Cauliflower problems


  #1  
Old 06-05-10, 08:03 PM
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Cauliflower problems

OK, so I have to say first that this is my first attempt at growing cauliflower, and it isn't going well. I bought a 6-pack of Snow Crown cauliflower and planted them around May 10 when all danger of frost was past. The pack I selected had small plants with just a tiny bit of a white curd starting to form (I wonder if this was a bad sign for such a small plant.)

Well since replanting, the plant hasn't done much of anything and it's been a month. Not many new leaves have appeared. While the broccoli I planted at the same time is now about 16" tall and going great, the cauliflower seems the same size. On a couple plants the crown is now maybe 1" across but it's been that same size for weeks. On other plants, the crown is getting these ugly "sprigs" that extend away from the tiny crown (looks like a tiny sprig of white broccoli). Having not grown it before I'm at a loss for what is going on, or if I'm just being impatient.

Before planting the ground was nicely prepared. The ground is black and rich, so I loosened the soil, mixed in peat moss, added some plant food to the watering can, and have kept the plants well watered since then. There is a 5 gallon bucket (bottoms are cut off) around each one (which I just took off today, wondering if that was the problem- maybe they were getting too hot or not enough sun or ???)

Any tips or suggestions? I'm just stunned that they aren't doing well. I wonder if the fact that they already had the beginnings of crowns while they were still so small was a bad thing. Maybe I should have purchased a pack that wasn't starting to set crowns on yet.
 
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Old 06-15-10, 05:06 PM
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Well, I believe the problem with my cauliflower is stress induced. There is some "bolting" taking place, others are just not growing much at all. I'll have to remember to plant cauliflower earlier next year. One or two of my broccoli are bolting as well.
 
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Old 06-16-10, 03:36 AM
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What are your temperatures?

In NC I can only grow cauliflower with work, perfect timing and good luck. We do not have enough season between the last frost and temperatures that are too warm. It either stays too cool and they don't grow or we get a few hot days and it bolts.
 
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Old 06-18-10, 07:19 PM
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It was a nice cool spring... finally getting into the 80's now. Nebraska has some pretty mean humidity and day/night temperature swings. The cauliflower just didn't grow, like it was stunted. I'm pretty sure I got a bad batch of plants. The broccoli planted at the same time is doing fine, except for the 2 (out of 23) that bolted.

Now my problem is flooding. We have received 12" of rain in June so far, and the garden is in a low area. All the basements have water in them, and the ground can't dry out due to the high water table. It's been too muddy to walk in for over a week now.

Spinach is dead, peas will be soon. Corn and beans getting yellow, potatoes are wilting from being waterlogged. Most of the radishes are dead too. Tomatoes don't seem to mind it though, they grow like weeds. LOL. Even the asparagus is looking sick.

Another 2" is forecast tomarrow night- I hope it goes around us. Worst summer flooding around here in 100+ yrs. Can't get out of town west or south!

Anyway, I'll probably try the cauliflower and broccoli again as a fall crop and start my own seeds this time.
 
 

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