My Tiny Plot

I can hardly believe I’m writing this but after years of trying to grow an edible Cauliflower I’ve actually gone and managed it. I’m in shock.

I harvested this Cauliflower a few days ago but there are another five or six of them in the ground. Before I went on holiday the plants were quite big and the middle leaves were starting to tighten. But there was no sign of a Cauliflower. When I came back from holiday (two weeks later) I had seven beautiful Cauliflowers, all in a row. I was amazed.

I have tried several different approaches in the past; liming the ground, netting the whole crop, using brassica collars. All to no avail. Every time, I ended up with something that was only fit for the compost pile.

The secret to my success this time must be that I sowed the seed last Autumn and over-wintered them in my coldframe. I then planted them out in early Spring and have been watering them like crazy during the last few dry months. I’ve also been feeding them with chicken manure pellets, once or twice since I planted them in the ground.

They seem to love it and have rewarded me with some beautiful curds. I made Cauliflower Cheese with the first one and all three of us virtually licked our plates it tasted so Cauliflowery. I’m always amazed how homegrown veg tastes are more intense than shop bought.

Next year I’ll be trying to repeat my success by sowing in Autumn again.

The Winter-hardy Cauliflowers (Avalanche) that I sowed back in October in the coldframe have grown very well. And part one of the Cauliflower plan has been completed. I’m desperate for some room in the coldframe right now though so I potted some up a few weeks ago with a view to hardening them off to plant outside soon.

They’re doing well underneath this fleecy wigwam that I constructed with the help of some Figo connectors. I had the fleece off all day today since it was sunny and sort of warm. But I did see a sneaky Cabbage White butterfly flitting around which means I’ll have to check the underside of their leaves for eggs before I tuck them up tonight.

I left some in the coldframe for now in an attempt to stagger the crop. I have never managed to grow an edible Cauliflower, but I’ll keep trying. Year after year, oh yes. Any tips, apart from liming the soil, planting them firmly and protecting from butterflies?

After getting over my grumpiness and admitting that the season is well and truly over I decided to cheer myself up my watching the ‘October’ episode of A Victorian Kitchen Garden. Harry looked a bit despondent too as he watched the temperature fall and stored his Apples in his (albeit totally fab) fruit store.

Then he turned to sowing. He talked about how at this time of year he would sow some Winter hardy Cauliflower. From that sowing he would be able to create a succession of Cauliflower come early Summer next year. Once the seedlings were strong enough he would pot them up, put one batch in his heated greenhouse, one in his coldframe and the others would go outside to battle the Winter weather.

The different treatment of the seedlings would either bring them on, or knock them back accordingly and therefore create a succession. The added benefit is that by over-wintering them you reduce the risk of them being attacked by pests. By the time the Spring pests arrive your Caulis will be big, strapping plants getting ready for harvest. In theory they should be able to withstand the average attack (in theory).

So, I’m taking Harry’s advice. The first thing to go in my coldframe will be Avalanche, a Winter-hardy variety of Cauliflower.

Look at the wee cauliflower! To be honest I thought the Cauliflowers I put in were a non-starter. The seeds I sowed directly in the soil came up all gangly and long (I sowed them too near to each other). And as a result they looked a bit sickly and came in for every virus and pest under the sun. I sowed some at home in the propogator and they faired a little better. But all had their roots munched by evil grubs and showed minor infestations of Cabbage white catepillar at various intervals. So you’re with me when I didn’t expect much from them? But when we came back from holiday three of the cauliflowers showed white curds, two of them are quite bit (enough for a decent sized Cauliflower cheese bake for two!) and this is the runt of the litter. As he’s so vertically challenged I thought I’d make an internet star of him instead. He’s barely a floret! It will be a shame to eat him (but eat him we will)…