How to grow cauliflower
Fussier than broccoli: a check in growth from cold or drought makes tiny "buttons".
Your cauliflower dates
Companions
Keep apart from
Rotation and family
Cauliflower belongs to the brassicas (Brassicaceae). Hungry for nitrogen; clubroot spores persist in soil for years.
In a four-bed crop rotation it goes in the leaf & brassica bed. Avoid growing it where any brassicas grew in the last three years.
When to plant cauliflower by zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow / plant out | Sow for fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Apr 1 – Apr 15 | May 6 – May 27 | Jun 10 – Jul 1 |
| 4 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Apr 28 – May 19 | Jun 20 – Jul 11 |
| 5 | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | Apr 16 – May 7 | Jul 2 – Jul 23 |
| 6 | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | Jul 14 – Aug 4 |
| 7 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | Jul 24 – Aug 14 |
| 8 | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Aug 6 – Aug 27 |
| 9 | Jan 4 – Jan 18 | Feb 8 – Mar 1 | Aug 27 – Sep 17 |
| 10 | Dec 14 – Dec 28 | Jan 18 – Feb 8 | Sep 11 – Oct 2 |
Based on typical frost dates for each zone; b half-zones run about a week earlier in spring. Zones 11–13 are frost-free in most years.
Cauliflower questions
When should I plant cauliflower?
Plant cauliflower outdoors 2 weeks before your last spring frost. Start seeds indoors about 7 weeks before your last frost. For a fall crop, sow about 14 weeks before your first fall frost.
How far apart should I plant cauliflower?
About 18 inches apart, or 1 per square foot in a square foot garden.
What grows well with cauliflower?
Traditional companions include beet, bush bean, dill, onion. Keep it away from strawberry, tomato.
How long does cauliflower take to grow?
Typically 55–90 days from transplanting to first harvest, depending on variety and weather.