• DELIVERY INFO: Seed potatoes & onion/shallot sets are now being shipped. Plug plants will be shipped from late April onwards. See FAQs for further info.

Cauliflower – All Year Round

£5.99

A popular cauliflower that can be planted in spring, summer or autumn!

This variety is a very popular all season cauliflower which can be set closer together than others to produce tasty small heads and is easier to grow than most other varieties. Firm the plants in well when you plant the plugs, as this will help them to form a firm cauliflower head. You’ll receive a complete growing guide with the plants, so follow the advice in that for best results with growing cauliflower.

Number of plants: 10 plug plants

Variety: All Year Round (organic*)

In the kitchen: Perfect for roasting, steaming, making soup and for a lovely warming cauliflower cheese!

THESE PLANTS WILL BE SHIPPED IN SPRING 2024

Delivery Info: Please see FAQs for up-to-date delivery info.

Planting advice: Plant cauliflower plugs 40cm apart in very fertile soil. Firm in well, protect from slugs and cover with insect proof net to keep butterflies and pigeons at bay. Harvesting: Harvest from late summer onwards when the cauliflower heads have fully formed.

*Transplants suitable for organic growing.

Cauliflower

Sunny spot with fertile soil

Full sun or partial shade with fertile & moisture-retentive soil is ideal. Add plenty of compost or organic matter before planting.

Cauliflower

Raised beds and traditional plots

Cauliflower needs a bit of space so is better grown in raised beds or a well dug traditional veg patch.

Cauliflower

How far apart?

About 50-60cm apart.

Cauliflower

Firm in well

When you plant your cauliflower, be sure to firm them in well by pressing the soil down around the base of the plants.

Cauliflower

Protect with brassica collar

You can make these easily out of cardboard. Cut a 10cm diameter disc, cut into the centre and make a slit so that you can pop it around the base of the plant. This is to prevent cabbage root fly larvae from hatching by the base of the plant and burying under the soil to eat the roots.

Cauliflower

Protect from pigeons and butterflies

Pigeons love brassica plants and will easily destroy a crop of young plants in a morning. Meanwhile, cabbage white butterflies are attracted to brassicas and lay eggs on the leaves. When the eggs hatch, the caterpillars are quick to nibble away the leaves and strip the plant bare. To protect against both these pests, cover plants with fine netting.

Cauliflower

Water regularly

As weather warms up it is important to keep cauliflower cool and to give them enough water. Try to keep the soil consistently moist rather than allowing it to dry out.

Cauliflower

Wrap them up

Once heads start to form, it is a good idea to use a couple of leaves to protect them from the sun. All you need to do is bring a leaf around the head and tie it in place.

Cauliflower

When to harvest

Harvest once the heads form and reach a sensible size, but before they start to open out.

Pigeons

Pigeons will eat the foliage right down to the ribs/veins. Keep plants netted if you have a lot of pigeons around.


Caterpillars

Lots of holes appearing in leaves is a sure sign of caterpillars. They soon grow, and the holes grow too. Check the underside of leaves and you may see tiny eggs – wipe them off with kitchen paper – or caterpillars themselves. Keep plants netted against butterflies.


Slugs

Protect plants well from slugs, especially when they are young and vulnerable. Beer traps work well.


Cabbage Root Fly

Cabbage flies lay eggs at the base of brassica plants. When the eggs hatch, the larvae bury into the ground and feed on the roots. The plants eventually wilt and die. Prevention is key – use brassica collars (see growing advice section)


Club Root

This is a fungal disease that leads to the swelling and distortion of roots, and plants will be stunted. Avoid growing brassicas in the same bed for two years consecutively if this happens. Add plenty of organic matter to the soil.


Small or loosely formed head

This is usually a sign that the plant has not had enough water and that it has been too hot.


Yellow cauliflower

If the cauliflower head is a bit yellow, this is probably due to sun exposure, or exposure to a harsh frost. To avoid in the future, wrap the leaves around the head – see growing advice section.


Storage Tips

Harvest them as you want to eat them – they will store in the fridge for a few days, but are much better cooked fresh.

Ways to cook

Cauliflower Cheese is the usual, but cauliflower is great in curries too, or try mashing into mashed potato.

Roasted cauliflower is delicious, either in florets or you can roast a whole cauliflower head.

Do I need to sign for them?
All our plug plant orders are dispatched with an overnight courier* to mainland UK and do not need to be signed for when they are delivered, but will be left somewhere safe. When placing your order, please let us know where you would like the plug plants left if you are not in when the courier delivers.

We will keep you posted
You will receive an email approximately a week before your order is dispatched and another on the day your plug plants are packed and leave us so you know to expect and prepare for their arrival.