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Cauliflower conundrum

Couch PotatoCouch Potato Posts: 1
in Fruit & veg

Hi, I am a beginner to gardening. This is the first time I have attempted to grow anything. I am having problems with my cauliflower.

To put it simply, my cauliflower are growing huge and flowering. When I saw this happening, I read that you're supposed to cover them with the bottom leaves. I have tried this before they were huge but they are still flowering out. Can anyone tell me what I am supposed to do? At what stage are you supposed to cover and with what/how?

Also, my strawberry plant produced three/four berries and have now stopped. Could anyone suggest anything here too?

 

Many thanks image

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Posts

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Cauliflowers are very challenging to grow if you are not experienced. If they are flowering, you have left them too late to eat. The advice to bend a leaf over the cauliflower is for when it is much smaller to protect it from too much sun.



    All you should do now is eat them, unless they have gone too far.



    Is the strawberry plant young? If it is, that is normal and it will have more strawberries next year.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,131

    It sounds to me as if you should have eaten them by now - I'd get started making lots of cauliflower cheese - it freezes well image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190

    Can you ear the flowers then, ?

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,131

    Cauli flowers ............... of course, that's what the white 'curd' is - the flower of the cauliflower - break it down into smaller pieces and you have 'florets'  http://www.cookthink.com/reference/120/How_to_cut_a_head_of_cauliflower_into_florets 

     


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • bekkie hughesbekkie hughes Posts: 5,294
    Hi, well done is all i want to say, been growing veggies as long as i can remember, but ive never managed a decent cauli! image
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Dovefromabove wrote (see)

    Cauli flowers ............... of course, that's what the white 'curd' is - the flower of the cauliflower - break it down into smaller pieces and you have 'florets'  http://www.cookthink.com/reference/120/How_to_cut_a_head_of_cauliflower_into_florets 

     

    Now why didnt I know that, and there was me likening it to a blown brocalli head, nice flowers and seeds, perhaps the poster didnt know that either!!

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,131

    Now I'm confused - you do know that the part of the broccoli plant that we eat is the flower, don't you?  Lots and lots of little buds image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Georgie EdwardsGeorgie Edwards Posts: 22

    Hi everyone, on the subject of cauliflowers, miraculously we have one!   I popped a few in this year just to see what happened and bingo - question now is, how do you tell when it's ready?  I understand you need to pick when head is still tight and not opening up but what sort of size should it reach, ours is proably about 5-6 inches across.

    Thanks as always

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,131

    They vary - yours sounds good - I'd have cauliflower cheese for supper tonight if I were you image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Georgie EdwardsGeorgie Edwards Posts: 22

    Thanks Dove, now I am seriously excited!

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