The message
from Christopher Norton contains these words:

The message
from "Clarissa" contains these words:

Sigh.

How very disappointing. The plants are strong and leafy and green;
just no
damn edible bit.

They were ravaged by cabbage whites in the summer. Perhaps that's what did
for them?

I tried Cauli`s this year with no joy at all. I`m not even going to
bother next year. Supposed to be one of the hardest things to grow
successfully.

Nah, I grow cauli successfully, so they must be easy :-).Do have
another try as they are one of those fresh home-grown food crops which
are really different from and superior to the version sold in shops.

I choose a summer variety (the ones designed to make tennisball sized
heads are very good, and easy) and sow in a seed tray, spacing the seeds
about 5cm apart (they are just large enough to handle individually;
fiddly but worth the effort). Harden off and transplant carefully at the
4 leaf stage (minimum root disturbance as someone else said); plant in
fertile soil in an open position and water in well with comfrey tea.
Surround plants with comfrey leaves, and/or scatter some wood ash around
them, to ward off slugs while they establish. That's about it.

I keep an eye out for patches of caterpillar eggs (tear out the section
of leaf they were laid on) and as the cauli heads develop, I fold a
growing leaf over the top to keep them white and tight. They are very
tender and delicious so be careful not to spoil them by cooking for as
long as shop cauli takes; steamed is best.

Janet.