Question about cauliflower, Farmerdill, anyone?

Farmerdill, I noticed in the PDB that you have grown some nice cauliflower, so I have a question for you, if you'd be so kind. I bought and planted both cauliflower and broccoli plants (Bonnie's) this fall from Southern States. Both were set out on the same day. To date, I'm picking 8 to 10 inch heads of broccoli from these plantings but so far my cauliflower hasn't even started to head. As I've never grown cauliflower before, is it always this slow to head or do I have another problem? Could these plants not be cauliflower at all but something else, perhaps collard? They were labeled "Snowball" cauliflower.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hopefully they are Cauliflower, but yes the heads form alot later than Broccoli. About 4-6 weeks later. Broccoli on the other hand is an early crop and grows quite fast. After cutting Broccoli they will form more heads near the leaf to stem joints, but not nearly as much as the main stem did. Cauliflower however only grows the one head and is done once the head is picked. My Cauliflower took almost as long as my cabbage to become mature large heads. I like planting several intervals of these crops so I can have several pickings during the season and not all at once maturity. I can say also that the days to maturity on the package vary greatly and are just a basic idea of growth time. I have had crops alot earlier and some that were way later than the days the packets mention. Keep in mind that watering should be a minimum of one inch per week. I tend to water Cauliflower, Broccoli and Cabbage a bit more than that by a half inch more. When they get near the time that heads are to start forming I cut the water in half (.75 inches of water) for two weeks to force the plant to start producing and then I go to two inches of water per week as they are water pigs and need alot of manuer or compost as they are also heavy nutrient feeders. If this is your first time planting these make sure next year not to plant in the same spot and watch out for plants that do not like to be grown where cabbage family plants grew the year before. Also they are cool weather plants not like Tomatoes that love lots of sun and warmth.

Gardening101tulsa said it well and could I add they benifit by a bit of lime Ernie

Red; Snowball Y is not a particularly early cauliflower, nor is it as prolific as other cultivars that I have grown. Early dividend is an an incredibly early maturing broccoli. The only cauliflower that I know that will come close to harvesting at the same time is Montana. There are several cultivars named Snowball, but if I remember correctly Snow ball Y is the one Bonnie sells. Leaves of cauliflower grow at a steeper angle than broccoli so once you have compared the plants you can readily identify them. It will take about a month longer than your Early Dividend.

With your talent with broccoli, you should have no problem with the cauliflower. Just do the same things you have been doing.

I agree Farmerdill. Just have some patience. Watch out for Rabitts. They love Cauliflower., and I always thought they ate Carrots.....LOL

Thanks for the help everyone, I guess I'll just have to learn to be more patience!

Farmerdill, the leaves on the cauliflower do grow more upright as you suggest, smaller and longer, slimer, leaves. Guess I'll just have to wait and see, just seemed odd that heads haven't started to form even though they are nice, healthy plants. Oh well, patience, patience, patience! :o)

gardening101usa, I had a problem earlier with rabbits in my snap beans, but I cured them, haven't had any problem since!

It is just the variety (cultivar) Red. There are early, mid season and main season cultivars in both broccoli and cauliflower. The range is from 45 to 80 days. You just happen to have one of the shortest season broccolis and a midseason cauliflower. One thing to note, once cauliflower shows a button, it heads about as fast as Superman can fly. Usually I tie the tops when the button appears and pick the finished head within a week. It doesn't wait for you, it may be a little slower with short days but you have to be on your toes or it will become ricey in a heartbeat.

Big_Red....How did ya et the Rabbit problem solved? I have lots of Wild Cotton Tails and they appeared within two weeks of the garden growing. Here's one I got 15 feet from at night I took a photo of. He was behind the garden. Isn't he cute?

I grew Ferry Morse "Early Snowball A". Here is what it looked like before it formed. In fact I hace on my website at the bottom of the page some pictures just for the purpose of differentiate between Cabbage, Broccoli, and Cauliflower. I through in Zuccini too though.

www.gardening101usa.com/vegetable/Photos2004/July2004/DSK1/Vegphotos1_july2004.html

This message was edited Oct 16, 2004 8:47 PM

gardening101usa, we had a 'Walker" hound dog pay us a visit one day who was lost (or dropped off by someone) and it just stayed in the backyard by our garden. I put a barrel there for cover, am feeding it, and no more rabbits.

Sorry, no, I don't think they're cute, not when they'll eat off an entire row of beans in one evening!

Nice website!

Big_Red....Didn't want to say how this one rabbit ended up in all reality and several others..hehe - I shot them, and well had a nice stew too. Sorry to those who "wuv tem wabbits". Wish I had some type of dog around to keep em at bay for there are far too many here and rabbit stew gets boring over time.

Haven't had the rabbits munch on brassicas but they really love beans ,especially half runners, and sweet potatoes. I buy the big bags of blood meal and sprinkled a litle around the plants after each rain, Does the trick for me. works for deer also.

gardening101 usa, yeah, I've had a few rabbit stews also. The best prevention against rabbits i've found is called a Winchester .22 magnum. I usually don't admit to this, there's so many 'feel gooders' and animal lovers out there but they don't understand why a vegetable gardener will protect his garden, especially after all the hard work that goes into it.

Hope I didn't step on any toes, it's just that this is a sore spot with me. :o)

LOL........That a way Big Red. I used a very high powered Adult Air Rifle 1250 fps...said to be lethal to humans at 300 yards..could not use my regular guns as the discharge is considered illegal (too close to resident homes). But I am seeking a better way to rid the critters and save my gardens...sorry for being off the subject folks.

Ah yesss...rabbit. One of the most healthy, nutritious meats you can eat. Exceptionally low fat, low cholesterol, and FREE (wild rabbits anyway).

Doesn't bother me to talk about rabbit stew, Red. Or fried rabbit; rabbit fricaseed; rabbit and dumplings; rabbit braised/baked in a black olive sauce;...well, never mind, don't get me started.

Big Red, this is the time of year to put out some "rabbit guns" (aka rabbit gums/box traps). Since you fattened them up from your garden you might as well harvest some of them.

Shoe, I haven't seen any rabbits in the field or garden since I eliminated six this spring, and you're right, mighty tasty!

I didn't read this whole thread.
I woulld just like to add my experience this season. Broccoli, Gypsy, was set out on April 16. Cauliflower the same day, sorry variety NA. Rabbits helped them self. We took care of the rabbits. Replanted the gone ones April 27 with Aracdia Broccoli.
We started harvesting in early June. Both were ready about same time. We have harvested broccoli off of those plants all summer. There are a goodly amount of side shoots again for this week. We have had two different nights that temp got below 30º.
Cauliflower, of course, only had the one head each, but they were huge! Didn't matter if they were covered or not, they were absolutly snow white. We have never had such nice cauliflower.
We also set out some new Broccoli plants in August. They have been harvested the last three weeks. The ones that are ready now are very nice
size.
Bernie