Dear Helen: My family is a little band of enthusiastic beginner food gardeners. Because one of our favourite vegetables is cauliflower, we have been discouraged by advice that it is very difficult to grow. Is this your opinion, too?
C.D.
Not at all. In fact, I鈥檝e always found cauliflower to be one of the most gratifying of edibles to grow. Monitoring the robust plants as they form little button heads that develop into big, tight domes is fascinating. Fresh from the garden, the separated florets are tender, sweet, and flavourful.
As with all the brassicas, also called 鈥榗ole鈥� crops (cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts), cauliflower will be easiest to grow well in a fertile, humus-rich soil. I mix into a plot for these plants generous amounts of compost or composted manure and a balanced, slow-release organic fertilizer.
I sow the seeds indoors and thin them in the flats to make space for bushy transplants. Timing will depend upon the light situation. With plant lights to put the sprouted seeds under, I听start the seeds in late January or during February. Without supplemental lighting, I鈥檇 wait until late February or early March, when light at a bright window will be sufficient for stocky transplant development.
The earlier timing has advantages. It allows for a March or early April transplanting and development to maturity before the arrival of hot weather and drying soils. Consistently even soil moisture is needed for good head formation. Another essential is very firm transplanting. Press the soil down well around the transplant. Mulching with a nourishing compost as the plants size up and show the first signs of head formation helps, too.
Some cauliflower varieties are easier to grow well than others. Snow Crown is an old reliable, and early to produce heads. It鈥檚 widely available. Amazing (West Coast Seeds) is another excellent choice for those new to growing cauliflower. It lives up to its name. I often make second indoor cauliflower sowings, in May or early June (and sometimes a bit later). One mild winter I was cutting Amazing heads at Christmas.
For its mild, creamy taste I鈥檓 also fond of the lime green, spiked Romanesco type cauliflower. My favourite variety among these is Veronica (William Dam Seeds). The orange Cheddar (Stokes Seeds, William Dam) is tasty and gorgeous.
Summer transplantings are best made after the fierce heat of July has passed. Select a site that is easy to keep well watered until the rains start.
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Dear Helen: Early every year I听purchase many packets of seed for my garden, with increasing alarm at the rising prices. I buy both vegetable and flower seeds, mainly commonly grown types. Where can I find the best prices?
F.G.
It鈥檚 worthwhile checking out seed racks at your favourite local听garden centres to compare prices among the different companies represented. Racks are usually filled with the new year鈥檚 seeds during January.
Among the catalogues that I听receive and use, Lindenberg Seeds in Manitoba has the most economical prices. This is a no-frills catalogue, free on request online. Just google the name. Of the remaining catalogues I鈥檓 familiar with, T&T Seeds (Manitoba) and William Dam Seeds (Ontario) also have quite reasonable prices.
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GARDEN EVENTS
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VRS meeting. Please join members of听the Victoria Rhododendron Society on听Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the Garth Homer Centre, 8113 Darwin Ave., to听enjoy a DVD about Exbury Gardens provided to the society by Lionel de听Rothschild, whose father created Exbury in the 1920s. Mainly an extensive rhododendron and azalea garden, Exbury also includes a daffodil meadow, an exotic garden and a herbaceous garden. A popular narrow gauge steam railway takes visitors round the northeast corner of the gardens. Visitors are most welcome to the meeting, at no charge.
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VIRAGS meeting. The Vancouver Island Rock and Alpine Garden Society will meet on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in听Gordon Head United Church, 4201听Tyndall Ave. Doors open at 7. The听Annual General Meeting and election will be held, followed by several workshops. Visitors are always very welcome.
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Floral arts. The Victoria Floral Arts Guild will meet on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in听the Garth Homer Centre, 813 Darwin Ave. The evening will feature a short demonstration on making napkin holders, with a gift, and听on introducing the new executive and the guild鈥檚 various committees and听their functions, to be followed by听a听time for members to socialize after听the Christmas holidays.
