Do you regularly have cauliflower on the table? Then you should plant the cabbage in your own garden. We show you how it works.
- Cauliflower is healthy and delicious.
- Cauliflower is one of the more demanding crops in horticulture .
- Nevertheless, you have a good chance of success under the right conditions .
Cauliflower is a popular cabbage plant because it can be processed in a variety of dishes in the kitchen. Baked or breaded cauliflower is also a delight for the palate. Are you hungry? Perhaps you should then grow your own plants in the garden or on the balcony for regular cauliflower enjoyment. We have tips for you.
When is the best time to plant cauliflower?
Depending on whether you want to buy cauliflower as a seedling from a dealer or if you want to grow it yourself from a seed, the right time to plant it differs. Seedlings are planted in the bed in April * , while you can sow seeds in a warm place from February or early March. Then it takes about one to one and a half months until the young plants are big enough to get into the garden bed.
Planting cauliflower: you have to take this into account when it comes to the location
Cauliflower is a bit more demanding than other vegetables, but that shouldn't spoil your plans. As a location, look for a loamy and deep soil that offers many nutrients and that has a good water supply. In order to avoid the cabbage hernia, the soil also needs a high proportion of lime. The pH should therefore be between 6 and 7. In addition, the cauliflower likes a sunny or partially shaded location .
When choosing the location, also note the crop rotation : mustard and oil radish or other types of cabbage * cauliflower does not like as a preculture, since it is also cruciferous. Bush beans *, endives, peas *, leeks, lettuce *, celery or spinach, on the other hand, are ideally suited as a mixed culture - garlic * and onions * rather less. Only after three to four years should you grow a type of cabbage again in the same place in the bed.
Fittingly : If you forget this thing while growing vegetables, diseases and pests are at risk.
Prefer cauliflower: how it works
Depending on the variety, you can start sowing the cauliflower seeds in February or early March . Choose a spot in the greenhouse or in the cold frame - the seeds also thrive on the warm windowsill. Since the cabbage is quite demanding, it is advisable to plant it in soil.
Cover the seeds only with a two to five millimeter thin layer of earth and choose a bright location at about 18 degrees . The first leaflets form within a few days. As soon as the seedlings are large enough, they are pricked into small pots and placed in a place that is 12 to 14 degrees warm, so that each plant has enough space for growth. Be sure to avoid waterlogging. After six to eight weeks, you can plant the first seedlings outside in the bed.
Instructions: How to plant cauliflower in the garden
A few weeks before you plant the seedlings in the garden bed, dig them deep and, if necessary, add lime to them. You can also improve the nutrient supply with a compost or horse manure. Then place the young plants in a row spacing of 40 to 60 centimeters and one below the other at a distance of 50 centimeters . Early varieties that come outdoors in April are best covered with foil to protect them from frost. Later varieties only come into the garden bed from June and no longer need frost protection.
If you want to sow cauliflower directly outdoors, the best time is also between April and early June. Cover the small plants with a film or fleece at an early sowing date. You need approximately one gram of cauliflower seeds per square meter.
Cauliflower care tips
Cauliflower is a heavy feeder , so it must be watered regularly. Means: After planting, it is watered sufficiently and the soil is then always kept moist - but in such a way that there is no waterlogging. In addition, you should always remove weeds from the bed and loosen it up.
In June and July of cauliflower growing fastest, so it is worth it at this stage a fertilizing lle two weeks some nitrogen . Organic fertilizers or a diluted nettle slurry also help with growth. To keep the soil moist, a mulch of grass clippings or nettle leaves has proven itself. Stop fertilizing three weeks before harvesting - this improves the taste of the plant.
Also interesting : Which fruits and vegetables can be grown in the shade?
How to harvest your cauliflower
You can tell whether a cauliflower is ready to harvest by the fleshy flowers . As soon as it has reached your desired size, you can harvest it. The flowers should still be closed and nice and firm. Earlier varieties can be harvested from June, the later ones from August to October. To do this, cut the stalk together with the inflorescence. You can then store it in the fridge for a few days or hang it upside down in a cool, shady place.
Plant cauliflower in a pot on the balcony
The picking cauliflower is suitable for growing on balconies . It only forms small florets, which are ideal for picking in portions. For him you need a sunny to partially shaded location and a flower pot . From February you can plant the seeds on the windowsill at up to 20 degrees in seeding soil. The grains are only slightly covered with earth. The first seedlings can be seen after around two weeks.
As soon as the temperatures allow it, the picking cauliflower can also go outside. Water it regularly, but don't cause waterlogging. It also thrives even better with liquid fertilizer. Depending on the time of sowing, you can then harvest the cauliflower from the end of June until October.
Read also : Which fruit and vegetables can I store together?
These ten mistakes can ruin your garden
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