Plant Library

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Description:

A lovely vigorous selection that is well suited for large patio containers and gardens; a cool weather performer with lovely edible heads that range from white to green, orange and purple; sweet and crunchy, it can be used in a variety of dishes

Edible Qualities

Cauliflower is an annual vegetable plant that is typically grown for its edible qualities. The round green tightly-wrapped heads of foliage are typically harvested when mature. The heads have a sweet taste and a crunchy texture.

The heads are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Eating When Cooked/Prepared
• Cooking
• Pickling
• Freezing

Planting & Growing

Cauliflower will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. This fast-growing vegetable plant is an annual, which means that it will grow for one season in your garden and then die after producing a crop.

This plant is typically grown in a designated vegetable garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This species is not originally from North America.

Cauliflower is a good choice for the vegetable garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.