Cauliflower

When to plant/sow in zone:

Requirements: Cool conditions, plenty of food

Soil: Prepare soil by digging through compost and well-rotted manure. At planting add blood and bone and pelletised chicken manure at rate recommended on packaging. Requires pH 6.5. If below that, add lime.

How to start: SEED: Sow in punnets into seed-raising mix, 5mm deep. Keep moist. Germinates in 7-14 days. When seedlings have their first set of true leaves, plant them in the ground or individually into 10cm pots, using premium potting mix. SEEDLING: Plant outside when seedlings are 10cm+ tall. Space them 50cm apart, in rows 75cm apart. Water in and mulch with straw.

How to grow: Keep moist and mulched with straw. Apply seaweed solution or liquid fertiliser fortnightly. Apply organic fertiliser pellets monthly.

When to harvest: Harvest from 20 weeks. Once curds begin forming, blanch them by loosely folding 2-3 of the larger leaves over the curd and tying in place with twine or pegs. Some varieties are self-blanching and the leaves curl over the curds naturally. Harvest when the curd has formed into a tight head, using a knife to cut it from the plant.

Troubleshooting: Cabbage white butterfly; cabbage moth; grey aphids; slugs and snails.