Enjoying Your Home-Grown Cauliflower
Freshly picked cauliflower is crisp and flavorful when eaten raw with dip or in a salad. You can also steam, bake, or boil cauliflower to serve it hot with a cheese sauce or in a variety of dishes.
Prepare the SoilBefore planting cauliflower, work in a 2-inch layer of rich compost or other organic matter, such as Miracle-Gro® Organic Choice® Garden Soil.
Plant Your Cauliflower SeedsSow cauliflower seeds 1/2 inch deep and 24 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart. If you're starting the seeds indoors, wait until seedlings have 5 leaves (about 4-6 weeks) before transplanting them to your garden.
Feed and Water Your CauliflowerCauliflower needs a constant supply of plant food and water to grow into strong mature plants. Apply a complete fertilizer, such as Miracle-Gro® Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food when transplanting, then follow the label directions for additional feedings. Keep the soil cool and moist by watering as needed.
Blanch White HeadsTo ensure a bright white head on your cauliflower, cover the head while it is developing. This is called blanching. When the head reaches about 2 inches in diameter, pull the longest leaves up and over it, then tie them in place with twine. Purple and green cauliflower heads don't need to be blanched.
Harvesting Your CauliflowerYour cauliflower is ready to harvest when the heads are 6-8 inches in diameter -probably about 10 days after blanching. Harvest by cutting the stalk just below the head.
Freshly picked cauliflower is crisp and flavorful when eaten raw with dip or in a salad. You can also steam, bake, or boil cauliflower to serve it hot with a cheese sauce or in a variety of dishes.
