Growing Cauliflower

brassica oleracea var. botrytus botrytus : Brassicaceae / the mustard or cabbage family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
      S S              
        T T T          

(Best months for growing Cauliflower in Australia - tropical regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 60 - 100 cm apart
  • Harvest in 15-22 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Dwarf (bush) beans, beets, celery, cucumber, onions, marigold, nasturtium, rhubarb, aromatic herbs (sage, dill, chamomile)
  • Avoid growing close to: Climbing (pole) beans, tomato, peppers (chili, capsicum), eggplant (aubergine), strawberry, mustard

Your comments and tips

20 Mar 17, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
Cauli is a winter crop - try planting now, March. I don't plant anything from August to Feb over summer - too hot (lots of watering and chance of lots of rain and wind). My soil is generally too rich and I just grow a big plant with no cauli head developing. I gave up trying to grow caulies 20 yrs ago. I fallow my ground during summer adding plant residue and grass clippings and turning it over a few times. Have pretty good soil when I plant in Feb/March. Plants just boom. Last year I had Savoy cabbage with leaves the size of a tennis racket in July/August - no head developed - other cabbage did head up though.
20 Dec 16, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Cauliflower is the same species as cabbage. If your plants don't form heads you can use the leaves in coleslaw, soup or stir fries. Unless you need the space for something else let them keep growing.
16 Jul 16, Rob (Australia - temperate climate)
Does anyone use neem oil for cabbage moth and grub? Do you have success? I just mixed 5ml of neem (80%) to 1ltr of water plus a squirt of detergent and sprayed my kale, cabbage and cauliflower seedlings. I'll see how it goes.... Do you think it will keep the green grubs off? My veggie patch is in Albion Park NSW 2527. What else is neem oil good for in the garden? Thanks, Rob.
04 Mar 18, Scott (Australia - temperate climate)
Neem oil is fine. You can mix some pyrethrum with it too for instant results.
21 Jul 16, Leigh (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Rob! I'm interested in the answer also, and I'm just up the road in Dapto :D I use neem oil to spray our lemon tree.
09 Jun 16, Margaret Thomas (Australia - temperate climate)
I grow cauliflower from plants & they take forever to form a head. The outside leaves are big green & healthy.Does it help if i tie the leaves together before a head forms?
17 Feb 17, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
It might be a sign of high nitrogen content in your garden bed. That would explain large leaves and little main head growth. I had the same issue and started feeding with compost tea using a sprayer , had very good results after the change.
17 Jun 16, Steve (Australia - temperate climate)
Same here Margaret, if you find out please let me know.
26 Jun 16, lee (Australia - arid climate)
and me ! watching with interest on how others get get lovely big heads on their cauli's.
11 Jul 16, The Smiling Platypus (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hey guys, Maybe too much nitrogen?? Have you tried potash??
Showing 51 - 60 of 162 comments

I am trying to grow cauliflowers successfully. The outer leaves which are long are going quite curly and look as if something is wrong. The head of the cauliflower is still very small and they have been in the ground for at least two months. Any ideas?

- rhonda khoury

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