Cauliflower

  We celebrated the summer solstice over the weekend and as we did I looked ahead towards the fall crops. We'll be planting cauliflower is six weeks and it is often difficult to find transplants when we need them. Two years ago, cauliflower and broccoli transplants were available, last year they weren't, so we can't depend on having transplants when we need them. So to preclude that problem we start our own transplants.
  Last week I started cauliflower and this week they are sprouting nicely. I plant 2 white varieties along with one flat each of green, purple, and yellow cauliflower. The colored varieties are mostly novelties, they don't produce real well but are beautiful when they do. Besides, colored veggies including cauliflower are more nutritious. I'll grow the seedlings about 5 weeks, and they'll go into the garden at the end of July.
  Cauliflower takes about 80 days to make a crop and modern varieties are self blanching. That means the top leaves stay tightly wrapped around the forming flower until one day the leaves open to expose the crop. It's just like peek-a-boo in the garden...when the crop is ready the leaves open to expose the cauliflower. The crop is a heavy feeder so it will require extra fertilizer mid way  through the season.