All Year Round – OP

A good cauliflower is not one of the easiest vegetables to grow and is seen as the test of a real gardener.  But with good planning you can have cauli on the table “all year round”.  This popular English Heirloom variety is a very reliable, very white, dwarf variety. It can be sown and harvested at most of the cauliflower harvesting periods of the year, although, best planted in summer and overwintered. Cauliflower ‘All The Year Round’ will make large, tight heads and is one of the easiest to grow as well. Height: 50cm Spread: 65cm. This versatile cauliflower is ideal for successional sowings.

How to Grow:
Sow seeds late July/august under protection/in greenhouse or September (after spring equinox) – February. Put in a main crop ahead of winter by Mid-February. Sow 4-6 weeks before the date you wish to plant them in the garden, in seedling trays so they can be easily thinned ahead of transplanting.  Using a pen tip poke holes into seed raising mix and sow 7mm deep, 5 or so seeds in each hole and thin to the strongest seedling.  Keep seedling protected from the dreaded white butterfly November – March.  They are ready to transplant when true leaves have formed, and they are 6-8cm tall.  When planting ensure that they are planted only as deep as the seedling soil level. Plant seedling 40-50cm apart to allow plenty of room for their big leaves and mulch well.  Cover with insect netting until the risk of white butterflies is over.  As plants mature cover the heads with the leave using soft ties.  This protects the curds from turing yellow from the sun or getting damage from rain or frost.  Feed with seasol every few weeks.  Despite most brassicas getting too leafy from the high nitrogen, caulis appreciate the nitrogen boost

Good companions:
Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Onions, Garlic, Beetroot, Chards. Beans, Lettuce, Potatoes
Plant celery near to Cauliflower to repel the white cabbage butterfly. Add Dill to attract a white butterfly controlling wasp. Land Cress attracts cabbage white butterfly, and when it lays its eggs, they eat it and die.

Bad companions:
Don’t plant cauliflower near strawberries or tomatoes – it doesn’t like either.