Weird Cauliflower

I found this freak cauliflower which is very welcome but it looks like some tiny purple leaves are invading the head. I'm sure they're edible but why there and why purple? There's a slight purple shading on the stalk but all the other leaves are green.

There are 7 other plants and they've all had identical treatment since I started them from seed. The head is about the size of a tennis ball. None of the others are even starting to head up. I would have expected them all to be similar. I got these seeds in a trade and they're from Henry Fields, Farmer's Extra Early with a 40 day maturity,

Any ideas what's going on with this thing?

Cauliflower will do this when under stress. Some cultivars are more prone than others. Nothing to fret about. Could be a number of factors that contribute, insect damage early, roots damaged, heat etc,
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-10.html http://www.harvestwizard.com/2009/06/cauliflower_growing_problems_t.html

Thank you for those excellent links. It looks like high temps are the main culprit. Fall just started here about 10 days ago. It's probably a good thing the others are lagging behind. Hopefully this little freak will just be a tease for things to come.

I can't believe you have Caul. so early. What have your temps. been and when did you plant out?
Lisa

Lisa, I have only 1 freaky cauliflower. The rest of its siblings and the broccoli aren't even trying to head up yet.

It was in the 90s here until weekend before last. That first cold front lasted about 3 days and last week got into the high 80s. All that hot weather is what has caused it to look crazy. This week is fall like so maybe the rest will kick in. The caterpillars were beyond horrible before that cold front and this plant had some skeleton leaves. For some unknown reason, it's compelled to do its job and I'm tempted to let it make seeds. One of the curds has that fuzzy look which means it's ready to harvest and I want to. What do you think, make seeds or eat it?

I started these seeds around the first week of September and planted out when they were 2" tall. They've had plenty of rain.

Broccoli leaves are quite tasty, and even more nutricious than the heads. A bit leathery texture, but I nibble mine, and sometimes chop a small leaf into my salad.

Twiggy-is that normal for the cole crops to mature so quickly? I started mine in the house underlights on 8-2 and planted out 9-23 and they have grown but are no where near "putting on". Our weather has been in the 80's-50's. I started Calabreses Broccoli, Purple of Sicily Caul., Nero Di Toscana Loose leaf Cab., and Late Flat Dutch Cab. I sold a bunch of the plants and then put the rest in my garden, but it was so hot I didn't want to put them out in the heat too early. My garden is so crowded right now, but I'm thankful we haven't had a freeze yet.
MolaMola-I also eat the leaves of the cole crops and they are good. That is how the loose leaf cab. is used so I pick some while I'm in the garden and eat them while I garden.

Well I certainly didn't think it was possible to get a cauliflower so fast. The package says 40 days from transplant but in my experience they usually exaggerate (lie). It's especially surprising since I rushed them out when the plants were so small and the caterpillars and heat have been a real problem for all the cole crops. All the plants are making good growth. I have some more of these babies just started that are only 1/2" tall. I think the name is just a made up thing and it's really just some OP variety. I have some seeds for a hybrid named Gypsy that I need to start.

It's 88 today and tomorrow with no end in sight for the rain possibilities so my crazy weather continues.

I grew cauliflowers for the 1st time last fall. Planted seedlings the week of Thanksgiving, and waited FOREVER to see a head! But, when I did, oh boy, did they take off. They LOVE COLD weather, safely down to around 40 degrees...if it gets too hot, they'll start doing strange things....

Here's a pic of my cole crops from last year, all planted around Thanksgiving week (about 2 weeks later than I plant to put them out this year...). All plants were playing volleyball and partying in 45-40 degree weather, and sulking and pouting at any temps above 60.

The cauliflowers produced FULL heads, but turned a putrid green 'cause I didn't wrap the leaves over them to protect them from the sun (like I was SUPPOSED to do...) I still ate them, and they were still good....

The cabbage (with a quarter sitting on it) weighed in at approximately 9 lbs, and NO BUG HOLES!!

The mustards and collards just kept on coming after I'd whack a batch off, until I got tired after picking the 4th batch...

The beet greens were GREAT! Although, I was plagued with rolly-pollies that munched on the leaves...but I'm ready for them with Sluggo Plus this time 'round...

I planted the turnips a bit too shallow. This time, I'll plant a little deeper...

Carrots DO take forever to grow...at least 90-150 days....but they are worth it!

Mustard greens can't take as much cold as the tough collards can. Protect them past 45 degrees!
Collards can go as low as 40-36 without damage. Any lower, protect them, too.

Broccoli likes the same temps as the cauliflowers, and will definitely sulk in the heat...

That's all I know from my own experience.

This message was edited Oct 29, 2009 2:11 PM

Twiggy; Looks like you stumbled on one of the tropical cauliflowers. It is a hybrid. http://www.harbest.com.ph/seeds/cauliflower.htm

Thank you Farmer Dill. Stumbled is the correct term for sure. I will go now and harvest it for my supper. It's just me here so even though it's small, it'll work. I'm so glad to know it is a real name and if the remainder of the plants do well I'll have to get some more of those seeds.

Tropical cauliflower sounds like an oxymoron to me. Imagine that. My weather has always been a crazy roller coaster so it's good to have all bases covered. Thank you very much for taking the trouble to look it up. Once more I'm reminded about that 3 letter word in assume.

Most of our cauliflower as we know it is European in origen,. The tropical type is of southeast Asian origen. Known-You is based on Taiwan. It never gets cold, but their summers while hot and humid, don't hit the highs that we get. Rather than summer and winter, they have wet (monsoon season) and dry.

Just a note on the temp thing. I have never covered my fall/winter garden and I grow greens, cole crops, and root crops. It has gotten down to 17* and I have never lost anything.
FarmerDill-Thank you, now I know its not me but the plants that take forever. I have had really good luck with seeds from Spain and Italy because their climate is alot like mine here.
Lisa

I went to cut my cauliflower and it looked like it might have grown a tad. The one next to it now has a head the size of a nickel. It sure seems like I stumbled on a winner. I left it and chose a pak choi instead. These are another winner for hot climates. I planted these in late August and they've been ready for 3 or 4 weeks. They didn't get any cool weather at all and grew very fast. It will be interesting to see how they handle frost. I've never had any damage to cole crops from frost before.

Great to know I don't need to go out and cover stuff anymore. Although, my backyard microclimate might be a tad different than ya'lls, since we have a bayou snaking beyond the back yard line...but, I'll give it a test this winter ^_^

Linda

Twiggybuds, I didn't know pac choi could take the heat! I could have planted it sooner. We love it in salads and in stir fry.

It was a big surprise for me too. It's the Canton Pak Choi from Baker Creek. I've got some more ready to transplant now and it will be a permanent addition to my fall garden. The only negative is that it's a magnet for caterpillars. The chilly spell almost 2 weeks ago shut them down.

Twiggybuds-You orignally ask if you should save the seeds. Are you going to?
This site is so interesting because just when I think I have it all down I learn from somebody elses experience. We have yet to have a frost/freeze, this is late for my area so I'm going out to pick peppers for salsa. Now I have Asian cole crops to try.
Lisa

twiggybuds - I'm really excited to see your Pak Choi looking so delicious. Those and the Calabrese broccoli seeds you sent me a while back are growing like gangbusters. I love Bok/Pak Choi and have a few different varieties planted. Guess we'll see which one handles the cool weather better, or maybe the heat since it's still pretty warm here (upper 80s). With the exception of the last three days - 60s int he day and low 40s at night. Freaky weather for Phoenix for sure...

No need to save seeds. I've been burned so many times it's pitiful by ordering from mainstream catalogs. It's very common for them to say things will perform in my zone when they don't. When I saw that 40 days to maturity on the cauliflower and 35 days on the pak choy I didn't believe it for a second.

I saw this site recommended somewhere else and last night I placed a large order since their prices are so reasonable. I want to improve my odds by planting some varieties that were designed for warm climates. I think this past summer was very similar to SE Asia.

http://www.evergreenseeds.com/vegetableseeds.html

They have 2 of those 40 day cauliflower varieties and the ones I have originated from the same breeder. Thanks to Farmer Dill for that discovery. I'm not giving up on OP varieties but this year was such a failure beginning with June. I ordered some cukes, squash, melons, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, okra, napa and leaf celery. I'm really excited to try these.

It's close to 90 today and I'm definitely eating cauliflower tonight!

Kelly that's great. I hope you get a good harvest. I have some Calabrese just planted. I wasn't going to grow it this year but I got worried that this other broccoli "Gypsy" might let me down so went ahead and planted some. I've seen several folks complain about Calabrese not doing well for them but I think it probably had to do with expectations. It's definitely not the same as we see in the stores. I had a mild winter last time and it kept sprouting for a long time.

Calabrese does well here - lots of side shoots after the main harvest. I also grow Di Cicco. I planted a 3rd Heirloom broccoli this year but suddenly the name escapes me - lol. I prefer Heirlooms, but I do grow Early Dividend broccoli. It does well for me here - produces early and tastes is exceptionally good. It's one of the few (and I mean few - can count on one hand few) hybrids I grow - lol...

As far as broccoli goes, Gypsy is 2nd early hybrid (Sakata). It performs allright here but there are lots of cultivars that I like better. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/64974/ I need an early maturing cultivar for both spring and fall planting. Early Dividend, Everest , Superdome, Southern Comet, Galleon, Blue Wind have been excellent for me. In fact also having grown Barbadoes, Coronado Crown, Packman, Belstar among hybrids still available, the only dud under my conditions was Belstar. Green Goliath is the best open pollinated cultivar that I have grown. I have also grown the sprouting broccolis, The antique Green Sprouting, Calabrese, De Cicco, and Purple Sprouting back in Virginia. They have too long a season for my conditions here in Georgia, but if you like florets over a big main head, they do produce when the climate suits them. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=Broccoli&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&searcher%5Bgrex%5D=&search_prefs%5Bblank_cultivar%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=with&Search=Search&offset=0

Great information as always Farmerdill! Thanks!

I'll have to look into some of those other cultivars!

Oh no, I'm growing Belstar this winter. I hope it isn't a dud. I have at least 50 plants of it! I also have DiCiccio, Green Goliath, Southern Comet and Blue Wind planted. I may have planted Pac Man too, but can't remember.

I'm trying Cassius and Cheddar Cauliflower in addition to Snow Crown.