[Becci W]

Hi all,

I got a bit carried away with my sowing and have started my cauliflowers off (snow queen and graffiti) in my new propagator (thanks everyone for the advice on this!)

They have popped up and have the two leaves on, how soon should I take them out of the propagator? (unheated)

They are on my window sill and don't want them to get too leggy.

[DD.]

Take the lid off, if you haven't already done so.

They will hate the warmth of the house & will need to go somewhere cooler. Do you have a coldframe or unheated greenhouse?

[Becci W]

Thanks,

Im in the process of getting a greenhouse. I have a cold frame and use polystyrene boxes with glass on as my mini greenhouse/ inbetween stage at the moment.

As im up north, will they need to be in the polystyrene box rather than the cold frame?

[DD.]

They could well cook in the poly box.

For a week or so, put them in the cold frame in the day, bring them in at night to acclimatise, then leave them in there all the time unless a really bad frost is forecast.

[Becci W]

Thanks!

Any other cauliflower tips would be greatly appreciated, i have only bought them as plants before and they ......er..... didn't make it!

[DD.]

When they've developed their first true leaves, pot them into 3" pots. Once established put them outside for a week, back in the cold frame at night, then leave them outside.

Don't forget to vent the cold frame on sunny days as it can still get very hot in there even at this time of year.

[Kristen]

Any other cauliflower tips would be greatly appreciated

Mine would be not to grow too many in a single batch.  Mine only last for about 2 weeks from when the first head is ready to the last ... so I start a few off every two weeks

[Becci W]

Oops! Think I might be doing a plant swap at the lottie, as I mentioned, I got a bit carried away, have sown the whole packet cause thought that way I might have a few survive!!!

[DD.]

I grow a few more at a time than Kristen as I've got a lot of friends! 

I start one seed per cell in a seed tray insert. 20 at a time. Get near enough 100% germination. They only get the warmth of a frost free greehouse. Then pot up as described. A packet of even expensive seed lasts years.

[Paul Plots]

I grow a few more at a time than Kristen as I've got a lot of friends! 

I start one seed per cell in a seed tray insert. 20 at a time. Get near enough 100% germination. They only get the warmth of a frost free greehouse. Then pot up as described. A packet of even expensive seed lasts years.

Nice to hear that someone else keeps the seeds over for the next, next or even the next year. 

[DD.]

Third year with a packet of "Clapton". Quite expense, but club root resistant. Not so expensive when sown singly!

[Paul Plots]

Third year with a packet of "Clapton". Quite expense, but club root resistant. Not so expensive when sown singly!

Experience shows DD 

[Kristen]

Candid Charm for me (luckily no club root to worry about).  45 seeds for £3.40 (7p each) (well, 50p a packet (1.1p each ) in the Wyevale sale if that variety is still in stock!)

(Moles don't sell Candid Charm, and their Clapton is 9p-a-seed ...)

I wouldn't want to thin a row at that price !

[Kristen]

Just looked at Moles Cauliflower variety comparison chart - well handy I reckon

[DD.]

Not sure what I paid for mine a few years ago, I bought a lot and did a seed share with other forum members.

They we're my first sucessful cauli's on this plot and even at 9p a seed, I wouldn't begrudge paying £3.60 for the 40 cauli's I got.