliflower(Brassica oleracea) is almost more pleasing to the eye than to the taste bud. Yet this member of the Brassicaceae family produces vegetables rich in vitamins and fiber.
How to recognize cauliflower(Brassica oleracea)?
Cauliflower(Brassica oleracea) is a biennial vegetable plant with a bushy habit. Depending on the variety, it grows to between 30 and 80 cm in height, with a spread of 40 to 60 cm at maturity.
The rosette of leaves grows low to the ground. The greenish-gray, toothed leaf blades are upright. They can reach 40 cm in length.
At the heart of this rosette grows a stem. Normally, this would give rise to an inflorescence. But following a genetic mutation, it produces a floral meristem, i.e. Tissue that divides. This ball, sometimes called an apple, is made up of a multitude of clusters with a fractal structure: the structure of each is similar at all scales.
The head can weigh more than a kilo. It is usually white. But there are also purple, green and yellow varieties. Bunches may be rounded, pointed or spiral-shaped.
If the apple is not harvested, it produces a flowering stem. It bears corymbs of yellow or white flowers, with 4 petals and 4 sepals.
Which varieties of cauliflower to grow?
There are over 300 varieties of cauliflower. You can choose the hybrids you want to plant in your garden according to their color, size and taste... But we advise you to select your seeds and plants according to the harvest period.
A distinction is made between :
- spring cauliflower ('Arrmado', 'tardif d'Angers'), sown in May and harvested between March and June;
- summer cauliflower ('Alpha', 'Erfurter'), sown in January and harvested from July onwards;
- autumn cauliflower ('Géant d'automne', 'Merveille de toute saison', 'Romanesco'), which is sown between February and May and harvested between July and November;
- winter cauliflower ('Violet de Sicile', 'Armetta', 'Walcheren Winter'), sown between May and June and harvested between November and March.
Is cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) toxic?
Cauliflower is not toxic. It is grown in the garden as a vegetable and its head is eaten raw or cooked.
Our maintenance tips
Sunlight causes the apple to turn yellow. To keep it white, pinch off two to three leaves above the top when it measures 5 to 8 cm.
Watering
Keep the soil cool and moist, but not soggy.
Water, preferably with rainwater, at the foot of your Brassica oleracea.
Harvest
When the head of your Cauliflower is well compacted, you can harvest.
Cut the top off flush with the soil using a knife. Keeping a ring of leaves around the fruit helps it stay fresh longer cauliflower.
Plantation
When the risk of frost has passed, it's time to plant.
Choose a sunny location. If you live in a region where summers are very hot, prefer semi-shade. Cauliflower do not tolerate heat well.
Two weeks before planting, work the soil with a grelinette or spading fork. Decompact and aerate the soil. Add compost or manure to enrich the substrate.
Dig a hole the size of the root ball. Plant your Brassica oleracea plants in a line, at least 50 cm apart. If your soil retains water, form a mound and plant at the top. This will allow excess water to run off more easily.
Water to encourage rooting. You can also mulch to keep the plants cool and prevent weeds from appearing.
Seedling
Once the risk of frost has passed, you can sow your Brassica oleracea seeds.
Fill a bowl or cups with potting soil for seedlings and plantations. Moisten the soil.
Plant your seeds, spacing them 4 cm apart and covering them with one to two centimetres of substrate.
Water regularly to keep the soil moist. Place your seedlings away from the cold, in a greenhouse or indoors for example.
Frequently asked questions
Cauliflower goes well with celery, bush beans, potatoes or tomatoes. However, avoid planting it near turnips or radishes. Cauliflower attracts pests that are particularly harmful to these species. And don't plant your cabbage with other cabbages. Plants in the same family consume the same nutrients and attract the same diseases.
Harvesting takes place between 4 and 7 months after sowing, depending on the variety. Cauliflower is harvested when the head is firm and compact.
Diseases / Threats
Information
| Lifecycle | Biennial |
| Foliage | Evergreen |
| Exposures | |
| Substrats | |
| Planting method |
Open ground |
| Category |
Vegetable |
| Tags |
Soiffarde Edible vegetable |
| Origin |
Southern Europe |
| Hardiness (USDA) | 9b (-3.9°C ≤ T° < -1.1°C) |
| Leaf color |
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| Flower colors |
|
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