Kitchen Garden Forum

Hello all,
my cauliflowers this year were quite the disaster. Though the curds formed they were very thin and spread out looking more like a splat than a ball. Anyone know what I did wrong?

The biggest problem with cauliflowers, is they hate being checked at any stage of their life.
Once they start growing, you really have to spoil them, you need a very well fed soil, and plenty of moisture.
It's far better to grow a few really well than a lot poorly.
I reckon it would be very hard to over feed cauli's.
Hope you have beeter luck next year.

You're in good company - James Martin had the same problem.

Come to think of it..........so did I.

We'll do better next year courtesy of OH.

Elderly Next Door professes that he's NEVER been successful at growing Cauli's 'on his land'......
and I watch him religiously dig over his soil every Autumn.
The little that I do know suggests to me that you need a very firm soil for Brassicas, and 'armed' with this information, I grew two very respectable grown-up sized caulis year before last, and six SUPERB little-girl sized caulis this year, which are shivvering in the freezer as I type, awaiting a dinner party occasion when I'm feeling particularly low and need to show off (must get out more....)

My only 'point' here really is, besides being greedy feeders and thirsty crops, they need a firm anchorage too.

Hello Bloaterfish
I agree with what the others have said. Another point to watch is timing. On most seed packet the times of sowing and so on are just given as a general guide but with caulis its all much more critical. Choose your variety carefully and follow the time guide closely.

John

That could be another reason for my failures. Never was any good at doing as I was told.......