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Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Something New in the Garden

It’s so exciting when I’m able to grow something completely new and different in the garden!

hint: it's not a cabbage
This year I planted a package of cauliflower seeds with no real expectations. I’ve had good years and bad years with broccoli, so I didn’t know what was going to happen with this close relative.


Cauliflower is a real cold-weather crop. It won't tolerate dry soil, and if the temperature goes over 80, the flower heads will bolt. So our unusually cold winter has been good news for cauliflower.

First I got big plants. The plants grew huge leaves. The leaves drew lots of caterpillars, and soon had lots of holes.
plants in November, 2 months after planting

Finally last week (4 months after seeding!) I got my first peek at some little cauli-flowers. So far there are two white ones, two purple ones, and a yellow-green one!


Now I have to be patient and let them get a little bigger.

Katrina

5 comments:

  1. Cauliflower is one of many types of vegetables found in the Brassica oleracea species, more specifically in the family Brassicaceae. There are other related vegetables, which include collard greens, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, and cabbage, which are simple variants on the same species, but still have different cultivar groups.

    ---Daniel K. Hernandez
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  2. Katrina-I've said it before and I'll say it again. I am so jealous that you can grow anything at all this time of year! Your snowbound friend in Utah, Foster

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    1. I hope I inspire you to grow a nice garden next summer, when I can't grow anything at all!

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  3. Wow, that's extremely cool!!! I've yet to try cauliflower... Yours are beautiful. There is nothing as delicious as vegetables grown in your own garden!

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    1. True! Every time I eat one of our veggies, I'm amazed all over again. The flavor is a whole new experience after what we've been eating from the grocery store.

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