No I don't tie the heads of orange or purple cauliflower. ( I assume thats what you mean by blanching) The whites I tie up as direct Georgia sun discolors them and makes them taste too strong. Most of the colored varieties have fairly long DTM which makes them iffy in this climate for spring planting. Never had any problem with any type buttoning, but when the temps start to hit 100, they just will not head not even a teaser. Buttoning is usually the result of stunted plants. I start my own, but I have seen local nurserys seel plants that had already buttoned. Caulifloer is not overly difficult with good soil, adequate water and daytime temps between 60 and 80 during its growth cycle.

My cauliflower is heading.. my first time growing it. I had some stunted plants from the early cold but the rest seem to be handling the early summer weather so far. How do you know when to cut it? If you tie up the heads you won't even be able to see it.

Temps going up into the low 90s again next week.

These pictures and stories are inspiring even if you are facing difficulties. I have heard so much about the challenges of cauliflower that I have not even ever tried it. But now that my collards and arugula have done well, I feel almost ready to graduate to the "real" cole crops! When did you start fall-crop seed? Do you think it is too late now?

I have never had much success with Cauliflower, it has been a challenge for me in Ohio... and it is my favorite of all the cabbage family by far. The white cabbage moths invade in Spring and kill the host before a full head develops, I suppose I can try a rigorous treatment of BT if I can find some but I've also had the plants attract groundhogs which eat the plant down to the stem, so I've been discouraged.

Have tried a fall crop with some success but it is hard to get the plant to mature before November. Grows well in September and the first half of October but the plants seem to suffer with the August heat and pests. Last year I planted some in August and a groundhog killed them all so I bought some more plants the first week of September and made makeshift wire fence cages, I got some small heads.

Maybe I'm a coward, but after trying cauliflower several times years and years ago when I was a novice gardener, I gave up and have never tried it again. I'm 71 now, been gardening almost 50 years.

This one is separating... is it toast? The plant doesn't look bolty to me.. flower head is low and leaves are pointed up.

This one looks good...

Variety is one of Burpee's BS varieties "winter dream". 70 DTM.

I've tried several times over the years. One year i got a good spring crop of grafitti. I have a few plants out there that i started from seed and it looks like it'll be another failure. Its been a warm spring/early summer. Very difficult plant to grow with this climate. Might try in the fall...seems like the bugs are so much worse though.

Peter - it does look like the first one it toast. Pull it. Might still be edible....

Nice looking head ekgrows! I am growing Cauliflower (Cheddar - 58 dtm) for the first time this fall so I can't give you much advice. Here in Missouri, I will start some around July 4th and more a couple weeks later and plant out about August 10th and 20th. I will protect with shade cloth and BTK for as long as needed.

I grow the white types very successfully. Set plants out at 27 days from sowing, water extra well, and tie leaves up EXTRA well.

I grow the white types very successfully. Set plants out at 27 days from sowing, water extra well, and tie leaves up EXTRA well.

I let it grow and it made about a 4" head that was separating before I decided to cut them.

It was probably the most inefficient use of garden space I have had, but wow that was the best tasting cauliflower I have ever had. Such much better than that tough frozen stuff.

I don't really have anything else to plant at the moment so I am leaving them on the off shot they make another head.

Next year I will plant a more reliable early variety.

One year I got no cauliflower and many romanseco, and this year got many cauliflower and no romanseco. It's a winter crop here. What I learned, in both cases, is that the greens are delicious! I love to cook the leaves in a pressure cooker with a piece of pork. The greens melt in your mouth. It makes the lack of flower okay, at least for me. I still get to eat the greens!

Peter - I know what you mean. It is SOOO good. That's why I will not give up. I composted most of my cheddar, graffiti, and vitaverde cauliflower plants - they just failed. I have 3 left in the garden, that I am babying - hoping they will give me something good. The white variety I have grown for the past 2 years that has done great by me is snowbowl. Link to where I got it:http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/search?item=3425

I ripped all my cheddar out...all of it was garbage. We were 95F last weekend so that didn't help. I'm not sure i'll grow it in the spring again.

yeah - cheddar has been my biggest failure. I've got seeds going for a fall crop, so lets hope......

I keep hearing bad things about Cheddar...

What about Snow Crown?

Snowbowl is long DTM... not great for here where summer often teases early and hard.

Snow Crown is good. I raise mostly Symphony...a longer season one.

I was shocked when I looked at the DTM for snowbowl. This spring, and last - it was right about 60 days for me. (Facebook reminded me yesterday about the beautiful cauliflowers I harvested a year ago). Anyway, it matured sooner than I anticipated. Right about time to notice the others failed. Sigh.

Wayne - I was eyeing symphony. Works well for you?

Thanks everyone. A very useful thread.