I have had my problems with cauliflower this year. As mentioned in previous posts, I didn't really lime my soil enough and so my cauliflowers were a little on the small side from a mild case of cauliflower whip tail.
Today's pick however was the largest of the season and a good size for home grown produce.
Cauliflowers are like a secret surprise.
Hiding away under their cloak of pale green leaves is their lovely bumpy white body. Such thoughts gave rise to this series of photos, a slow cauliflower reveal.
I wish I could take better photos.
Nothing wrong with those photos, they are lovely! And your cauliflower is perfect!
ReplyDeleteIt seems I just don't have the knack for brassicas. In recent years I've failed with cabbage (who fails with cabbage??), cauliflower, kale, and despite my initial excitement, it looks like my Brussel sprouts won't come to much, either.
Perhaps my timing of planting them out is off. I think I need to get a bit less haphazard about it all.
Most other things do well, thank goodness, otherwise I might throw in the towel which would be a shame, seeing as I just set up ANOTHER raised bed, a small one, this time.
Oh it would be a shame to give up on brassicas seeing as they are a real winter staple. When do you plant them? Do you lime before you put them in? Do they get devoured by green grubs?
DeleteI plant mine as seedlings unusually in February, sometimes early March. I am vigilant on the cabbage moth eggs and wipe them off the underside of the leaves when they appear and do a daily check for green grubs and squash them. Other than that they go into fairy rich soil that has been limed.... but I may be telling you things you already do?
What's going in the new bed?
I mainly do what you do but I think the problem is I have planted too late. I'm just not thinking about brassicas in February - I'll try planting earlier next time! I'm trying to get a little better organised and noting when I plant things so I can refer back and see what worked and what didn't.
DeleteI took great delight in rubbing off the cabbage moth eggs most days and picking off any caterpillars that had hatched and escaped me. My two remaining 'girls' loved 'em.
I received a Bunnings voucher from work - for going above and beyond, which was nice - so I bought a small Birdies raised bed. In reality it was smaller than I thought it would be (I have two large ones) but it will be perfect for leafy things like lettuce, spinach, rocket etc. I've plonked it on the lawn and lined it with cardboard and newspaper and I'm using it as a temporary compost bin (for amongst other things, the failed bassicas!) until I get some soil to fill it.
That is an absolutely beautiful cauliflower. Mine are slowly coming but very imperfect, especially compared with yours - and I have to admit I should have limed my beds and didn't.
ReplyDeleteThanks Liz, this one is pretty beautiful. But it's not a beauty contest really (even though I am enjoying the look of them). Home grown and imperfect is great and much much better for us all than the shop ones.
DeleteI have also had limited luck with caulis. In the past, I have had some success with broccoli, however, this year, my crop has been devoured by possums. I think I am also planting mine too late. I usually do it end of March, early April. Next year, I think I will try much earlier as you suggest. What are you planting now? When will you start planting summer veggies? I just put in a new crop of snap peas today.
ReplyDeleteHi Meg. Bad luck with your possum eaten broccoli.I have no possums within cooee, which might explain my success. Becasue my brassicas headed so early this year, I have put in a second crop of cauli, broccoli and savoy cabbages, I dont normally do this so I have no idea whether they will be finished in time for me to put my summer crops in , its the first time I have put a second crop of brassicas in. I normally (in Sydney) start planing my beds in late September (sometimes early October).
ReplyDeleteI must try sugar snaps, I have been a snow pea planter for several years, but sugar snaps are wonderful.
That is one glamorous cauli! I suspect I have some mineral deficiency in my cauliflower too - the leaves look a bit odd.
ReplyDeleteAustralian soils can be deficient of many micronutrients. But we do get there in the end. And sometimes they are small and the leaves might look wonky but in the end they are ours and we know what's gone on them and they do taste great. Good luck with yours.
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