The gardener cannot always harvest a round, closed head. Because the demanding cauliflower shoots very quickly. If it loses its shape and the first flowers appear, the edibility suffers.
In a nutshell
- not poisonous but edible
- Taste becomes increasingly unpleasant and bitter
- Stems become firm and woody
- Harvest immediately at the first sign of flowering
- Optimize location and maintenance in the following year
Table of contents
- Head consists of flower buds
- Premature flowering
- Impact on edibility
- The optimal harvest time
- reasons for firing
- Harvest flowering cauliflower
- prevent shooting
- frequently asked Questions
Head consists of flower buds
With this cabbage vegetable, we are not concerned with leaves or tubers. It is its flower buds that enrich our diet. The flower shoots are numerous, white and fleshy and densely form a round head. Ideally, the head will grow steadily until the optimal harvest time, while remaining firm and closed.
A notice: The color white is typical for the cauliflower. But there are now also colored breeds, e.g. e.g.: purple, yellow or green varieties. They too can skyrocket prematurely.
Premature flowering
If a ready-to-harvest cauliflower stays in the bed, it will soon shoot. This is of course completely normal, because the plant wants to reproduce by seeds. In this process, its compact form increasingly disintegrates. More and more flower sprouts grow out of the head and bloom. Meanwhile, they may discolor slightly in the sun. However, if the plant flowers ahead of time and before the head has been able to develop optimally and is ready for harvest, this is referred to as premature flowering or premature flowering. shoot or shoot. The shooting does not announce itself for long, but comes suddenly and unexpectedly. Even if the incipient change is noticed immediately, the blossoming cannot be stopped.
Impact on edibility
The bloom has no effect on the Edibility of Cauliflower, because it does not become poisonous. But the further the blooming progresses, the more it affects the taste and texture of the cauliflower florets.
- the typical taste is lost more and more
- the altered taste is less pleasant
- Bitter substances are increasingly formed
- Stems become firm and woody
- opened florets get dirty more easily
The optimal harvest time
Some gardeners have an image in their heads of how big they want their cauliflower to be. They wait and wait for it to reach the desired size. But some specimens remain smaller under the given living conditions and so they miss the optimal harvest time. If the cauliflower then blooms naturally, it has nothing to do with shooting. Orientate yourself less by head size.
These hints can help you to find the right harvest time:
- note the variety-dependent cultivation period
- is usually between eight and twelve weeks
- Harvest period is July to August
- with late varieties also until October
Tip: Harvest the cauliflower when the flower shoots are tightly closed into a head. The leaves should only be cut off immediately before use, as they keep the head fresh for longer.
reasons for firing
Weather and care are the two areas that provide the reasons for premature blooming.
- unexpected cold period at the beginning of cultivation
- often associated with early sowing/planting
- long warm and dry periods
- insufficient watering
- high nitrate content in the bed
- nutrient deficiency
- too much planting
Harvest flowering cauliflower
Only at the very beginning of the flowering phase, when the head has only opened slightly, will the cauliflower still taste acceptable. Harvest it immediately and process it promptly. If necessary, you should cut off the solid stems and only use the top part of the florets. Do you have other cauliflower plants in the same bed? It can be assumed that they too will shoot soon. It may be better to harvest them early, even if the heads are still small. The cauliflower harvested earlier is not unripe but fully edible.
Tip: If you can't use up the early cauliflower harvest quickly, blanch and freeze the florets. They will keep in the freezer for about a year.
prevent shooting
It cannot be completely ruled out that the cauliflower will shoot. The uncontrollable weather harbors a small residual risk.
This is how you can significantly increase the chances of a good harvest:
- choose a sunny to semi-shady location, without heat build-up
- A medium-heavy soil with a high water storage capacity is ideal
- water evenly
- Floor mulch to prevent dehydration
- Protect with black foil if planted early
- before planting distribute compost, fertilize in summer
- planting distance of min. keep 50 cm
frequently asked Questions
Seeds that follow premature flowering are viable. However, it is not advisable to collect them as seeds. Experience has shown that plants grown from such seeds themselves tend to bloom prematurely.
So that the change in taste is not so noticeable, you can mix cauliflower with other vegetables or serve with a spicy sauce. If you don't like the look of the changed shape of the florets, you can process them into puree.
Cauliflower will only stay fresh for a few days in the refrigerator. If you harvest it by the root, you can extend its shelf life to a month. To do this, the bottom leaves must be removed and the vegetables then hung upside down in a cool and damp room.