As new vegetable gardeners my husband and I decided to grow beans, sprouts and winter cauliflowers. We had a successful crop of everything except cauliflowers. They grew plenty of leaves but not one flower. In the Autumn my husband cut back the larger leaves on the outside of the plants thinking that this would enable the flower to grow.

I should be grateful for any help/advice etc.

Many thanks.

Pushkin.

"Pushkin" wrote in message
...

As new vegetable gardeners my husband and I decided to grow beans,
sprouts and winter cauliflowers. We had a successful crop of
everything except cauliflowers. They grew plenty of leaves but not one
flower. In the Autumn my husband cut back the larger leaves on the
outside of the plants thinking that this would enable the flower to
grow.

I should be grateful for any help/advice etc.

Not much help, but I didn't have much luck either!(:-(

Alan


Many thanks.

Pushkin.


--
Pushkin

The message
from Pushkin contains these words:


As new vegetable gardeners my husband and I decided to grow beans,
sprouts and winter cauliflowers. We had a successful crop of
everything except cauliflowers. They grew plenty of leaves but not one
flower. In the Autumn my husband cut back the larger leaves on the
outside of the plants thinking that this would enable the flower to
grow
I should be grateful for any help/advice etc.

Just a guess....mild winter, or cutting back the leaves, may have
knocked them off-course and delayed things?

Even veg longterm gardeners often have a failure of one crop or
another. Don't rush to pull them out, they might have a last-minute
fling. Keep an eye out because once the flower starts, it grows very
fast.

I only grow summer ones, which are very straight forward. Leave all
the leaves on because as the flower or curd starts to form, you can pin
the biggest leaves across it with a threaded stick, to keep it clean
pale and tight. For anyone who hasn't grown cauliflowers, they are one
of those veg whose fresh-picked taste and tenderness is vastly superior
to shop bought. Delicious cut at tennis-ball size and steamed whole.


Janet.

The message
from Pushkin contains these words:


As new vegetable gardeners my husband and I decided to grow beans,
sprouts and winter cauliflowers. We had a successful crop of
everything except cauliflowers. They grew plenty of leaves but not one
flower. In the Autumn my husband cut back the larger leaves on the
outside of the plants thinking that this would enable the flower to
grow.

I should be grateful for any help/advice etc.

Many thanks.

Pushkin.


Most 'winter' cauliflowers actually mature in spring. I grow Jerome
which comes to a head in May. I don't know of any which mature before
February. When they do produce a head it happens quite quickly.

I certainly wouldn't give up yet. Do you know which variety you have?

Janet G

Pushkin wrote:

As new vegetable gardeners my husband and I decided to grow beans,
sprouts and winter cauliflowers. We had a successful crop of
everything except cauliflowers. They grew plenty of leaves but not one
flower. In the Autumn my husband cut back the larger leaves on the
outside of the plants thinking that this would enable the flower to
grow.

I should be grateful for any help/advice etc.

Are you sure they were winter varieties and not winter hardy
early spring/spring varieties?

Most caulis I've grown head either in summer/autumn or from March onwards
after having stood all winter (spring varieties).

Indeed, if they fail to head, you can leave them in the ground and they
will head next at the next appropriate time for their variety.

Spring caulis are great - much much reduced chance of embedded
caterpillars :-)

"Pushkin" wrote

As new vegetable gardeners my husband and I decided to grow beans,
sprouts and winter cauliflowers. We had a successful crop of
everything except cauliflowers. They grew plenty of leaves but not one
flower. In the Autumn my husband cut back the larger leaves on the
outside of the plants thinking that this would enable the flower to
grow.

I should be grateful for any help/advice etc.


He really has caused a problem for the plants, they need those big leaves to
provide food during the winter months of low light and to protect the curd
as it grows. Indeed it's those big leaves that we bend over the curds as
they grow to keep them nice and white. I suspect yours will either be late
or very small curds.
Also depends on variety, what was it?
We grow "winter" ,actually spring, Cauliflowers "Walcheren Winter Armardo
April" and they won't be curding up yet as they come to curd in April as the
name suggests. Over the years we have come to believe the winter ones are
the easiest to grow not least because they will be clean of pests (meat)
without any spraying.
You can always tell when Cauliflowers are about to start curding, it's when
those big leaves at the top start to twist round.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

"Pushkin" wrote in message
...

As new vegetable gardeners my husband and I decided to grow beans,
sprouts and winter cauliflowers. We had a successful crop of
everything except cauliflowers. They grew plenty of leaves but not one
flower. In the Autumn my husband cut back the larger leaves on the
outside of the plants thinking that this would enable the flower to
grow.

I should be grateful for any help/advice etc.

Many thanks.

Pushkin.

Every year, myself and a few neighbours, club together and buy about 500
cualiflower plugs from a commercial supplier, for our allotments. I
purchased 25 each of Dec, Feb and March harvesting varieties.They are
supplied loose, so I don't know the names of the 3 varieties.
This year my Dec crop is a month late (as are my neighbours) they are tasty,
but a bit smaller than usual. I suspect the weather is to blame, snow in Nov
(in Cornwall) and heavy frosts at night. It's a question of patience, my
March group, don't look capable of producing heads, but they will in time -
maybe April?
Bertie

To all you gardeners out there who sent a reply I would just like to say a great big "THANK YOU" for your advice. Perhaps I can come back again for some more advice as and when we need it.
Pushkin.