Cauliflower SUCCESS!

GoDawgs · December 30, 2019

After many failures trying to grow cauliflower I was giving up the effort until a few of you urged me to try 'Amazing'. Ok, I'll bite... just ONE more time and that's it. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

The plants had gotten real big but I couldn't see or feel any head forming. Then all that rain came over the past ten days. All of a sudden, two days ago I discovered four heads had just appeared out of nowhere! Three were about 3-5" wide but here's the best one, which I cut today. Although it doesn't look it in the photo, it's the purest white and 7" wide. Wow!

Since the heads have outgrown their covering leaves, I pulled up the leaves on the other four and held them together with a clothespin. That should do the trick. I love clothespins. Nine gazillion uses.

PhilaGardener · December 30, 2019

Those look, well, AMAZING! Nice work!

Nan_PA_6b · December 30, 2019

Great!!!!!!!!

greenthumbomaha · December 30, 2019

Note to self: Move to Georgia and grow Amazing cauliflower in December! - Lisa

GoDawgs · December 31, 2019

I tried these in the spring and only one puny, discolored head formed, confirming that spring weather is way too iffy. Fall is definitely the key here. So glad I keep good notes on planting dates!

brownrexx · December 31, 2019

Congratulations. Amazing is the only cauliflower that I ever grow. I don't even pull the leaves over it and it seems to self blanch. It's very tasty too. I don't look at it every day and then one day I look and Poof! there's a head forming.

MissS · December 31, 2019

What a beautiful cauliflower. I am so glad that you persistence has finally paid off.

GoDawgs · December 31, 2019

I usually give everything new three strikes before it's out. Cauliflower got four or five because I just can't stand not being able to grow some stubborn brassica when I can grow others well. It was just a matter of finding the right variety.

Now beets are another story. I have officially given up on them.

JRinPA · January 1, 2020

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenthumbomaha

Note to self: Move to Georgia and grow Amazing cauliflower in December! - Lisa

Exactly my thought, haha.

b54red · January 1, 2020

Dawg growing cauliflower down here is more a matter of getting the timing right than the variety. I have gone as long as two years without getting a single decent head and then for the next few year every kind I plant does terrific in both fall and spring. If you set your plants out in late January or very early February they will usually make really good in the spring. It is important to cover them with hoops if it gets below freezing for long. They are a lot like Brussels sprouts in that some years they just do terribly and then the next year you can't eat them fast enough.

I usually have good luck with Snow Crown but it will make small heads if it is too hot when they are set out or if it gets too warm too early in the spring. The heads on them usually range a bit larger or smaller than 5 or 6 inches but then sometimes they are all small or you can get some huge ones. If I want a bunch of really larger cauliflower I grow one called Bishop. You can get some heads close to 10 inches across but they generally around 7 to 8 inches across but they take a week or two longer to make.

I haven't grown Amazing but will get a packet next year and try them. I too am a big fan of the clothespins for keeping leaf cover over large cauliflower. If you can keep them well shaded they are so much whiter.

Congratulations on your success.

Bill

Tormato · January 2, 2020

Bill,

Do you hear that noise? It's the sweet siren call of Romanesco.

zipcode · January 4, 2020

I just can't grow any. If I try in the spring, it won't do well because it will bolt since the weather is hot in the summer. If I try for autumn, thousands of flea beetles appear from nowhere and destroy them, no matter how big the transplant.

Nan_PA_6b · January 4, 2020

? When cauliflower bolts, that is when the heads form. Same with romanesco.

zipcode · January 4, 2020

Bolting in cauliflower means premature flowering before a real head forms. The head will grow fast once it starts, and if the conditions are not good at that time, like too dry or sudden heat, it will stop growing and will flower.

JRinPA · January 4, 2020

I tried this fall with purchased transplants and agribon over it. I ran drip tape and kept it somewhat watered. Plants looked great. Moths seemed to be over so I took the cover off for a day and a half, then put it right back on due to cabbage moths. Out of 6, all somewhat buggy, 1 good head, 1 smaller head, 2 tiny heads,, and two nothings. Broccoli in the next row grew 10 good heads out of 12. I just can't seem to justify the work and space for cauliflower. But I'll probably give in and try again sometime. That Amazing is what I should try next but I think I have to keep it covered the whole time. Maybe take a coleman stove under the tunnel and cook the cauliflower right so there is NO CHANCE for worms?!

December 30, 2019	#1
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	Cauliflower SUCCESS! After many failures trying to grow cauliflower I was giving up the effort until a few of you urged me to try 'Amazing'. Ok, I'll bite... just ONE more time and that's it. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! The plants had gotten real big but I couldn't see or feel any head forming. Then all that rain came over the past ten days. All of a sudden, two days ago I discovered four heads had just appeared out of nowhere! Three were about 3-5" wide but here's the best one, which I cut today. Although it doesn't look it in the photo, it's the purest white and 7" wide. Wow! Since the heads have outgrown their covering leaves, I pulled up the leaves on the other four and held them together with a clothespin. That should do the trick. I love clothespins. Nine gazillion uses.

December 31, 2019	#7
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,150	What a beautiful cauliflower. I am so glad that you persistence has finally paid off. __________________ ~ Patti ~

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December 30, 2019	#2
PhilaGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Near Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,940	Those look, well, AMAZING! Nice work!

December 30, 2019	#3
Nan_PA_6b Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 3,194	Great!!!!!!!!

December 30, 2019	#4
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	Note to self: Move to Georgia and grow Amazing cauliflower in December! - Lisa

December 31, 2019	#6
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	Congratulations. Amazing is the only cauliflower that I ever grow. I don't even pull the leaves over it and it seems to self blanch. It's very tasty too. I don't look at it every day and then one day I look and Poof! there's a head forming.

January 1, 2020	#10
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Dawg growing cauliflower down here is more a matter of getting the timing right than the variety. I have gone as long as two years without getting a single decent head and then for the next few year every kind I plant does terrific in both fall and spring. If you set your plants out in late January or very early February they will usually make really good in the spring. It is important to cover them with hoops if it gets below freezing for long. They are a lot like Brussels sprouts in that some years they just do terribly and then the next year you can't eat them fast enough. I usually have good luck with Snow Crown but it will make small heads if it is too hot when they are set out or if it gets too warm too early in the spring. The heads on them usually range a bit larger or smaller than 5 or 6 inches but then sometimes they are all small or you can get some huge ones. If I want a bunch of really larger cauliflower I grow one called Bishop. You can get some heads close to 10 inches across but they generally around 7 to 8 inches across but they take a week or two longer to make. I haven't grown Amazing but will get a packet next year and try them. I too am a big fan of the clothespins for keeping leaf cover over large cauliflower. If you can keep them well shaded they are so much whiter. Congratulations on your success. Bill

January 2, 2020	#11
Tormato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA Posts: 4,971	Bill, Do you hear that noise? It's the sweet siren call of Romanesco.

January 4, 2020	#12
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	I just can't grow any. If I try in the spring, it won't do well because it will bolt since the weather is hot in the summer. If I try for autumn, thousands of flea beetles appear from nowhere and destroy them, no matter how big the transplant.

January 4, 2020	#15
JRinPA Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: SE PA Posts: 972	I tried this fall with purchased transplants and agribon over it. I ran drip tape and kept it somewhat watered. Plants looked great. Moths seemed to be over so I took the cover off for a day and a half, then put it right back on due to cabbage moths. Out of 6, all somewhat buggy, 1 good head, 1 smaller head, 2 tiny heads,, and two nothings. Broccoli in the next row grew 10 good heads out of 12. I just can't seem to justify the work and space for cauliflower. But I'll probably give in and try again sometime. That Amazing is what I should try next but I think I have to keep it covered the whole time. Maybe take a coleman stove under the tunnel and cook the cauliflower right so there is NO CHANCE for worms?!