When is the best time to sow cauliflower?

Cauliflower is a vegetable that many friends like to eat. Many friends think that broccoli is cauliflower. In fact, broccoli is green, while cauliflower is white. In some places, it is also called cauliflower. Cauliflower is suitable for many cooking methods and the taste is very delicious. Let’s learn together when is the best time to sow cauliflower?

When is the best time to sow cauliflower?

In the south, cauliflower can be grown at any time of the year as climatic conditions permit, but the main cultivation season is concentrated in autumn and winter. For areas with hot climates, autumn-sown cauliflower crops are suitable for sowing from mid-June to mid-July, for areas with moderate climates, they are suitable for sowing from early June to early July, and for areas with cooler climates, they should be sown from mid-May to early June. As for winter-sown cauliflower crops, it is recommended to sow them from mid-August to early September in areas with hot climates, from mid-July to mid-August in areas with moderate climates, and from late June to mid-July in areas with cooler climates.

Cauliflower cultivation method

1. Variety selection

Cauliflower has good adaptability and is suitable for year-round cultivation. In different seasons, appropriate varieties should be selected. Autumn cauliflower that is sown in summer and harvested in autumn should be heat-resistant varieties with a short growing period, such as Dutch cauliflower , Shanghai cauliflower, Fujian cauliflower, etc. For cauliflower sown in winter, since the temperature is relatively low during the growing period, late-maturing, cold-resistant varieties such as Chengdu cauliflower and Yunnan cauliflower should be selected.

2. Sowing and raising seedlings

Choose a location with fertile soil, good drainage, ventilation and coolness as the seedbed. Before sowing, deep plow the soil, apply well-rotted farmyard manure and a small amount of compound fertilizer , mix well and water thoroughly. Sow about 10 grams of seeds per square meter, cover with a thin layer of soil, and shade and keep moist. After 3-4 days, the seeds will germinate. Gradually reduce the shading and maintain a semi-shaded and semi-sunny environment.

3. Seedling management

After emergence, thinning and transplanting are carried out to cultivate strong seedlings. Thin out the seedlings for the first time after 10 days, and transplant them after 20 days, keeping the plant distance 3-5 cm. After transplanting, keep the soil moist and apply decomposed human and animal manure or low-concentration urea or compound fertilizer solution in time.

4. Land preparation and fertilization

Choose fertile and loose land, plow it deeply and harrow it to make narrow high beds or wide high beds. Apply 3,000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer and 20 kg of compound fertilizer per mu.

5. Planting

About 35 days after sowing autumn cauliflower and about 40 days after sowing winter cauliflower, when the seedlings have 5-7 true leaves, stem thickness of more than 0.5 cm, and seedling height of 12-15 cm, they can be transplanted to the field. Choose a cloudy day or after rain for transplanting, water the seedbed thoroughly before removing the seedlings, and try to bring as much soil as possible when pulling out the seedlings.

6. Field management

Apply fertilizer in time after planting, increase fertilizer and water after the rosette stage, and pay attention to drainage and irrigation. Apply heavy fertilizer during the budding period to promote the development of flower balls. When the flower heads first appear, the leaves are bundled to improve the quality.

7. Harvest

Cauliflower is harvested when the bud clusters begin to loosen but have not yet opened. The harvesting criteria are that the flower head is fully grown, has a smooth surface, is white in color, has not spread out at the edges, and the pedicels at the base of the flower head are slightly loose.

The above is an introduction to the planting time and key points of cauliflower. Cauliflower planting requires appropriate sowing time, which mainly depends on local climatic conditions. Areas with suitable conditions can be sown throughout the year.