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VegetablesHardyBiennial
Cauliflower
Cauliflower is a cool-season brassica grown for dense curds that are best when growth has remained uninterrupted from start to finish. It is less forgiving than cabbage or kale, but well-grown plants provide excellent heads for summer, autumn or winter use depending on type.
Basic information
Category
Vegetables
Lifecycle
Biennial
Hardiness
Hardy
Planting partners
2 companions · 1 crop to avoid
Growth profile
Days to harvest
120 days
Germination window
7–14 days
Germination temperature
10–20 °C
Plant spacing
60 cm
Row spacing
60 cm
Sowing depth
1.5 cm
Height
60 cm
Spread
60 cm
Calendar
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
Sow Indoors
Sow Outdoors
Plant Out
Flowering / Harvest
Timings based on average frost dates in the UK. Sign up to set your frost dates.
Notes
Sow Outdoors: Outdoor sowings are often made in a separate seedbed, then transplanted. Protect seedlings from slugs and use mesh against brassica pests.
Care tips
Prepare rich moisture-retentive ground and keep plants moving without checks, because stress can cause loose curds or small heads. In bright conditions, some varieties benefit from leaves folded over the curd to keep it pale and protected until harvest.
Common pests
Cabbage root fly, caterpillars, clubroot, pigeons.
