Whether you garden in the ground, in raised beds, on the patio, or anywhere else, cauliflower is a great addition or re-addition to your plant family. Read on for simple, straightforward specifics about growing cauliflower.
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Family | Container Size | Good Companions | Bad Companions | Soil Conditions | Germination | Sun | Water | Temperature Range | Height | Lifespan | Reproduction | Yield Per Plant | Ingestibility | Further Reading
What Family Does Cauliflower Belong To?
Cauliflower (Brassicas pleracea var. botrytis) belongs to the Brassicaceae family, also known as the cabbage family.
Some of its relatives include radishes, broccoli, and kale.
What Size Container Should I Use for Growing Cauliflower?
The minimum container depth recommended for cauliflower is 12 inches.
The container should also be at least 12 inches wide, but a minimum width of 16-18 inches wide is even better.
Learn more in our Choosing the Right Planter for Your Container Garden article here.
What Are Good Companion Plants for Cauliflower?
Some of cauliflower's best companions are as follows:
- Onion, shallot, leek, garlic, and other alliums repel cabbage loopers, making them excellent companions for cauliflower and other Brassicas.
- Mints like peppermint, which improves cauliflower's flavor
- Celery
- Lovage
- Geranium
- Chard
- Spinach
- Orach
- Cucumber
- Corn
- Purslane
- Sage
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Chamomile
- Dill
- Artichoke
- Zinnia
What Are Bad Companion Plants for Cauliflower?
Cauliflower is not compatible with every plant. Some things to avoid planting with cauliflower are as follows:
- Strawberry
- Tomato
- Pea
- Peppers like bell pepper and jalapeño
- Pumpkin
- Melons
- Nasturtium
What Soil Conditions Does Cauliflower Need?
Cauliflower prefers soil that is rich, well-draining, and moist but not waterlogged with a pH of 6-7.
How Long Does Cauliflower Take to Germinate?
Cauliflower takes 8-10 days to germinate at a temperature of 45-85°F.
How Much Sun Does Cauliflower Need?
Cauliflower grows best in full sun, meaning 6 hours or more of sun per day.
Like broccoli, cauliflower heads are composed of many flower buds that are packed together tightly. Because of this, cauliflower is one of the least shade-tolerant Brassicas.
However, it can tolerate dappled shade, especially if it is dappled shade for part of the day and more direct light for the rest of the day.
How Much Water Does Cauliflower Need?
Cauliflower needs 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week.
What Is the Ideal Temperature Range for Growing Cauliflower?
Cauliflower grows fastest in temperatures of 60-70°F.
This is its ideal temperature range. Although it will grow in temperatures both cooler and warmer than this range, the growth could be slower or even stunted.
Minimum and maximum temperatures will vary by variety. Some cauliflower varieties are bred for autumn harvests and others for warmer climates.
How Tall Does Cauliflower Get?
The average height of cauliflower is 12-30 inches.
Cauliflower can also grow up to 2 feet wide. Be sure to allow it enough room in your bed or container to spread out.
Is Cauliflower Annual, Biennial, or Perennial?
Cauliflower is technically biennial, meaning that its life cycle spans 2 years, and it flowers, produces seed, and dies in its second year.
However, cauliflower is grown as an annual vegetable, meaning that it starts and ends its life in the same year. This is because it does not produce a head in the second year, so most people harvest the head and remove the rest of the plant in the first year.
If you save your own seeds, let a few plants overwinter and harvest the seeds the following summer.
How Does Cauliflower Reproduce?
Cauliflower reproduces by seed in its second summer.
How Much Cauliflower is Produced Per Plant?
Cauliflower produces 1 head per plant.
It does not produce additional smaller heads after the main head is harvested like broccoli does.
Can Cauliflower Be Ingested?
Cauliflower heads and leaves are edible.
Cauliflower does not have any known uses in any herbal preparations.
There are no known safety concerns associated with ingesting cauliflower leaves.
Further Reading
This article is intended as a quick-reference guide for gardeners. Consult your seed packet or seed catalog for variety-specific information.
When you have a bumper crop of cauliflower rolling in, you may not have enough time for long, complicated recipes or many-step preservation procedures. Check out my article on quick, simple uses for cauliflower here!
Cauliflower is featured in these Plant to Plate articles:
- Simple Uses for Cauliflower
- Choosing the Right Planter for Your Container Garden
- Gardening in Full Sun
- Gardening in Dappled Shade