When is the best time to plant cauliflower
This article brings you the knowledge about the best time to plant cauliflower and the planting time and growth cycle of cauliflower, which are very useful tips. It is recommended to collect them!
Cauliflower is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant of the brassica oleracea family, a variety of cabbage. Also known as flowering cabbage or Chinese cabbage, it is a vegetable with low rough fiber content, tender texture, rich nutrition, delicious taste, and popular among people. It is planted in various parts of the country.
I. What season is best for planting cauliflower
In the southern regions, cauliflower can be planted all year round, but it is mostly cultivated in autumn and winter. In warm areas, autumn cauliflower is sown from mid-June to mid-July, in temperate areas from early June to early July, and in cool areas from mid-May to early June. In warm areas, winter cauliflower is sown from mid-August to early September, in temperate areas from mid-July to mid-August, and in cool areas from late June to mid-July.
II. Cultivation methods
1. Variety selection
Cauliflower is adaptable and can be planted all year round, but different varieties should be chosen for different seasons. For autumn cauliflower, which is sown in summer and harvested in autumn, it is necessary to choose heat-resistant varieties with a shorter growth period, such as Dutch cauliflower, Shanghai cauliflower, and Fujian cauliflower. For winter cauliflower, due to the lower temperature during the growing period, late-maturing and cold-tolerant varieties should be chosen, such as Chengdu cauliflower and Yunnan large cauliflower.
2. Seedling raising
Select fertile and loose soil, with convenient irrigation and drainage, and a cool and ventilated area for the seedbed. Before sowing, deeply turn the soil, apply decomposed manure and a small amount of compound fertilizer, mix it evenly with the soil, and apply a thick layer of human and animal waste water. After 2-3 days, loosen the soil, wet the seedbed, and sow about 10 grams of seeds per square meter. After sowing, cover with about 1 centimeter of fine soil, cover with a sunshade net, water again, and then water as needed according to the moisture of the seedbed to keep the soil moist. After 3-4 days, most of the seeds will germinate, and half-shade and half-sun coverage should be applied to prevent direct sunlight and rain冲击. As the seedlings grow, gradually uncover the sunshade net.
3. Seedling management
After the seedlings emerge, it is crucial to thin and transplant them to grow strong seedlings. When the seedlings are about 10 days old, thin the overgrown ones to maintain a spacing of 3-5 centimeters. When the seedlings are about 20 days old, the original nutrient area is limited, so they should be transplanted once. The requirements for the transplanting bed are the same as for the sowing bed, with a spacing of 7-10 centimeters. Cover with a sunshade net for shading, and water while transplanting. Keep the seedbed moist after transplanting to ensure the survival of the seeds. Cauliflower seedlings require little fertilizer in the seedling stage, and attention should be paid to watering to prevent drought. In the middle and late stages of seedling growth, if fertilizer is needed, apply decomposed human and animal waste water or a 0.2% solution of urea or compound fertilizer 1-2 times to promote healthy growth of the cauliflower seedlings.
4. Land preparation and fertilization
Select fertile and loose land, deeply plow and level it, and create narrow high ridges 1 meter wide or wide high ridges 2 meters wide. Plant 2 or 4 rows per ridge with a窝距 of 40-45 centimeters, and apply 3000 kilograms of decomposed manure and 20 kilograms of compound fertilizer per mu.
5. Transplanting
When autumn cauliflower has been sown for about 35 days and has 5-6 true leaves, and winter cauliflower has been sown for about 40 days and has 6-7 true leaves, with a stem diameter of 0.5 centimeters or more and a plant height of 12-15 centimeters, it can be transplanted to the field. Older seedlings are difficult to transplant due to severe root damage, and younger seedlings have weak resistance after transplanting. Therefore, in addition to paying attention to the cultivation of strong seedlings and mastering the standard of seedling age, it is also necessary to choose overcast days or before and after rain for transplanting. Thoroughly water the seedbed before transplanting, and after about an hour, pull the seedlings to ensure they have more soil and fewer root injuries.
6. Field management
Cauliflower prefers moisture and requires a lot of water and fertilizer to produce high-quality flower heads. Therefore, it is necessary to apply 1-2 times of clear manure water after the plants have survived. Especially after entering the rosette stage, the plants grow vigorously and require more fertilizer and water. You can add 50-100 grams of urea and compound fertilizer to each load of human and animal waste water and apply it 3 times. Cauliflower likes water but is afraid of waterlogging, so it is necessary to drain water after rain and water during dry weather. Apply heavy fertilizer during the budding stage to promote the development of the flower bud and increase yield.
Bundling the leaves is an important measure to ensure the quality of cauliflower. When the large leaves outside the flower head appear, bring them inward to wrap the flower head and tie them with straw.
7. Harvesting
When the green, flat spherical flower bud clusters at the top of the main stem of the cauliflower begin to firm up and then gradually become loose, but before the flower buds open, it is time to harvest to ensure quality. The best time and standard for harvesting is when the flower head is fully grown, the surface is smooth and round, the color is white, the edges are not yet open, and the base of the flower head has slightly loosened.
The above introduction to the best time to plant cauliflower and the detailed explanation of the planting time and growth cycle of cauliflower are for reference only!