Cauliflower is not such a popular plant in our gardens as white cabbage, so many do not know all the rules for growing it. In this regard, gardeners often make mistakes that lead to premature flowering of the plant, and therefore damage to the crop. To avoid the situation when the inflorescences of the specified culture are extended, we will tell further.
Main reasons
The reasons why cauliflower goes into color are associated with a violation of the agricultural technology of its cultivation.
Did you know? Cauliflower entered the territory of modern Russia thanks to Catherine II. It was grown by some noble nobles, who for a lot of money wrote her seeds from Malta.
Invalid climate for variety
The best culture grows at + 15 ... + 17 ° C. If the temperature rises, then all processes in the plant are accelerated, which means that the flowering period begins earlier than the head has time to acquire marketable sizes.
So that the cabbage is not covered with white, pale yellow or yellow flowers ahead of time, the plant can be planted in the shade of a young garden.
Overgrown seedlings
Seedlings are grown in greenhouses or at home. Plant it in open ground at the age of 35–45 days. The older the seedlings, the more they will stretch out and lose their strength faster, and besides, they will not be able to give a good harvest.
Inadequate care and nutrition
For normal growth, the culture in question needs a soil moisture of at least 70% and air humidity of at least 80%. Lowering these indicators, as well as a lack of nutrients lead to the fact that the plant goes into color earlier than the due date.
What to do and how to solve the problem
If the cabbage went into color, then you can try to fix the situation in two ways:
- To tear off flowering heads, loosen the soil and wait for the appearance of side heads.
- If the plant cannot be restored, remove it and sow the seeds again. This culture can grow in time before the onset of severe cold weather.
Important! Lateral heads of cabbage grow much smaller in size than the main one.
Preventive measures
The main thing in prevention is compliance with the rules for growing cauliflower:
- sow seeds in late February - early March;
- plant seedlings on time;
- do not thicken the landing;
- regularly water and mulch the soil;
- if the temperature has set early, dig a plant with small heads, put it in a box, sprinkle it with earth and send it to the basement until mid-September to plant it again in the soil;
- constantly apply organic matter and mineral fertilizers to the soil, since culture does not develop in poor land;
- the head is ready for collection, in which the buds are still closed.
Is it possible to eat such cauliflower?
The beginning of flowering starts processes in the plant that change the taste and structure of the head of cabbage: it becomes stiff and bitter. You can eat it in food, but you are unlikely to get pleasure from eating it. In addition, with the beginning of the flowering period, a part of the beneficial substances contained in cabbage is lost.
If cauliflower began to bloom, then it is extremely difficult to correct the situation, so it is easier to prevent a problem than to combat it.
