[Caddi fuller-teabags]

I expected the caulis to be another month or so but you can imagine my joy when i saw my first cauli the other week!  There it was two inches of creamy, white curds.

I had started them at home and lost loads in the planting out to start with and  I knew I had grown them too close but I was so chuffed to see progress.

I did what I had been told, and folded a couple of leaves over it to stop it discolouring.

I haven''t been able to get back that often (poorly, see) and when i did, I found that the others were also forming heads.  

Some were brown and bitty, wide and stringy, not nice and compact.  The leaves that I had put on the one I covered had come off and it had clearly been chomped and all of the others are acky, grey or brown,  some look like they are covered in soot, others are brown and unappealing.  Clearly none will grow to a decent size or be edible.

I am pretty upset by this, as it was one of my keenest experiments.  (how come the chard grew like a ruddy weed and it's horrid but the cauli which is my favourite is a failure?)

Not only that but when I planted it in March? April? Who knows?  the seed blew away from the table I was working on.

What advice would the seasoned cauli grower give me, please so that next year I have at least one cauliflower cheese?  Is there a variety that is reliable?  A method that would help.

[matron]

I will also be interested in any replies CFT as I grew some lovely caulis year before last but not much success this year.  

[Saulty]

I planted my cauli's in pots in February in the cold frame. When they were big enough I potted them on to bigger pots and planted them out (in May I think) and had lovely big curds. I sowed 6 seeds but only had 4 cauli's so I don't think they're that reliable. As long as you don't let them become pot bound they should do well using this method!
I hope this helps.

[muntjac]

sounds like you got wet mould ,,, to much rain,try putting an elastic band around the leaves when you fold them over . start in the open ground may june for winter types earlies in open ground march time under a cloche, i find if i sow seed and try to bring it on artificially that they always blow or come a cropper, same with most the leaf brassica,s  the harder the conditions for them growing outdoors the better i usualy find . oh and yes  they do over react to to much feeding when they are growing ,manure from last year is best .dont use anything like a heavy nitrogen feed unless you want to bring them on fast ,.for this i use sulphate of ammonia , say i plant 50 plants and want to cut them right through till Christmas using sulphate   i aim to bring on four or five to give me a few cabbage,s  etc ready each week throughout the season another tip is only plant 10 seeds at a time and leave the next sowing till maybe a couple weeks or even in some sunnier areas a month, this will make sure you dont have  massive glut at anyone time  , werks for me ,,, usually

[Porffor]

I've given up on mine.. they are just leaves... lots and lots of leaves, so now they are guinea pig and chook food!

[Caddi fuller-teabags]

Thank you very much.  I will try both your different methods - that is brilliant.  If I get one cauli next year I will be happy!

[crackedflowerpots]

we had 6 caulis growing ok and 1 prize specimen   when we looked yesterday my prize one was beginning to open too much and the others were rubbish! we just ate the prize one (before it got any worse)  :roll: with steak and kidney pudding tonight
next year will be better

[Aunt Sally]

Great advice from Munty there but take heart Caddi - Cauliflowers are not easy to grow !

I would add that they need VERY firm soil and should never get dry.

[SalJ1980]

Great advice from Munty there but take heart Caddi - Cauliflowers are not easy to grow !

I would add that they need VERY firm soil and should never get dry.

Thanks Aunty for those wise words!

Edit: Sorry, on re-reading that sounded a bit sarky - it certainly wasn't meant to!  :oops:

[lincspoacher]

well i grew mine in the greenhouse in pots till they were 6 inches high, then i planted them into tomato growbags. Ive had three 7 inch cauliflowers so far and  i have heads 2 - 5 inches on the other. The slugs munched away at a couple, but i put a small handful of slug pellets down and that stopped. I didnt know about the folding the leaves bit, so i presume thats why mine developed a pink hue.