Description
Description For Cauliflower Seeds
How To Grow Cauliflower From Seeds:
Botanical Name:┬аBrassica oleracea var. botrytis
Sowing Season:┬аThroughout the year. Best grown in winter.
Sowing method:┬аTransplantation.
Because the seeds are small in size, Cauliflower plant is grown by transplantation method. Seeds are first sown indoors in seedling trays or┬аoutdoors on seed beds & later the seedlings are transplanted into the┬аcontainers┬аor in raised beds.
Sowing container:┬аSeedling trays/ seed cups/ small┬аpolybags┬а/ Seed bed.
Sowing medium:┬аCoco Peat┬а(indoors), Fine soil (outdoors)
STEPS FOR SEED SOWING (SEED STARTING) IN A CONTAINER:
- Take a seedling tray with medium sized cells & drainage holes at the bottom.
- Fill the cells/cups with a moist coco-peat medium.
- Hold the Cauliflower seeds and sow 2-3 seeds per cell/cup. Since Cauliflower seeds are small in size, do not sow them deep.
Sowing Technique:
- Just put the seeds on the surface of the medium & push each seed a little inside the medium by using pencil tip, so that seeds are not visible on the surface anymore & cover it with more coco-peat.
- Or make small, shallow depressions on medium with pencil bottom. Put the seed on that depression & sprinkle more coco-peat on the top to cover the seed.
- Keep the seedling tray indoors till the seeds germinate.
Covering:┬аKeep the seed tray in a box or cover it with paper for first 4-5 days to encourage faster seed germination.
Watering:
- Water the seed cells with a spoon in the first week. Provide two tablespoons of water every day. Or keep the seed tray in another tray full of water for half an hour so that the water will be absorbed by the seed cells from the bottom, via drainage holes.
- If seed beds are made outdoors, protect them from heavy rain┬а┬аor direct sunlight. Use well sieved fine soil as a sowing medium & make a nice raised bed from it. Cover the bed by making a temporary roof of a plastic sheet. Water it in the form of a light shower using a┬аWatering can.
┬а
GROWTH STAGES OF CAULIFLOWER PLANT:
Sprouting Stage:┬аSeeds will germinate within first 6-8 days & tiny sprouts will be visible. Once seeds germinate, put the tray on an open partially sunny spot near the window. DonтАЩt cover the tray anymore.
Cotyledons:┬аThe first two leaves will emerge in the second week of germination. These are false leaves called as cotyledons.
First leaves:┬аFirst leaves will emerge above cotyledons at the end of the second week.
Seedling stage:┬аSecond week onwards, seedlings will start growing into a small plant. At this stage expos├й the seedlings to more & more sunlight for leaf growth.
Thinning:┬аAfter the second week, keep only single seedling per cell/cup. Cut off the weak, small & lagging seedlings with a pair of scissors.
Transplantation:┬а21 to 25 days after the seed sowing, your seedlings will be ready to transplant in container pots or raised beds.
Container:
- Choose a container with a minimum depth of 8 inches & bigger spread area (according to available space & your requirement) like big Trays or crates.
- Ideal planting mixture for Cauliflower: 2 part┬аgarden soil┬а& 1 part┬аOrganic manure. Or,
- 1 part garden soil, 1 part coco-peat & 1 part┬аVermi compost.
- Transplant the seedling along with root ball of a medium, without disturbing its roots.
Spacing:┬аPlant the seedlings minimum 2 feet apart (60×60 cm), from each other on raised beds or in a container.
HOW TO TAKE CARE FOR CAULIFLOWER PLANT:
Watering:┬аWater your potted Cauliflower plant every alternate day in winter. Water at the soil near the plant. Use a watering can and make sure that the plants get water in the form of the shower & not by a single flow. You can also make provision for watering by┬аwatering by drip irrigation system┬аfor your raised beds. Avoid overwatering.
Manuring:┬аAdd good quality organic manure in the soil with 2:1 ratio before transplanting the seedling. Organic fertilizer can be well rotten┬аcow dung manure, farmyard manure, compost or Vermicompost.
Top Dressing:┬аApply balanced liquid┬аfertilizers┬аor handful of vermicompost to each plant, every 15 days after transplantation.
Plant care:┬аAlways look for the early signs of any insect/fungal infection┬а/ any other infections. Spray appropriate medicines as soon as any symptoms of such diseases are spotted. Watch out for┬аsnails & slugs.
Microgreens:┬аIf you plan to grow microgreens Cauliflower, grow it indoors in flat containers. Sow-scatter the seeds in a crowded manner. You can harvest it in 10-15 days by uprooting baby plants.
Harvesting:┬а(110-120 days from seed sowing) 85 to 90 days after transplantation, тАШCauliflower headsтАЩ will be ready to harvest. You can get single Cauliflower per plant. Harvest the Cauliflower when it is full sized, firm & solid.
