Cauliflower

Cauliflower

 

Cauliflower is one of several vegetables in Braccisia oleracea, which is in the Mustard) family.

It is an annual plant that reproduces by seed.

The cauliflower plant is temperamental, requiring careful maintenance and care to yield a delicious product requiring skill and a fair bit of dedication, love, and TLC.

Classification and identification]

There are four major groups of cauliflower.

  1. Italian: This specimen is diverse in appearance, biennial and annual type. This group includes white, Romanesco, various brown, green, purple, and yellow cultivars. This type is the ancestral form from which the others were derived.
  2. Northern European annuals: Used in Europe and North America for summer and fall harvest, it was developed in Germany in the 18th century and included Erfurt and Snowball's old cultivars.
  3. Northwest European biennial: Used in Europe for winter and early spring harvest, this was developed in France in the 19th century and included the old cultivars Angers and Roscoff.
  4. Asian: A tropical cauliflower used in China and India, developed in India during the 19th century from the now-abandoned Cornish type and includes old varieties Early Benaras and Early Patna.

Varieties

There are hundreds of historic and current commercial varieties used around the world.

Colours

White

White cauliflower is the most common colour of cauliflower, having a contrasting white

head (also called "curd") surrounded by green leaves.

Orange

Orange cauliflower contains beta-carotene as the orange pigment, a provitamin A compound. This orange trait originated from a natural mutant found in a cauliflower field in Canada.

Cultivars include 'Cheddar' and 'Orange Bouquet'.

Green

Green cauliflower in the B. oleracea Botrytis Group is sometimes called broccoflower. It is available in the regular curd (head) shape and with a fractal spiral curd called Romanesco broccoli

Purple

This cauliflower's purple colour is caused by anthocyanins, water-soluble pigments found in many other plants and plant-based products, such as red cabbage and red wine.

it is not the same as standard cauliflower with a purple head.

 

The cauliflower head is composed of a white inflorescence meristem. Cauliflower heads resemble broccoli, which differs in having flower buds as the edible portion. Brassica oleracea also includes broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and Kale, collectively called colecrops".

Growing cauliflower

Cauliflower is relatively difficult to grow compared to cabbage, with an earliest possible maturity of 7 to 12 weeks from transplant in, with common problems such as an underdeveloped head and poor curd quality.

Cauliflower is one of the most temperature-sensitive vegetables around and grows best in moderate daytime temperatures 21–29 °C (70–85 °F), with plentiful sun and moist soil conditions high in organic matter and sandy soils

Ideally, the daytime temperature while the cauliflower is maturing will be around 60ºF (15.5ºC), with most cauliflower varieties require about 1.5-3 months of consistently cool weather to develop appropriately, which means that the proper planting time depends on the climate:

If the temperature requirements above seem challenging to achieve in your area, you can make the job easier with one or more of these tactics:

  • Look for "summer" or "tropical" varieties that can handle warmer temperatures than most.
  • Wait about a month after the recommended seed-starting and buy a transplant from a garden store.[6]
  • Plant a new batch every week for 4–6 weeks to see which works best.

Cauliflowers require cool weather; however, paradoxically, the growing site requires at least six hours of full sun during the day and isn't shaded by trees, tall grass, or other crops.

The growing site also requires ample room since, generally, cauliflower plants will need to be spaced about 18-24 inches apart.  For this reason, I grow my cauliflower plants in a space in my mini-orchard where they can also receive uninterrupted and consistent moisture and access sufficient nutrients as they mature.

Ideally, a cauliflower's soil should have the following qualities:

  • High organic matter content enhances the soil's ability to hold moisture.
  • High potassium and nitrogen content. Potassium and nitrogen are nutrients vital for cauliflower's development. If necessary, it may be required to use fertilizer.
  • A pH of between 6.5 and 7 minimizes the danger of a cauliflower disease called clubroot and maximizes nutrient availability.

First steps

Start with transplants or grow seeds indoors. 

Cauliflower has a reputation for being somewhat fragile; hence there are two options, start with seedlings from a local garden store to transplant into their garden, or plant seeds indoors to protect the young plants from the weather as follows:

  • Plant each seed in a peat or paper cup. The biodegradable container lets you "plant" the whole pot in your garden later without damaging the cauliflower's roots.[9]
  • Press the seed about 1/4–1/2 inch (0.6–1.25 cm) deep and cover it with dirt.
  • Water regularly so the soil is moist but not soggy.
  • If you must plant your seeds directly in the garden, plant them in rows 3 to 6 inches (7.5 to 15 cm) apart.[11]

 

Transplant the seedling. Whether you grew the plants from seed or bought them from a garden nursery, you'll need to move them outdoors once they have three or four true leaves:

  • Before transplanting, move the seedlings outside for one hour a day. Gradually increase this time over a week to "harden off" the seedlings, adapting them to outdoor conditions.
  • If you use a biodegradable container, bury the container in the ground so the soil level is even with the rest of the garden.
  • If you used a non-biodegradable container, remove the seedling carefully to avoid breaking its roots. Make a small hole in the ground and bury the seedling up to its stem. You may want to make a shallow, saucer-like depression around the seedling to help the surrounding soil retain water—firm the soil and water the seedling. Water consistently, providing 1 - 1.5 inches (2.5 - 3.75 cm) of water per week.  Cover the soil with a light layer of mulch to help retain moisture and regulate temperature.

 

Fertilize to supplement cauliflower's growth. 

Test your soil if growth is slow or you suspect your soil is of low quality.  If your soil is relatively low in nitrogen (N) and potassium (K), bolster these nutrients with fertilizer. Apply a fertilizer high in the missing nutrient(s) every two to three weeks.[15] You may also apply seaweed extract to supply boron, an essential nutrient.

  • For a large home garden, you can use a mixture of 5 quarts of fertilizer for every 100 feet (30.5 m) of crop row.
  • Use a technique called side-dressing to administer your fertilizer to the maturing plant. Dig a shallow, narrow furrow parallel to each row of plants about 6 to 8 inches away from the plants' stems. Pour the fertilizer into this furrow, rake the soil, and water, which ensures that the fertilizer can be administered in equal, constant proportions to each plant and helps minimize the danger of over-fertilizing.

 

Blanch the head to prevent it from darkening.

 As the cauliflower grows, a small "head" will begin to form at the centre of its leaves (note that this is sometimes also called the "curd"). For ordinary white cauliflower, if this head is exposed to light growing, it will yellow and darken. Though a darkened head of cauliflower is still edible, it is less visually appealing and will have a less-tender texture. Thus, it's essential to use a process called "blanching" to keep the head pale and white. When the head is roughly the size of an egg, bend the plant's leaves over the head to shade it from sunlight. If necessary, use twine or rubber bands to hold the leaves in place.

  • Trapping moisture around the head can cause the plant to rot. Confirm the head is dry before blanching, and take care not to get any water on the head while it is bound.
  • Don't bind leaves so tightly around the head that air cannot reach it.
  • Note that non-white varieties (like purple, green, or orange cauliflower) do not need to be blanched. Additionally, some varieties of white cauliflower are bred to be "self-blanching", with leaves that naturally protect the head as it grows.

After blanching, continue caring for the plant, occasionally removing the leaves around the head to monitor its growth and allow moisture to escape after watering.

 

Harvesting 

When cauliflower is mature, heads appear as clear white, compact, 15–20 cm (6–8 in) in diameter, and should be cooled shortly after harvest.

When the head is large (roughly 6 inches (15.2 cm) across), white, and firm, it is ready to be harvested. Depending on your climate, this can be anywhere from a few days to a few weeks after blanching (growth is generally faster in hot weather). Cut the head from the base of the plant with a knife, leaving a few leaves attached to protect the head. Rinse, dry, remove the leaves, and enjoy.

Cuisine

Typically, only the head is eaten – the edible white flesh is sometimes called "curd" (similar to cheese curd).

Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable that can be enjoyed in soups, stews, stir-fries, as a steamed vegetable, in a salad, or on its own.

Cauliflower heads can be roasted, grilled, boiled, fried, steamed, pickled, or eaten raw. When cooking, the outer leaves and thick stalks are typically removed, leaving only the florets (the edible "curd" or "head"). The leaves are also edible but are often discarded.

Cauliflower is a low-calorie, gluten-free alternative to rice and flour. Between 2012 and 2016, cauliflower production in the United States increased 63%, and cauliflower-based product sales increased 71% between 2017 and 2018. Cauliflower rice is made by pulsing cauliflower florets followed by cooking oil.

Cauliflower pizza crust is made from cauliflower flour and is popular in pizza restaurants. Mashed cauliflower is a low-carbohydrate alternative to mashed potatoes.

Cauliflower can be stored in a variety of ways. It will last for roughly a week in the refrigerator and can be frozen or pickled for long-term storage. Alternatively, cauliflower can also be stored by pulling the plant up by its roots and hanging it upside down in a cool place for up to a month.

Raw cauliflower is 92% water, 5% carbohydrates, 2% protein, and little fat (table). A 100-gram (3+1⁄2-ounce) reference amount of raw cauliflower provides 104 kilojoules (25 kilocalories) of food energy. It has a high content (20% or more of the Daily Value, DV) of vitamin C (58% DV) and moderate levels of several B vitamins and vitamin K (13–15% DV; table). Contents of dietary minerals are low (7% DV or less).

Disorders, pests, and diseases]

The most important disorders affecting cauliflower quality are a hollow stem, stunted head growth or buttoning, ricing, browning and leaf-tip burn.  Major pests affecting cauliflower are aphids, root maggots, cutworms, moths and flea beetles.

The plant is susceptible to black rot, blackleg, clubroot, black leaf spot, and downer mildew[1]

When cauliflower seedlings are young and fragile, they are vulnerable to various garden pests   This is especially true in cases where cauliflower is being planted as a spring crop, as the end of the winter months usually coincides with a surge in insect populations. Some of these pests can interfere with the cauliflower's growth cycle - others can eat the plant to the ground, ruining your crop entirely, so managing these pests at the first sign of trouble is a top concern for serious gardeners.

Nontoxic pest treatments include diatomaceous earth, soap sprays, and cultural practices such as controlling humidity or introducing predator insects. Look up integrated pest management practices to find out more.

Plant-friendly pesticides can be used but read the label carefully. Using the wrong pesticide or misapplying pesticide could damage plants or make the vegetable unsafe to eat.

 

To prevent pests from reaching your cauliflower, try cutting old milk jugs in half and laying them over the seedlings for protection.​​​​​​​

Treat boron deficiency with seaweed extract. 

If cauliflower doesn't have access to boron, an essential nutrient, it will begin to experience a variety of unappealing symptoms. Its head will turn brown, its leaf tips will die, its leaves will distort, and its stem may become hollow and brown.

 

Boron must be introduced into the plant's soil immediately to treat this problem. Feed the plant with seaweed extract immediately and repeat every two weeks until symptoms disappear.

For subsequent crops, add boron to the soil by mixing compost or planting vetch or clover cover crops.[18]

 

Stop clubroot by eliminating infected plants.

Clubroot is a fungal infection that causes large growths on the roots of plants in the family Brassicaceae (which includes cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and other plants). These root growths interfere with the plant's ability to absorb water and nutrients, causing it to grow asymmetrically, wilt, and eventually die. Worst of all, clubroot is contagious and can quickly spread from plant to plant.

Swift, aggressive action must be taken to prevent a case of clubroot from ruining your entire cauliflower crop, pull infected plants up by their roots and discard them (don't compost them). Be sure to remove the whole root system - any fungus left in the ground can release spores and continue spreading.

  • To prevent clubroot from returning, use one of the following methods:
  • Improve the drainage of your soil by adding organic matter (clubroot thrives in moist environments).
  • Plant a cover crop of winter rye and till it into your soil before planting cauliflower.
  • Rotate your crops. Do not plant brassicas or in the same area two years in a row.
  • Increase the alkalinity of your soil by mixing in hydrated lime in the fall (clubroot thrives in acidic soils)
  • Lay thin sheets of clear, construction-grade plastic over infected soil during sunny weather. Leave in place for 1 - 1.5 months. The plastic acts as a sort of "greenhouse", trapping the sun's rays to heat the soil and kill the fungus.​​​​​​​

 

Prevent blackleg by practising crop rotation. 

Another common fungal disease of cauliflower is blackleg. Blackleg causes irregular grey lesions or holes in the leaves and is sometimes accompanied by root rot. This disease is difficult to treat like clubroot, so preventative cures are the best bet. In particular, crop rotation is an effective technique for reducing the chance of blackleg.

  • Don't plant cauliflower (or another member of the Brassicaceae family) in the exact location more than one year in a row - this gives any remaining blackleg fungus in the growing site a year to die off.
  • Additionally, in the event of blackleg, remove all plant debris left over after a harvest. This dead or dying plant material can contain live fungi for months, leading to the re-infection of the next crop.
  • If you have any doubts about whether certain seeds are contaminated with the fungus or not, washing the seeds in hot water can help remove the fungus before planting.

 

History

In the Middle Ages, early forms of cauliflower were associated with the island of Cyprus, with the 12th- and 13th-century Arab botanists claiming its origin to be Cyprus This association continued into Western Europe, where cauliflowers were sometimes known as Cyprus Colewort. There was extensive trade in western Europe in cauliflower seeds from Cyprus, under the French Lusignan rulers of the island, until well into the 16th century.

They were introduced to France from Genoa in the 16th century, but they did not commonly appear on grand tables until Louis XIV. It was introduced to India in 1822 by the British.

In 2016, global production of cauliflowers (combined for production reports with broccoli) was 25.2 million tonnes.

5. Flowers