Vegetable · Flowering
Cauliflower
Brassica oleracea (Botrytis group)
A cool-season crop grown for its dense, pale head of undeveloped flower buds. Fussier than its cousin broccoli, needing steady growth without stress to form a good head.
At a glance
Water
Medium
32–48 fl oz/wk
Light
Full sun
6–8 hrs/day
Space
Medium
24 in
To maturity
50–120 days
Edible parts: Flower buds
Family: Brassica
Includes kale, cabbage, broccoli, and mustard greens. Generally cold-hardy and fast-growing.
Harvest
Cut the head while it's still tight, compact, and white to cream in colour, before the curds start to separate or yellow.
Growing conditions
- Temperature
- 45–75 °F
- Soil pH
- 6–7.5
- Soil type
- Fertile, well-drained soil rich in organic matter
- Climate
- Cool-season, less frost-tolerant than its relatives; sensitive to heat and other stress while heads are forming.
- Growing season
- Transplant in early spring for a summer harvest, or in mid-summer for a fall crop maturing in cool weather.
- Nitrogen
- High (≈60–100 ppm)
- Humidity
- Medium (≈40–70 %)
- Planting unit
- Seedling
- Feeding schedule
- Side-dress with a nitrogen fertilizer 3-4 weeks after transplanting; a heavier feeder than broccoli, and any stress can cause heads to button (form early and small).
- Pest resistance
- Moderate - watch for cabbage worms and aphids
- Pests
- Aphids: Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth and undersides of leaves, sucking sap and excreting sticky honeydew., Cabbage worms: Pale green caterpillars that chew ragged holes in leaves, favoring brassicas like kale and cabbage.
- Pruning
- Blanch white-curd varieties by tying outer leaves over the developing head to shield it from sunlight.
Where it grows
- In-Ground GardenIdeal
- Raised BedIdeal
- Container / PotPossible— 5-gallon pot minimum, and heads tend to run smaller than in the ground.
- HydroponicPossible— Possible in large DWC systems but demands significant space and steady conditions.
- Vertical / TrellisNot recommended— No climbing or vining habit.
- WindowsillNot recommended— Needs more light and space than a windowsill offers.
Companions & antagonists
No known companion pairings yet.
Sources
- Growing Cauliflower in a Home Garden — University of Maryland Extension
- Growing Cauliflower: How to Sow, Grow & Care For — Johnny's Selected Seeds