I am so excited to announce my first ever 3 Cauliflowers grown from seed. I spotted them this morning, as the netting came off the Brassica cage a few days ago in the high winds. I’ve kept the netting off so I can check for slugs with the wet weather. They have made my January!
In August, last year I sowed variety Cauliflower – Bola de Nieve. This is the first time I have grown Cauliflowers in late summer for an Autumn/Winter harvest.
The reason I sowed Autumn Cauliflowers and not Spring Cauliflowers
We have a lot of Cabbage White butterflies and growing Cauliflower in spring for a summer harvest is not an option, well only if you want to have a fight with trying to keep these pests out of your netting all summer long.
This is not my idea of summer fun so I thought I’d try sowing them late summer instead. There were still cabbage white butterflies around but only for a few months and then when October comes they disappear.
3 Reasons to Grow Cauliflower – Bola de Nieve.
- 1. It is a compact variety, perfect for small vegetable gardens.
- 2. It is a quick autumn growing variety. From a July sowing, Harvest in November or sow in August for a January harvest.
- 3. Look forward to harvesting tight white curds of cauliflower of up to 15cm in diameter.
Growing Cauliflowers with Kale and Spring Cabbages
This is my Brassica Raised Bed. It is 2 meters long by 1 meter wide.
I have 3 autumn cauliflowers on the right hand side spanning over 1 meter.
I have 3 Kale – Black Magic plants (dark green) in the middle of the bed. Kale leaves are harvested as and when I need them for dinner.
Bottom left of the photo is my Chinese Cabbage plant which the slugs and caterpillars took a liking to, so I’ve left it as a plant for the pests to eat and hoped that the pests wouldn’t move to any of my other brassicas. So far they haven’t moved off the Chinese cabbage. As you can see from the holes in the leaves, they are having a big feast!
At the back in a square shape, spanning 1 meter square, I have 4 spring cabbages, which will be ready for spring greens in March and heart up in April.
This just shows you don’t need a big space to grow brassicas!
The Growing Winter Vegetables in Summer Series
Start Here
Vegetables to Sow & Plant for Autumn & Winter
Seeds to Sow in July and August for a Autumn and Winter Harvest
Growing Vegetables from Plants after the Summer season for a Winter Harvest
Sow & Plant in July to December
Vegetable Seeds to Sow in July
Vegetables to Sow in August & Reminder to Pre-Order Your Onions & Garlic
Vegetables to Sow & Plant in September
Vegetables to Sow & Plant in October
November – Planting Vegetables & Fruit Trees
Plant Shallots with me in November
Growing Garlic with Onions & Leeks
Planting Elephant Garlic, have you tried it? (Plant Nov to Dec)
My Essential Guide to Growing Autumn & Spring – Onions from Sets – My Free Ebook
All About Frost
Winter is Coming! All About Frost and Growing Vegetables in the Autumn/Winter.
Winter Veg Updates
Late Summer – August sowings Update for Autumn & Winter vegetables – planting out in raised beds.
We have Autumn Cauliflowers! in January
Musselburgh Leek Harvest in February
Challenge Brassica
A project to grow Brassicas (cabbage, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts) throughout the autumn and winter.
📕 Part 1 – The Brassica Challenge
📗 Part 2 – Soil Replenishment & The No Dig Method
📘 Part 3 – Planting & Spacings for Kale, Brussels Sprouts & Cauliflower
📙 Part 4 – Exploring Netting, Hoops, Cages for all Budgets to Cover Brassica Plants
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