Tennis Ball Caulies

[Florence Fennel]

Normally I have huge cauliflowers by next month, but I've just been out and noticed that they are nearly all flowering at tennis ball size. Most upset.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Ther's always next year Mrs <<Hugs>>

[Thelma Sanders]

I had one at tennis ball size, the rest were only 1inch *sob* sob*
Looks as if I'll be trying again next year

[Florence Fennel]

Oh dear, sorry to hear that Thelma. You see, I should have known there would be someone worse off. We'll both be trying again. Thanks for the hug AP.

[buzzingtalk]

mine were huge! some of them had even bolted and split into two, the size of a head each

[solway cropper]

If you don't give them the right conditions they do tend to sulk and refuse to come out to play. What caulies need is a lot of water once the heads start to form and it's been a funny year this year.

I'm lucky in having a fairly heavy soil which is slightly alkaline...perfect for brassicas and I've had excellent crops this year with caulies averaging about 2 lbs per head and cabbages around 4 lbs. A tip I did learn was to sprinkle pelleted chicken manure into the planting hole and it gets them off to a flying start. Certainly worked for me this year. Sorry, no pic of a cauliflower so I'm giving you a cabbage instead!



see what I've been up to at:
the recycled gardener

[gillian62]

I've had one good cauli this year. The rest either bolted or came to nothing. However, the old boy in the next allotment said that I was lucky as he and his other neighbour hadn't been successful growing them for years. I wonder if I need more lime in the soil.

[susieq100]

A tip I did learn was to sprinkle pelleted chicken manure into the planting hole and it gets them off to a flying start.

Thanks for that idea - so far I have had 2 caulis that were slightly larger than tennis balls! The others bolted once they had reached the golf ball stage - I'm with FF on this one - really disappointing as after beans and beetroot they are my fave veg.

[Alison]

I don't grow summer brassicas much so my cabbages and caulis are way behind for winter use but I'm not holding out that much hope for the caulis, last year they ended up being wiped out in the snow and not producing even tennis ball sized heads in spring

[shona_b]

Me too - earlier ones were fabulous but second planting are tennis ball sized before starting to brow - you need one each for dinner!

[Dead Dogs]

I tried caulis for two years now and so far have had a grand total of zero.
Will I give it another go next or try someting else???
Onlt time will tell.

[bearded bloke]

I give up with brassicas in general,there are far too many things that want to eat them before I get a look in although on the plus side the pigeon pie harvest has gone well this year now if I could find a market for slugs & caterpillars

[Florence Fennel]

I'm only sad because it is so unusual for them to be small when I've grown them the same way for years. Hope the over-winter ones make a better show. I'm certainly not giving up, I like them too much for that!

[rustylady]

now if I could find a market for slugs & caterpillars

Got any neighbours with chickens?

[Potstubsdustbins]

I had a spell about 5 years ago where I never managed to raise a single cauli past seedling stage for 2 seasons.

I never had the problem before or since and I still don't know what caused it. Just brasicas I guess.

Colin