# cauliflower and other garden questions



## jeff47041 (Jan 5, 2013)

Hey, lets pretend that when I was young and my mom was trying to teach me to take care of a garden, I was really stupid and didn't care to pay attention. Then, 12 years ago, when I was interested, my mom had a stroke and couldn't teach me.
So, I have cauliflower growing right now. I know that at some point, I'm supposed to tie it. Other than that, I'm clueless. Do I tie all of the leaves or just a few? When do I do it.. now, after the cauliflower starts to form, or when it's much bigger?
I also have broccoli and cabbage growing. But, really no clue if there is anything I should be doing to take care of it. Any suggestions?

I've always grown the normal vegies (tomatoes, green beans, peas, corn, peppers, & lots of different kind of squash) and do good with them. Just don't know about some of the things that mom grew, that I want now.

I also grow some herbs, leaf lettuce, spinach, onions etc... This is the first year that I've planted Kale. Do you just treat it the same as leaf lettuce?

Thanks for your help.


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

I'm certainly no expert, I can only offer solutions to problems that I've had personally.
I first tried broccolli and cflower two years ago when I bought some plants from a local gardeners backyard, and they both grew fine without any effort on my part (which is one of my main objectives, lazy mans gardening, except for weeding). Since then, I planted and have seeded my own and my main problem is critters! I figured I'd give DE (diatomaceous earth) a shot, and it works. My ccabbage, cflower and broccoli which were chewed down to nothing by (I think it was, even though we have rabbits around I personally busted one) squirrels, I started putting DE on all of them and now they are growing. I first tried it about 3 weeks ago and its rained pretty heavily since then and just reapplied it, and I actually have some plants.
I never had to tie them up.


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

My father had a garden mainly with peppers, tomatoes, okra, egg plants, etc. he made a natural bug spray of vinegar and hot peppers ,no bugs not even the cats got near it.


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

Cauliflower can be touchy. When the heads start forming, just fold up a few of the large inner leaves and clip them with clip clothespins (MUCH easier than tying). The idea is to keep the sunshine out, as it can cause the heads to turn colors - the market standard is white-white-white. You tie up just enough leaves to loosely cover the forming head.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

kappydell said:


> Cauliflower can be touchy. When the heads start forming, just fold up a few of the large inner leaves and clip them with clip clothespins (MUCH easier than tying). The idea is to keep the sunshine out, as it can cause the heads to turn colors - the market standard is white-white-white. You tie up just enough leaves to loosely cover the forming head.


Thanks I will try this with cabbage too.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

kappydell said:


> Cauliflower can be touchy. When the heads start forming, just fold up a few of the large inner leaves and clip them with clip clothespins (MUCH easier than tying). The idea is to keep the sunshine out, as it can cause the heads to turn colors - the market standard is white-white-white. You tie up just enough leaves to loosely cover the forming head.


:ditto:

That is the way we do it also... I do take a peek every few days, just to check and then take it as soon as it is ready.

Broccoli as soon as I get a good tight head, I harvest.

Once in the kitchen I give all my veggies a nice ice water bath to take care of any bugs that came in also. (about 30 minutes and make sure the veggies are all under water... I use a plate. )


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