Tips on Growing Cauliflower

The cauliflower has been in cultivation for a very long time indeed. It is mentioned in John Parkinson’s ‘Paradisi in sole Paradisus terrestris’, the first English dictionary of gardening. The title, incidentally, is a pun on Parkinson’s name, meaning `The earthly Park of Park-in-sun’. The cauliflower has been improved out of all recognition, the plants now having large compact heads and few leaves whilst several varieties will give a succession of heads for cutting.

 

Sowing For an early summer crop, seed is sown in a cold frame or under cloches early in September, and in October the young plants are pricked out into another part of the frame where they remain until April. The seed bed must not be too rich but it must not lack lime. After sowing, water with Cheshunt Compound, I ounce dissolved in 2 gallons of water, to prevent the seedlings being attacked by Black Leg, but water as little as possible during winter.

 

General cultivation After hardening, set out the plants early in April, spacing them 2 feet apart. The early varieties will begin to form heads in July and these are followed by plants obtained from a sowing made outdoors in spring, certain varieties being sufficiently hardy in sheltered gardens to mature during the early months of winter.

 

Cauliflowers require a soil rich in humus and plant food for they will not make large compact heads if these requirements are lacking. The land must first be well limed, then dig in some strawy manure and material from the compost heap. Hop manure is excellent for cauliflowers whilst northern gardeners will find wool shoddy readily obtainable and a valuable source of nitrogen and humus.

 

To make dose compact heads, the plants also need potash which should be given as sulphate of potash at the rate of 2 ounces per square yard just before planting. At the same time give a similar dressing of superphosphate of lime which will help to promote vigorous root action. Should the spring be cold and the plants slow to start growing, dust around each a sprinkling of nitrate of soda given on a rainy day.

 

As the heads quickly run to seed, especially during dry weather, it is preferable to grow small numbers of plants for succession rat-her than to make a large sowing of a particular variety which will mature at the same time. When the heads begin to form, cutting should commence before they reach their best, otherwise those left until later may have started to ‘bolt’. Firm planting will reduce the tendency for the plants to go to seed prematurely.

 

Harvesting If there are more heads than can be used maturing together, they may be kept in condition by lifting the plants with their roots, and after shaking away surplus soil, tying the stems with twine and hanging them head downwards in a cool, airy shed. Spray with water regularly to maintain their freshness.

 

There are numerous ways of cooking and serving cauliflowers, none being more tasty than when braised and served with cheese sauce; or after steaming, dipping the ‘flower’ in the yolk of an egg and browning in the oven.

 

Exhibiting To protect the curds (heads) from dirt and strong sunshine, fold over one or two of the outer leaves as the heads begin to form and so that they will be clean and white when cut for showing. To keep them fresh, lift the head with the stem and roots attached and, after shaking away the soil, stand the roots in a bowl of water until show day. Then cut away the head with its leaves attached and carefully wrap in clean paper before placing in an open crate so that the heads cannot shake about but not packing so tightly as to cause bruising.

 

Pests and Diseases

 

BROWNING A condition which attacks the cauliflower rather than the cabbage and is caused by a lack of the trace element, boron. In this instance, the leaves grow narrow and may turn brown whilst the curd is bitter and unpalatable. In cabbage, the leaves curl at the edges and there is cracking of the stems. It is corrected by manuring with borax at the rate of I ounce per 60 square yards, merely a trace.

 

CABBAGE CATERPILLAR The small grubs hatch out from the eggs of the Cabbage White butterfly and penetrate to the centre of the curds and if left tin- checked, they will devour whole fields of plants in rapid time. To prevent an attack, dust the plants with derris powder from early June, before the curds begin to form.

 

CABBAGE ROOT FLY This may attack the roots causing wilting and the formation of misshape heads. The pest will be kept from the plants by dusting the roots with Calomel before planting.

 

CLUB ROOT The fungus attacks the roots causing swellings from which oozes a slimy liquid and infected plants soon die back. An attack may be prevented by dipping the roots in Calomel solution before planting.