Caring for cauliflower involves several key steps to ensure a healthy and bountiful harvest:
- Planting: Choose a location that receives full sun and has well-drained, fertile soil. Space plants properly to allow for adequate airflow and prevent diseases.
- Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist, but avoid overwatering, which can lead to rot and disease. Use mulch to help retain soil moisture.
- Fertilizing: Apply a balanced fertilizer before planting and side-dress with nitrogen-rich fertilizer during the growing season to promote healthy growth.
- Weeding: Regularly remove weeds to prevent competition for nutrients and water.
- Pest and Disease Control: Monitor for pests such as aphids and caterpillars, and use organic or chemical controls as necessary. Protect against common diseases such as clubroot and black rot through proper crop rotation and maintaining good soil health.
- Harvesting: Harvest cauliflower heads when they are fully formed, dense, and compact, but before they start to separate or discolor. Cut the head from the plant, leaving a few outer leaves intact for protection.
