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Brassica oleracea var. botrytis

cauliflower

cauliflower

Photo: Etbe · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source

This description was machine-translated.

Description

With cauliflower, you eat the still closed, dense flower head that grows as a white head among the leaves. It is more demanding than other cabbage varieties because it requires consistent water and nutrients, otherwise the head remains small or bolts prematurely.

Care instructions

Plant pre-grown seedlings from April with a distance of at least one arm's length in nutrient-rich soil and keep the soil consistently moist, as any water stress results in smaller heads. For white varieties, break a few outer leaves over the head so that it remains white and tender, and harvest as soon as the curd is firm and closed; if you wait too long, it will become grainy.

Soil & site

Soil pH

4.0pH 6.5–7.58.0

Soil type

loamy, humus-rich, nutrient-rich, moist, lime-loving

LightFull sun
Hours of sunat least 6 h a day
HardinessFrost-sensitive
Crop rotationBrassicas
Water needHigh

Feeding

Heavy feeder

Months

Mar–Jun

Propagation

Methods

  • From seed

Companion planting

Good neighbors

legume family (Fabaceae)

particularly well established

Leguminous plants collect nitrogen in the soil, from which Brassicaceae benefit as heavy feeders.

For example Bush beanPole beanBroad beanMarker peaSugar peaRed bean and 30 more species in the catalogue

Source: classic companion planting (DACH-Gartenpraxis)

carrot family (Apiaceae)

You can pair celery and dill with all Brassicaceae because they repel the cabbage whitefly with their scent, a proven companion.

For example Carrotcelery rootDillParsleyCarrot fennelCoriander and 19 more species in the catalogue

Source: Bio-Gärtnerei Mixed-culture Practice

mint family (Lamiaceae)

You will notice that the intense scent of basil, thyme, and others confuses the cabbage whitefly and keeps it away from the cabbage family.

For example LavenderThymeBasilRosemarySageHyssop and 31 more species in the catalogue

Source: bio-gardening intercropping practice

nasturtium family (Tropaeolaceae)

Nasturtium serves as a trap plant for you. Aphids and cabbage whiteflies prefer it over the brassicaceae next to it.

For example Tropaeolum majusMashua

Source: Trap plant practice in organic horticulture

Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.

Some of these explanations were machine-translated.

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Varieties

7 varieties
View all 7 varieties

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