Cauliflower ready?

caoimhin · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 03 Jun 2008 Posts: 26

Just wondering how I'll know when to harvest my cauliflower. At the moment I have heads about 6 inches in diameter. They look perfectly formed. Is there a process to keep the heads healthy while they continue to grow?

michael brenock · Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 10:13 pm Post subject:

you can delay the process by a few days by bending a leaf over the curd to prevent discolouration. However the cauliflower should be cut once there is over half the curd exposed.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

caoimhin · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 03 Jun 2008 Posts: 26

thanks Michael, the caulilower did slighty discolour so I cut the heads before they got worse. Going to freeze a ew heads i think.

mcgrueser · Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 6:36 pm Post subject:

I'm having trouble with cauli now too. They are going from a nice white head one day, to yellow and brown the next. They are only getting to about the size of a fist, turning bad and running to seed?
Any help would be great? Should we just harvest when they are smaller? I was expecting them to get a lot bigger first...If this is the reason why didnt they get any bigger?

michael brenock · Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 5:40 am Post subject:

i am sure this is boron deficiency, cannot be cured but you can prevent it in future by using Borax a teaspoonful in two gallons water sprayed over 50 square yards of ground before planting or sowing next time. Alternatively use Solubor available in agricultural supply stores or a boronated compound like 6: 12:18 + Boron.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

Protein · Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 8:25 pm Post subject:

ok, I also suffered a boron deficiency with my crop as well it appears...

can i ask, when you harvest the head, is that it? do I remove the plant or will side shoots develop?

michael brenock · Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 9:32 pm Post subject:

when you harvest the head then that is it, it's all over. Sometimes a small shoot develops and a mini head of cauliflower appears and produces a seeding flower head.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

mralgae · Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 4:22 pm Post subject:

mmmmm not good, just checked the caulies and looks like two of my 6 are turning brown just as above. the strange thing is they are in a planter box with multi grow-bag for vegies and fed with a feeder.

michael brenock · Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 5:22 pm Post subject:

the grow bag may have had sufficient Boron for some crops but brassicas (cauliflower included) are voracious feeders of Boron. In dry soil conditions Boron is rendered less available to plant roots and besides during periods of very rapid growth the plant roots cannot take up the Boron fast enough for the plant to process it hence the browning and breakdown of tissue.
Boron deficiency can be prevented by spraying soil with Borax a teaspoonful of Borax in one gallon of water then dilute this to one in 100 and apply 2 gallons of solution over 50 sq yards.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

mralgae · Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 9:36 pm Post subject:

thanks very much michael. will look into doing asap to try and save the rest of them..

thanks again