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How to Grow Cauliflower: Plant, Grow & Harvest Like a Pro

white cauliflower growing the garden
Image Credit:
Pixabay
Botanical Name
Brassica oleracea
Grown as
Biennial
Toxicity
Non-toxic
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Water Needs
Moderate
Height
1–3 feet
Spread
1–3 feet
Soil pH
Neutral
Bloom Time
Spring
Flower Color
White
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Resilience
Clay Soil Tolerant
Cold Hardy
Plant Type
Vegetables
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Cauliflower may look fancy, but it’s really just cabbage in disguise! Whether you’re after classic white or craving purple or orange flair, this cool-season crop is a garden standout. 

Just give it some sunshine, steady temps, and a little TLC—and it’ll reward you with nutty, tender heads perfect for roasting, ricing, or sneaking into mac and cheese. Ready to grow your own superfood? Let’s get planting!

This vegetable’s name comes from the Latin words caulis, for cabbage, and floris, for flower. It’s a descendant of wild cabbage! Like its cousin broccoli, the tightly bunched florets of cauliflower are connected by a thick core, often with a few light leaves surrounding it.

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Though usually white, cauliflower also comes in other colors, including purple, yellow, and orange. No matter the color, the taste is the same: mild, slightly sweet, and a little nutty.

Cauliflower can be a challenge for beginner gardeners because it requires consistently cool temperatures in the 60°Fs. Otherwise, it may prematurely “button”—form small, button-size heads—rather than forming a single, large head.

Planting

Cauliflower should be grown in a spot that gets full sun (6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day). Lack of sunlight may produce thin, leggy plants and subpar heads. In summer, shade plants from the hot sun, if necessary.

Soil needs to be very rich in organic matter; mix aged manure and/or compost into the bed before planting. As an alternative, apply 5-10-10 fertilizer to the planting site. Fertile soil helps to prevent heads from buttoning.

When to Plant Cauliflower

  • Cauliflower grows best as a fall crop (cool weather is best for head formation), but can be grown in spring, too.
  • We suggest buying cauliflower seedlings (aka “transplants”) versus starting them from seed, as cauliflower can be finicky.
  • Spring Planting:
    • If you start from seed, sow seeds indoors 4 to 5 weeks before the last spring frost date.
    • Plant seedlings outdoors 2 to 4 weeks before the last spring frost date.
  • Fall Planting:
    • Plant a fall crop 6 to 8 weeks before the first fall frost date, but after daytime temperatures are regularly below 75°F.

How to Plant Cauliflower

  • Sow seeds in rows 3 to 6 inches apart and up to ½ inch deep.
  • Set plants 18 to 24 inches apart with 30 inches between rows.
  • In early spring, be ready to protect plants from frost by covering them with old milk jugs, if necessary. Extreme cold can halt growth and/or form buttons.
  • Water consistently during germination and growth. Add mulch to conserve moisture.

cauliflower growing in the garden

Growing

  • Cauliflower dislikes any interruption to its growth. Change, in the form of temperature, moisture, soil nutrition, or insects, can cause the plants to develop a head prematurely or ruin an existing one.
  • Water regularly with 2 inches of water per square foot each week; even with normal rainfall, cauliflower usually requires supplemental watering.
  • For best growth, side-dress the plants with a high-nitrogen fertilizer 3 to 4 weeks after transplanting.
  • Note that the cauliflower will start out as a loose head and that it takes time for the head to fully form. Many varieties take at least 75 to 85 days from transplant. Be patient!
  • Brown heads indicate a boron deficiency in the soil. Drench with 1 tablespoon of borax in 1 gallon of water. (Avoid getting boron on other plants.) Or, provide liquid seaweed extract immediately; repeat every 2 weeks until symptoms disappear. In the future, add more compost to the soil.
  • For white varieties, pink heads can indicate too much sun exposure or temperature fluctuations. Purple hues can be due to stress or low soil fertility.

Blanching Cauliflower Heads

When the curd (the white head) is 2 to 3 inches in diameter, blanch it: Tie the outer leaves together over the head and secure with a rubber band, tape, or twine to keep light out. (This is not necessary for self-blanching or colored varieties). The plants are usually ready for harvest 7 to 12 days after blanching.

Harvesting

  • Plants are usually ready to harvest in about 50 to 100 days, depending on variety, or 7 to 12 days after blanching.
  • When the heads are compact, white, and firm, then it is time to harvest them. Ideally, the heads will grow to 6 to 8 inches in diameter.
  • Cut the heads off the plant with a large knife. Be sure to leave some of the leaves around the head to keep it protected.
  • If the heads are too small, but have already started to open up, they will not improve and should be harvested immediately.
  • If the cauliflower has a coarse appearance, it is past maturity and should be tossed.

How to Store Cauliflower

  • Store heads in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. They should last for about a week.
  • For long-term storage, you can also freeze or pickle the heads. To freeze, cut into 1-inch-bite pieces. Blanch for 3 minutes in lightly salted water. Cool in an ice bath for 3 minutes, drain, and package. Seal and freeze.

Pests and Problems

Cauliflower Pests and Diseases

Pest/DiseaseTypeSymptomsControl/Prevention
AphidsInsectCurled, misshapen/yellow leaves; distorted flowers/fruit; sticky “honeydew” (excrement); sooty, black moldGrow companion plants; knock off with water spray; apply insecticidal soap; put banana or orange peels around plants; wipe leaves with a 1 to 2 percent solution of water and dish soap (no additives) every 2 to 3 days for 2 weeks; add native plants to invite beneficial insects (such as ladybugs)
Black rotFungusYellow, V-shape areas on leaf edges that brown and progress toward leaf center; leaves eventually collapse; stem cross sections reveal blackened veinsDestroy infected plants; choose resistant varieties; provide good drainage; remove plant debris; rotate crops
Cabbage loopersInsectLarge, ragged holes in leaves from larval feeding; defoliation; stunted or bored heads; excrementHandpick off plants; add native plants to invite beneficial insects; spray larvae with insecticidal soap or Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)—a natural, bacterial pesticide; use row covers; remove plant debris at end of season
Cabbage root maggotsInsectWhite maggots become gray flies that resemble small houseflies. Wilted/stunted plants; off-color leaves; larvae feeding on rootsUse collars made of plastic or tin foil around seedling stems; monitor adults with yellow sticky traps; use row covers; destroy crop residue; till soil in fall; rotate crops
CabbagewormsInsectLeaves have large, ragged holes or are skeletonized; heads bored; dark green excrement; yellowish eggs laid singly on leaf undersidesHandpick; use row covers; add native plants to invite beneficial insects; grow companion plants (especially thyme); spray Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis)
ClubrootFungusWilted/stunted plants; yellow leaves; roots appear swollen/distortedDestroy infected plants; solarize soil; maintain soil pH of around 7.2; disinfect tools; rotate crops
Downy mildewFungusYellow, angular spots on upper leaf surfaces that turn brown; white/purple/gray cottony growth on leaf undersides only; distorted leaves; defoliationRemove plant debris; choose resistant varieties; ensure good air circulation; avoid overhead watering
Nitrogen deficiencyDeficiencyBottom leaves turn yellow and the problem continues toward the top of the plantSupplement with a high nitrogen (but low phosphorus) fertilizer or blood meal. Blood meal is a quick nitrogen fix for yellowing leaves
Stink bugsInsectYellow/white blotches on leaves; shriveled seeds; eggs, often keg-shape, in clusters on leaf undersidesDestroy crop residue; handpick (bugs emit odor, wear gloves); destroy eggs; spray nymphs with insecticidal soap; use row covers; weed; till soil in fall
ThripsInsectLeaves, especially in folds near base, have white patches or silver streaks; brown leaf tips; blistering/bronzing on leaves; brown streaks on cauliflower curds; heads distorted or stunted; curling or scarringRemove plant debris; choose resistant varieties; add native plants to invite beneficial insects; use row covers; use straw mulch; monitor adults with yellow or white sticky traps; use sprinklers or other overhead watering
White rustFungusChalk-white blisters mainly on leaf undersides; small, yellow-green spots or blisters, sometimes in circular arrangement, on upper leaf surfaces; possible distortion or galls; stems may also be infected. More common with warm days and cool/moist nightsDestroy infected plants; choose resistant varieties; weed; destroy crop residue; rotate crops

Types

  • ‘Graffiti’: purple; tends to be milder and sweeter than the white varieties.
  • ‘Snowball’: smooth, white, medium 6-inch heads; a good yield throughout the growing season.
  • Orange varieties, such as ‘Cheddar’ and ‘Flame Star’, are creamier and sweeter than white varieties, with more vitamin A.
cauliflower at a farm stand
Cauliflower at a farm stand in Washington, D.C., 2019. 
Credit: Wendy Hagen.

Wit and Wisdom

Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.
-Mark Twain (1835-1910)

Vegetables

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening, so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Lindalu47</span> Tue, 10/01/2013 - 16:40
my cauliflower made deformed heads (i think it was too hot) we're trying it in our greenhouse. my question is how do i prepare it for winter? do i put it outside, cut it down to a small stalk, what?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 10/02/2013 - 12:06

There are overwintering varieties of cauliflower that you start in July to early August. If you live in a region that doesn't get freezing temps. you can grow these outdoors.

 <span>Shawn Marr</span> Mon, 09/23/2013 - 21:55
First year trying cauliflower. I got very large plants but no heads. any thoughts?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 09/24/2013 - 03:55

Cauliflower is a challenging crop for the home grower which is why you rarely find it outside of commercial growers. The main reason that cauliflower does not head nicely is because of temperature. Cauliflower likes it cool.  Temperatures need to be in the 60s for those perfect round heads, not much warmer or colder. It is best grown in most regions in the fall after the temperature gets lower than 75 degrees but will not fall below 30 degrees. You also want fertile soil enriched with compost, six hours of direct sunlight, and even and continual moisture.

 <span>Emmanuel</span> Fri, 08/23/2013 - 08:38
from what iam reading from these questions is it that cauliflower head can develop another one if the original head is harvested?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Sat, 08/24/2013 - 03:30

Nope. Your objective for a cauliflower plant is to grow one nice head. If you cut it off, it will not grow another. It may grow side shoots, but that's it.

 <span>Ruth Megraw</span> Sun, 08/11/2013 - 07:31
why have my cauliflowers gone brown .. they were nice and white one day a few days later the heads are brown ..why
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 08/12/2013 - 13:40

The most common reason for cauliflower turning brown is boron-deficient soil. If this happens, provide foliar feed with liquid seaweed extract immediately, and repeat every 2 weeks until the symptoms disappear. In the future, add more compost to the soil.

 <span>Motdrads</span> Sun, 12/15/2013 - 16:18
another reason for many problems are mineral deficiencies try rock dust look on you tube to see the wonderful results it gives many swear by it . This will be my first year trying it buy from what I have seen and read wont be the last
<span>Barbara Cooper</span> Thu, 06/13/2013 - 09:51
Are the side shoots worth saving? Harvested large inner head but is putting out side shoots like broccoli. Are they worthtrying to save?