Excited about Cauliflower

Fall is a good time in our area for greens such as kale and collards, as well as other related members of the Brassica family such as broccoli, turnips, radishes and arugula. Over the past several years we have also been attempting to raise cauliflower with varying degrees of success. The first time we planted it way too late, and finally harvested some in February. Last season was a disaster due to the drought and the lack of a killing frost until nearly Decemeber. Aphids were extremely destructed and damaged most of our crops severely except for some turnips and collards that managed to hang on. 

This year was the charm as I started the cauliflower, broccoli and kale at the end of July and we transplanted them after Labor Day. Also a first was the use of shade netting for about six weeks which really seemed to help them grow. So everything has been much better, and we harvested the cauliflower in mid December before the onset of the extreme cold.
 

Broccoli Challenges

Growing broccoli has been a challenge. We've grown it with varying degrees of success. It can do well as a fall and winter crop, but wither season presents its own problems. 

Planted as a spring crop, broccoli has yielded mixed results. The soil in the early spring is too cold, and transplants grow slowly with unpredictable rainfall in early spring. Our plantlys have been damaged by spring frosts even when grown under row cover. Sudden the weather turns, only to be blasted with intense sunlight and too much heat just as they are starting to make heads. Some times broccoli has been a lot of work and little to show for it.

This year we had more success when we tried a variety that is less bothered by heat. We received a donation pkt of Pakman broccoli seed which, which gave us much better results. The plants grew very uniform, and most produced nice heads at the same time. We have been very please with Pakman and will definitely grow it again next spring and leave the Green Magic for fall-winter