How to grow cauliflower: planting methods and care features

Tell us how to grow cauliflower? Next year I decided to diversify my garden assortment, but I liked this cabbage. I plant white-headed varieties for seedlings, but do you need colored ones too? Or can you sow seeds directly into the ground?

Cauliflower is very popular with nutritionists. It contains many vitamins and minerals, but very little fiber. This makes the culture ideal for a child's diet. It can also be used for stomach ailments. Such popularity has led to the fact that the vegetable can increasingly be found in garden beds. With certain knowledge, getting a useful harvest is not at all difficult. Experienced gardeners know how to grow cauliflower and are happy to share their secrets.

Planting methods

The culture is grown in two ways:

• sowing seeds in open ground;
• through seedlings.

The second option is more often used because it brings the ripening of the crop closer. In addition, if there is no greenhouse, seedlings in the open field may die from return frosts.

Sowing seeds in the garden

If there is no opportunity and space for seedlings, the seeds can be sown directly into the open ground. They do this in mid-April. The crops must be covered with foil. It is periodically opened for airing. When the seedlings grow up and get stronger, they are planted.

Seedling method of growing cauliflower

Seeds for seedlings are sown about 2 months before the planned planting of cabbage in the garden. The early varieties are planted in early March, the late ones - in the second decade of the month. The containers are filled with fertile loose soil. Seeds are sown in grooves, leaving at least 3 cm between them. The crops are sprinkled with a thin layer of earth and covered with a bag or glass. When the shoots appear, you need to transfer the container with them to a cool room and keep there for a week. Then raise the temperature to 17 degrees - during the day and 10 - at night. At the age of 2 weeks, the seedlings dive. On garden bed it can be replanted in early May.

How to grow cauliflower: important nuances

Cauliflower is the most thermophilic species of this culture and is rather moody. To get large dense heads, she needs to "please", first of all, with warmth. A cold, prolonged spring, when the thermometer does not rise above the plus 8 mark, will deprive the crop. The heads will stop developing. At the same time, a temperature rise of more than 25 degrees has a bad effect on the formation of the crop. The heads of cabbage become small and loose.

Good lighting is equally important - partial shade is not for cauliflower. Seedlings need additional lighting, and the beds should be located in the lightest part of the garden. Cauliflower loves watering and light fertile soil. It grows better in sandy loam soil fertilized with humus.

Video about growing cauliflower from seed to harvest